Category Archives: Kids

Why Car Seats Expire: Keep your child safe…

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“With the right combo, you can realistically only buy two to three seats, for your child’s entire life, without sacrificing safety. Three-in-1 seats can’t do this because of harness heights and weights, but also because of one other factor not everyone knows, and some don’t believe: Car seats expire.

Now, I know there are some conspiracy theories out there about how seats “don’t actually expire” and that’s it all just a ploy to get you to buy a new seat. I’m all about questioning the motives of companies, but in this situation, it’s true. Your seat really DOES expire.”

via Why Car Seats Expire: Details to Keep Your Child Safe | The Stir.

Children’s car seats are made to provide a safe ride for your child…please understand that children’s car seats do expire. You should be aware of the expiration date and realize that the materials that the car seats are made out of have a life span and that the seats should not be used beyond that life span. Hand-me down car seats should be used with caution and not beyond the expiration date.

Please read the above link on child car seat safety…it may save the life of your child!

CPR Could Save A Child’s Life ….

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NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

CPR is probably the single most important skill you can learn when it comes to saving a life and it could be the life of someone very close to you like you child…

Please…follow the link to familiarize yourself with CPR and sign up for a class or download an “APP” to your phone.

I sincerely hope you never have to use it but if you do…you will be very glad you made this effort.

“Knowing CPR Could Save A Child’s Life

by The Kid’s Doctor Staff

With pool season around the corner, and summer break about a month away, there’s one thing every parent or caregiver should know: How to perform CPR.

No one likes to think that an emergency could take the life of his or her child, and hopefully you’ll never be faced with that kind of frightening situation, but if you were – do you know how to perform CPR on your child?

Nothing takes the place of proper CPR training, and there are many places that offer classes. Signing up for one of these life-saving instruction classes will be time well spent. But, emergencies do happen and you could actually happen onto a situation where your child isn’t hurt- but someone else’s is. Here are some basic CPR rules that everyone should know.

If the child is unconscious – try to wake them up. Rub gently on the child’s shoulder and call out to them in a loud voice. Don’t be too aggressive in the shaking or touching – they could be suffering internal injuries. Be aggressive with your voice and attempt to get a response.

If the child does not wake up, have someone call 911 immediately. If no one is available to call for help, and the child does not appear to be breathing  – begin CPR for at least 2 minutes before calling 911.

via Knowing CPR Could Save A Child’s Life | The Kid’s Doctor: Your Partner in Parenting.

Strutting that stroller…

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Finally it is Spring and time to get outside with your little ones…STROLLER SAFETY is essential so here are some pointers from the March of Dimes. Happy and safe strolling!

Dig out those strollers…

Springtime is here and many moms are enjoying the spring flowers blooming while taking long walks with their babies or toddlers.  When you’re digging out and dusting off your strollers from your car trunk or garage make sure to also do a safety check on your strollers.  Some helpful tips include:

1) Test the stroller safety brakes. If you need to stop on your walk use the safety brake.

2) Check all safety straps, harnesses and seat beats to see if they are secure and properly working.

3) Always use the safety harnesses, straps and seatbelts when your child is inside the stroller. Unexpected sidewalk and street bumps are likely to pop up.

4) Make sure your baby can lie flat on her back in their stroller for sleep position

5) Inspect the wheels and make sure they are operating properly and there are no loose hinges or screws.

6) Check weight limits to see if the stroller is still appropriate for your child’s age, height and weight and do not create seats for older children where there are not official stroller seats and seatbelts.

7) If in doubt about your stroller, call your stroller manufacturer with your questions or purchase a new stroller that is appropriate for your child’s height, weight and growth.

Do not hang excessive bags, backpacks on your handlebars of your stroller, it could tip over.

These simple tips can help mom and baby or toddler stay comfortable and safe for those strolls in the park.  Happy spring!

Tags: stroller safety, tips for stroller safety

via News Moms Need » Blog Archive » Dig out those strollers….

Is it OK for Boys to Wear Toenail Polish?

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NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

“J.Crew.com features top picks from its President and Creative Director Jenna Lyons—and her latest set featured a casual striped pullover, along with a pic of her and her son, Beckett, who’s sporting hot pink-painted toenails.

The caption accompanying the photo says: “Lucky for me, I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon.

via Is it OK for Boys to Wear Toenail Polish? – Parenting.com.

Of course it is okay for boys to wear toenail polish if they want to do so.

And yes, this young boy seems to be having a jolly old time playing and posing with his mother and his neon pink toenails.

There is so much media attention being given to this photo and what it may or may not be saying about  the sexuality of this young child.

As a clinical social worker, what I see here, is a child playing…what I know from the small print is:

  • he is playing with his mother and
  • he seems to be having fun.

What I would say a definitive NO to, is using this innocent moment to sell merchandise or make any kind of statement about gender confusion.

It is my opinion, by posting this particular photo and comment,  J. Crew is using this child’s playful moment to create a contrived controversy to promote its’ brand with the help and sanction of this little boy’s mother, who just happens to be an executive with J. Crew.

I would not throw my child’s playful moment into such a spotlight. I would cherish it.

This child is not the one craving to be the center of attention nor does he want to make any serious statement about his love of pink toenail polish. It seems it is his his mother’s need to say something here.

This little playfully sweet photo seems to be saying two things:

  • being a ‘princess boy ‘is okay and
  • J. Crew is accepting and is therefore okay too.

In the past few days, there has been another child in the media’s lens …a little girl who seemed to be physically exploited by a TSA agent who was doing her job and searching the child prior to boarding her flight.

So it seems, we have two children in the news who have been exploited…one physically and one emotionally.

The difference is that the parent of the child being searched was outraged.

On the other hand the  mother in the J. Crew picture was willingly part of the exploitation of her own child.

Shame on her…

Chronological Age vs Gestational Age…

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via: http://www.jillstanek.com/archives/fetal_pain/

Each year babies are born prematurely and the question of chronological age and gestational age can add to the confusion for parents.

Truthfully speaking, these babies can actually have two ages for awhile.  These ages help the medical team and the parents know what to expect developmentally from a preemie.

Here is an explanation from the March of Dimes and the link below it is for more information regarding this issue.

“Babies who are born prematurely often have two ages:  Chronological age is the age of the baby from the day of birth—the number of days, weeks or years old the baby actually has been in the outside world.  Adjusted age is the developmental age of the baby based on his due date.

To calculate adjusted age, you take your premature baby’s chronological age (for example, 20 weeks) and subtract the number of weeks premature the baby was (born 6 weeks early).  In this example, the baby’s adjusted age would be 14 weeks.  Health care providers may use the adjusted age when they evaluate the baby’s growth and development.

Barring serious physical or neurological injury, most premature babies “catch up” to their peers, developmentally, in two to three years. After that, any differences in size or development are most likely due to individual differences, rather than to premature birth. Some very small babies take longer to catch up. You can stop adjusting your baby’s age when it feels most comfortable to you.”

via News Moms Need.

Cribs, Presumed Safe…

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Presumed Safe

This has been a big week for recalls related to children’s safety from car seats, to bassinets and cribs.

We think that our children are  safe when we put them in their cribs and for the most part they are.

Here are some points to consider concerning cribs and baby equipment in general:

  • If your child is ready to climb he could be injured by falling out of his crib.
  • If your crib is a hand-me-down if could be a recalled one that could potentially injure your  child.
  • Parents and caregivers need to be alert to warnings and read them before using toys, cribs, swings, highchairs, bouncy seats etc.

 

“Of the nearly 182,000 children hurt in cribs during the study period, two-thirds were injured due to a fall. Not surprisingly, as babies grew increasingly mobile, the proportion of injuries from falls increased.  As kids got older, prop of inj from falls increased. “This is telling us that coming up with designs that help anticipate that is the way we need to go,” says Smith.

That could take the form of taller crib rails or other fixes. (In any case, parents should drop the height of the crib mattress to its lowest level once baby pulls to a stand. And by 35 inches, it’s time to boot that baby to a big-kid bed.) “Crib designs haven’t really changed in the past two decades, but now they will have to,” says Smith.

Babies of the future may indeed be confined to cribs that look even more like jail cells. If that’s the case, there may be a booming market for black-and-white onesies.

via Cribs, Presumed Safe, Injure 26 Children Every Day – TIME Healthland.”

Another Recall….”IKEA Crib Recall”…

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CRIB RECALL

Another retailer, IKEA, has recalled baby cribs.

“IKEA has recalled 20,000 SNIGLAR cribs. The four bolts that support the crib mattress may not be long enough, which could allow the mattress to collapse through the crib frame. This creates an entrapment and suffocation risk to the child.

Plus: Read about the ban on drop-side cribs

The cribs were sold at nationwide IKEA stores from October 2005 through June 2010 for about $80.

via IKEA Crib Recall – Baby Crib Recall – Parenting.com.”

Bassinet Recall!

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Baby Bassinet Recall

Yet another recall surrounding children’s products. Bassinets are being recalled this time.

Here are the links to what, where, and how to fix these bassinets if you or someone you knows owns one of these items.

“WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Bassinets

Units: About 500,000

Manufacturer: Burlington Basket Company, of Burlington, Iowa

via Bassinets Recalled by Burlington Basket Company Due to Fall Hazard; New Instructions and Warning Labels to be Provided to Consumers.

The Burlington, Iowa-based company is not offering to take back the bassinets, but is instead giving consumers free repair kits to show exactly how to install the support rails. Consumers should check to make sure their bassinet has the support rails properly locked in place.

via CBC News – Consumer Life – Baby bassinets recalled for collapse risk.”

 

10 Choking Hazards…

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NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

Choking Hazards

“According to a 2008 study, the 10 foods that pose the highest choking hazards for young children are hot dogs, peanuts, carrots, boned chicken, candy, meat, popcorn, fish with bones, sunflower seeds and apples.

If a child is more than 1 year old, perform the Heimlich maneuver. If the child is younger than 1, rest the child face down on your knee and slap the back between the shoulder blades five times. More information can be found at healthychildren.org.”

via The 10 Biggest Choking Hazards – NYTimes.com.

Choking is a serious situation for any child. It is best to stay away from foods that can pose a choking hazard for your child.

Even if you are vigilant when feeding these foods to your little one it is not worth the risk.

In addition to the choking risk, a child can aspirate any of these foods while coughing to prevent themselves from choking. Aspiration occurs when food or liquids are inhaled into the lungs. This can cause serious complications for a child and can also result in death.

A child’s trachea or “wind pipe” is very tiny ,not even as large as your pinky finger, so it only takes something quite small to block the trachea and cause a child to choke and not be able to breath.

Small pieces of food are recommended. Children and babies should always have someone with them while they are eating. They should not eat in the car or walking around. Ideally, they should be in their own seat or high chair.

All caregivers and parents should be trained in CPR for babies and children in case of an emergency.

Summary:

  • high risk foods: hot dogs, food with bones, candy,including, peanuts, sunflower seeds, apples and carrots.
  • babies and young children should be supervised when eating.
  • babies and young children should not eat walking around or in the car.
  • babies and children should eat while seated in their own seats or high chair.
  • caregivers and family members should be trained in CPR for babies and children