Monday, October 27, 2008
Keeping kids safe on Halloween
If you are fortunate enough to help your grandchild prepare for Halloween, you should take a look at the guidelines from SafeKids Worldwide. They have great tips for having a fun but safe Halloween night. Additionally, they list things to remember if you are out driving on that night. Being prepared and thoughtful planning can help your whole family enjoy this fun time.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Crib Recall
Is My Crib Safe?
Infant Deaths Prompt Largest Crib Recall in U.S. History (source: Safekids Worldwide)
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced the recall of more than 1.6 million Delta Enterprise Drop Side Cribs after the entrapment and suffocation deaths of two 8-month-old children.
Two different recalls have been issued for two different hazards: Missing Safety Pegs and Spring Peg Failure.
If you own a Delta Enterprise Drop Side Crib, Safe Kids strongly encourages you to read both recall notices.
You can also learn more by learn more by visiting Delta’s recall website at www.cribrecallcenter.com.
Infant Deaths Prompt Largest Crib Recall in U.S. History (source: Safekids Worldwide)
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced the recall of more than 1.6 million Delta Enterprise Drop Side Cribs after the entrapment and suffocation deaths of two 8-month-old children.
Two different recalls have been issued for two different hazards: Missing Safety Pegs and Spring Peg Failure.
If you own a Delta Enterprise Drop Side Crib, Safe Kids strongly encourages you to read both recall notices.
You can also learn more by learn more by visiting Delta’s recall website at www.cribrecallcenter.com.
Priceless Portraits
This past week I embarked on a fun adventure with my son, daughter-in-law, and grandbaby. It was our very first portrait appointment and we went filled with anticipation. Emma donned her little lamb costume and we waited for quite awhile for the photographer to be ready for us ( she was the only one working at the time) and we were concerned that Emma would get restless and hot in her outfit. When we were finally called into the studio, my son was asked to be the prop man. He was covered with a brown piece of fabric so that he could hold Emma, who is too young to sit up alone. My daughter-in-law and I proceeded to act out, sing, coo, and crawl around to evoke the big grin that we have seen many times on Emma's face. Nothing was out of the question. There were many different poses and we did manage to get some smiles after a few tries. I have to admit that in the beginning, her expression showed that she had no idea why we were all acting so strange. In the end, however, it was well worth it, since the pictures came out really well. They accurately portray the many and ever expanding emotions that a five month old experiences. We all ordered lots of prints and my favorite is already proudly displayed in my home. Every time I look at it, I not only marvel how adorable she is, but to what extent we will all go to capture each fleeting stage of development.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Important Safety Message
October 7, 2008
Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death
By TARA PARKER-POPE
Sleeping in a room with a fan lowers a baby’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome by 72 percent, a new study has found.
The finding, published Monday in The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, is the latest evidence to suggest that a baby’s sleep environment is a critical factor in the risk of SIDS, which is diagnosed when an infant’s sudden death cannot be explained by other factors.
The study was not designed to identify why fans make a difference, but researchers said they thought that by circulating air, fans lowered the risk of “rebreathing” exhaled carbon dioxide. That risk has been suggested as a reason the rate of SIDS is higher when children sleep on their stomach, in a soft bed or without a pacifier.
Since 1992 the rate of SIDS deaths has dropped by more than half, to about one death per 2,000 live births from 2.4 per 1,000. The decline is linked to a national “Back to Sleep” campaign that promotes putting babies on their back instead of their stomach, which has been shown to lower the risk of sudden death.
The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that parents avoid soft bedding, allow babies to use a pacifier and avoid overheating a baby’s room.
Despite the gains, SIDS continues to be the leading cause of death in babies under the age of 1, and researchers are looking for more measures to lower the risk.
The latest study compared 185 babies who had died of SIDS with 312 randomly selected babies and matched them by age, race, ethnic group and country of origin.
“Even though we don’t know why certain babies are more susceptible, sleeping environment matters,” said a co-author of the study, Dr. De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente’s division of research in Oakland, Calif.
Parents who worry that their child will be chilled by a fan should know that fans do not cool the air; they just move air around. A baby will feel a chill only if he or she is perspiring, doctors say.
Parents who use fans in a child’s room should make sure to take normal safety precautions, keeping cords out of the way and making sure the fan cannot be knocked down by a toddler or pet.
Dr. Li said the use of fans should not replace other sleeping strategies for lowering SIDS, like removing soft bedding and putting babies on their back. He noted that the gains shown in the study were an average for the whole group, including for babies whose care did not meet the guidelines. Still, even if a baby had a safe sleeping environment, the risk of SIDS was lowered by about 16 percent for those who had a fan in the room, although the trend was not statistically significant.
“If parents wanted to do more to reduce the baby’s SIDS risk,” he said, “they can add a fan.”
Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death
By TARA PARKER-POPE
Sleeping in a room with a fan lowers a baby’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome by 72 percent, a new study has found.
The finding, published Monday in The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, is the latest evidence to suggest that a baby’s sleep environment is a critical factor in the risk of SIDS, which is diagnosed when an infant’s sudden death cannot be explained by other factors.
The study was not designed to identify why fans make a difference, but researchers said they thought that by circulating air, fans lowered the risk of “rebreathing” exhaled carbon dioxide. That risk has been suggested as a reason the rate of SIDS is higher when children sleep on their stomach, in a soft bed or without a pacifier.
Since 1992 the rate of SIDS deaths has dropped by more than half, to about one death per 2,000 live births from 2.4 per 1,000. The decline is linked to a national “Back to Sleep” campaign that promotes putting babies on their back instead of their stomach, which has been shown to lower the risk of sudden death.
The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that parents avoid soft bedding, allow babies to use a pacifier and avoid overheating a baby’s room.
Despite the gains, SIDS continues to be the leading cause of death in babies under the age of 1, and researchers are looking for more measures to lower the risk.
The latest study compared 185 babies who had died of SIDS with 312 randomly selected babies and matched them by age, race, ethnic group and country of origin.
“Even though we don’t know why certain babies are more susceptible, sleeping environment matters,” said a co-author of the study, Dr. De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente’s division of research in Oakland, Calif.
Parents who worry that their child will be chilled by a fan should know that fans do not cool the air; they just move air around. A baby will feel a chill only if he or she is perspiring, doctors say.
Parents who use fans in a child’s room should make sure to take normal safety precautions, keeping cords out of the way and making sure the fan cannot be knocked down by a toddler or pet.
Dr. Li said the use of fans should not replace other sleeping strategies for lowering SIDS, like removing soft bedding and putting babies on their back. He noted that the gains shown in the study were an average for the whole group, including for babies whose care did not meet the guidelines. Still, even if a baby had a safe sleeping environment, the risk of SIDS was lowered by about 16 percent for those who had a fan in the room, although the trend was not statistically significant.
“If parents wanted to do more to reduce the baby’s SIDS risk,” he said, “they can add a fan.”
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Holiday Shopping Begins
Just received an email from SafeKids with a great toy buying guide. Now that the stores are starting their new toy advertising, its nice to have some safety guidelines to ensure a safe and happy holiday. You can go to the link I have posted and download this pocket guide to take with you as you shop. Since it is divided into age categories, you can make sure you are making wise choices.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Car Booster Seat Safety
Check out the article on CBS TV about their study on booster seats. Some are rated unacceptable. It is so important to keep updated on these issues that are matters of life and death. Here's the link - www.wbcstv.com and look for the article titled "Is Your Child's Car Booster Seat Safe"? It quotes a report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Happy and Safe travels!
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