Archive for the 'Child Safety' Category

Car Seat ID Giveaway!

If you know me, you know I am a huge advocate of child safety. Having children is a full time job and their safety is a major concern of parents the world over. While performing searches for ‘autism safety products’ I found a very special site.

My Precious Kid sells high quality safety products for all children, not just kids in the Autism Spectrum. In fact, their page for Autism appropriate products was put together by a mother of an autistic child who had browsed their product line.

I spoke with Kay Green, one of the owners, yesterday. Even though the company is located in the Pacific Northwest which is 3 hours behind my time zone, she promptly responded! How cool is that? Speaks volumes about their customer service, I think.

So, shortly I will be reviewing a child locator. While you are waiting for that review, why not join in on this giveaway?

How it works:
My Precious Kid will be giving away 5 Car Seat ID tags to 5 Family Resource readers. This is perfect for parents, grandparents, and friends who have expecting friends. To earn an entry, visit My Precious Kid, browse their products, then come back and post your favorite safety product and why in a comment on this post.

Want to earn extra entries?

1 extra entry- Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. Post your Twitter ID here or follow Family Resource on Twitter so I can verify your tweet.
1 extra entry- Link to this giveaway on a message board or forum then post the link here so I can verify.
2 extra entries- Blog about this giveaway on your blog and link to this post.

I will be verifying all entries, so please don’t forget to post the links in your comment!

Winners will be chosen February, Friday the 13th. Who says Friday the 13th has to be unlucky?

Posted in Child Safety | No Comments »

Finding a Preschool (Part 2)

Now you’re ready to move on to actually finding a school. You’ve weighed the different philosophies and decided on the one or couple that would best work for you and your child. The next step is doing the research — is there one of those schools in your area?

Word of Mouth. The best way to find good schools is by asking around. Ask your friends and family if they know of any schools in the area that are reputable. Strike up conversations with parents at parks or at the library to ask where their children go and if they’d recommend it. A personal reference is much better than an ad in a phone book.

Expert Help. The Childcare Aware hot line 800-424-2246 is an excellent resource to find schools in your area. They can give you the local numbers for childcare referral agencies and they can give you the skinny on great schools in your area. You can also get a list of accredited preschools in the area and while that doesn’t necessarily guarantee those schools will be a good fit for you it’s a good place to start looking.

Phone book. This is a last resort resource. The Yellow Pages don’t screen preschools anyone who buys ad space can put their school in the book. It’s an excellent starting point if you need it but remember you must do your homework.

Any school you decide on needs a closer look before you enroll your child. Make sure you not only interview the director over the phone but you go down and visit the school during school hours to get a feel for how the school truly is.

Questions to ask over the phone:
1.) Fees. If it’s a private preschool it will have some
2.) Hours. A school is no good if you need an 8 am to 5 pm and they’re only open til noon.
3.) Student to teacher ratio (7 students to 1 teacher is the ideal for ages 3 and 4)
4.) What holidays or weeks are they closed
5.) Their discipline philosophy
6.) Nutrition. Do they supply the food? Do you? Are there things you couldn’t send in a lunch? Things of that nature
7.) Lists of the daily activities

If you like what you hear then you want to schedule time to visit. You’ll want to meet the director and the staff. See the facilities, the play area, examples of the daily activities, and see if the kids generally seem to be having a good time.

Things to keep an eye out for while visiting:
1.) Is it a clean and safe environment
2.) Do the teachers seem happy with their jobs
3.) Do the kids seem happy with their teachers
4.) Is the equipment outside taking care of and safe

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and poke your nose around their facility. This is a place your child is going to spend a lot of time in when you aren’t around to make sure their safe. You can never be too careful choosing a school — do your homework.

Posted in Child Safety, Safety, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Nightmare Leg Cramps

There’s nothing much worse than being yanked out of a pleasant night’s sleep by pain and nothing does that better than getting cramps in your calves. You know them, and you lay there whimpering as you try to work them out so you can go back to sleep. The cramp is a result of all the muscles contracting in the back of your lower leg and you swear it’s got to be something more severe than a simple cramp by the pain level alone. Don’t panic. They really are just a cramp and rarely indicative of something more severe. These kinds of cramps most commonly occur when you’re falling asleep or as you’re waking up in the morning.

There are several causes of leg cramps which include:

-Alcohol abuse
-Lowered potassium levels
-Muscle overexertion
-Sitting for long periods of time.
-Diabetes
-Dehydration
-Pregnancy
-Medication induced — albuteral, niacin, diuretics, and some mental health medications.
-Neuromuscular disorders — such as Parkinson’s disease.

Some tips to help you in the dead of night when the cramps strike:

-Flex your foot while straightening your leg out which stretches out the calf muscles — hard to do but very effective.
-Try and rub out the cramp — I find that this coupled with flexing really works it out quickly.
-Take a hot bath — not my favorite choice it’s the middle of the night and I just want to get back to sleep.
-Apply cold pack to the calf — also requires getting up.

There are preventative measures you can take to avoid the cramps all together:

-Drink plenty of fluids — water counts, soda doesn’t.
-Stretch your legs out before going to bed.
-Make sure you get plenty of potassium in your diet.

Some foods that are extra rich in potassium at least 300 mg or more per serving:

-Bananas
-Papaya
-Raisins
-Artichoke
-Broccoli
-Canned Kidney Beans
-Baked Potato w/ skin
-Tomato
-Brazil Nuts
-Hamburger
-Roasted Peanuts w/ skin
-Canned Salmon

Posted in Allergies, Child Safety, Health, Health Care, Safety, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Top Five Hidden Home Hazards

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just released the “Top Five Hidden Home Hazardsâ€? — an important list for you and your family to be aware of.

33.1 million family members a year are injured by consumer products in their homes. The CPSC came up with this recent list in hopes of lowering these injuries. With very little costs to families many of these injuries can be avoided.

Here’s the list from the CPSC:

#1 Magnets

Since 2005: 1 Death, 86 Injuries

I had no idea that magnets cause so many injuries, but they do. The CPSC says, “If two or more magnets, or a magnet and another metal object are swallowed separately, they can attract to one another through intestinal walls and get trapped in place. The injury is hard to diagnose. Parents and physicians may think that the materials will pass through the child without consequence, but magnets can attract in the body and twist or pinch the intestines, causing holes, blockages, infection, and death, if not treated properly and promptly.”

To be safe make sure that small children never play with magnets when unattended. Watch for loose magnets that may break off from toys and throw them away. If you hear that a magnetic toy is recalled make sure to follow the recall instructions.

#2 Recalled Items

Each year there about 400 recalls.

Recalls are useful; if your family knows about them. You can get dangerous products out of your home and away from your children quickly if you sign up to receive recall information by email at www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. CPSC points out that, “An e-mail from CPSC is not spam – it could save a life.”

#3 Tip-overs

Average of 22 deaths per year;
31 in 2006 and an estimated 3,000 injuries.

Furniture, Electronics, stoves, and more can fall over and crush young children. Kids like to try and climb up shelving or pull themselves up using equipment stands, shelves, chests, dressers, and more. A television sitting on a shelf can tip over and cause head trauma and other injuries.

Don’t leave enticing items, like a bowl of candy, a toy, or even a remote control, on top of something because it might make your child want to climb up to get the item. Make sure furniture is stable and not sitting on a slanted floor or uneven carpet. You can buy brackets and attach them to tall easy-to-tip furniture. In California my family attached everything to the wall (earthquake precautions) and all the brackets to do that cost under $15. It’s an inexpensive way to keep your kids safe.

#4 Windows & Window Coverings

Average of 12 deaths annually from window cords;
Average of 9 deaths and an estimated 3,700 injuries to children annually from window falls.

Window screens are designed to keep icky bugs out; not your cute kids in. If you open your windows wide, use window guards. Or you can use a lock that allows a window to be semi-opened but not all the way. Cords from window coverings are a huge danger to kids. You can wrap them up at the top of the window; but a safer bet is to install inner cord stays. Also, keep all furniture and cribs away from windows.

#5 Pool & Spa Drains

15 injuries, 2 fatalities from 2002-2004.According to CPSP, “The suction from a pool drain can be so powerful that it can hold an adult under water, but most incidents involve children. The body can become sealed against the drain or hair can be pulled in and tangled.” Another issue is missing or broken drain covers — one of the main reasons that entrapment occurs. You can install a Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS) which automatically detects when a drain is blocked and shuts off the pump which prevents entrapment. Also, of course, never allow children to use a pool or spa unattended. Consider putting up a gate, with a lock, around your water filled equipment.

To learn more visit CPSP.

To find child-proofing products for your home visit, BabyGates.com

Posted in Child Safety | 3 Comments »

Safety DVD Review: By A Six-Year Old

A six year old and me to be exact.

Earlier this week I mentioned that I got a safety DVD for my son Cedar. The video is called The Safe Side and it was created by John Walsh and Julie Clark (of the Baby Einstein fame). Right now The Safe Side Company has two different DVDs available; Stranger Safety and Internet Safety. We ordered the Stranger Safety DVD. You can also get them in video cassette format.

The DVD was very well-priced at $12.99 and came right away. It comes with safe side stickers, a viewing guide and other information for parents, and a child’s safe side data card. The card can be filled in with information that your child should learn such as phone number, parent’s cells, safe adults list, and more.

Stranger Safety DVD Goals:

• To teach kids ages 5 to 12 to stay safe when they encounter dangerous situations at home, at school, and in the community.
• To raise money for The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. (10% of proceeds are donated to the center.)

What’s on the DVD:

This movie is about 40 minutes long and it was broken up into really nice sized chunks for little kids. There are 11 kid based sections that include:

1. Introducing Safe Side Superchick.
2. What is a Don’t Know?
3. Examples of Don’t Knows.
4. Hot Tip: Keep your Safe Side Adult close.
5. Hot Tip: Don’t open the door!
6. Hot Tip: Beware of tricks.
7. Hot Tip: Don’t Know? Don’t talk.
8. Hot Tip: Create a Safe Side Circle.
9. Hot Tip: Know your Safe Side Adults.
10. Hot Tip: Don’t go without asking.
11. Hot Tips review at Safe Side Headquarters.

There’s also a music video and Spanish subtitles available.

What we thought:

I was leery because frankly, the commercials look a little annoying — a ’superchick’ flying around and loud noises. I wasn’t too excited. The commercials did however, entice my son because he’s been begging for this DVD for a while.

I was very pleasantly surprised. The ’superchick’ character was not annoying at all. She was a pretty calm voice of reason dressed up to appeal to kids. Her voice was nice to listen to and Cedar LOVED her. He thought she was great. They use real kids throughout the DVD and Cedar liked that too.

He laughed through the whole DVD, said it was “cool,” and asked questions. He also talked back to the DVD when superchick asked questions –  most of the time he got the correct answer too.

What’s “a don’t know”:

The best thing this DVD did was that they never, I don’t think, used the word “stranger” which was great because that word can be really confusing to kids. If you ask my son what a stranger is he’ll say someone mean or scary. By using the term “a don’t know” instead of stranger it made more sense to Cedar who he should and should never go with or get too close to.

The next term they introduce is “a kinda know” –falling into this category are adults that kids meet but don’t know well. This could be their dad’s boss, mom’s friend, baseball coach, or teacher at their school. The DVD emphasized not going anywhere with a kinda knows. I think that’s smart considering actual abductions by people kids never meet are more rare than abductions and harm from people they’ve met before.

The last set of characters introduced were the “safe side adults;” these are parents, grandparents, close adult friends, people like this. The DVD encourages parents and kids to discuss three safe adults that a child knows he can trust no matter what.

Was Cedar getting it?:

We stopped the DVD a few times and talked about it afterwards and he was able to rattle off a list of “kinda knows” as compared to “safe side adults.” It’s been a few days and he’s watched it twice. He’s getting this much better than he gets “stranger.” He’s still, I think, a bit confused about “don’t knows” because he likes to think everyone is his pal. I think though that with more discussions he’ll understand as well as a kid his age can.

Great stuff:

At one point they show a kid who know karate. They discuss that even though this little kid is a rock star at karate he’s no match for a big adult. They actually show superchick stopping his moves. I thought that was great because I’ve heard kids say things like, “I can stop a stranger by kicking, or hitting, etc.” This showed you can be strong but not strong enough.

I also liked that superchick had real kid-like weaknesses. She talked about being so excited when the doorbell rings and wanting to jump up and answer it and how it was hard not to. But she did not open the door because she also knew it wasn’t safe. Cedar loves to open the door but all week instead of opening the door he has gotten me first instead — a huge step for him.

On a scale of 1-10, I’d give this video a straight up 10, likely more. Cedar loves it, it was not overly annoying as a parent, and it really offers great ideas for kids. We will be ordering the Internet Safety DVD soon for sure. I actually hope that this company goes on to create more DVDs because I haven’t seen any stranger DVDs this well done before. There are other safety items you can order at the website; but I think the DVDs are your best first move for keeping kids safe.
To learn more visit the Safe Side Company.

Posted in Child Safety | No Comments »

Scary Youth Safety Statistics

I’ve been looking for a good book or video on safety because my son will just open the front door without asking and thinks that it would be okay to go with a stranger if they had a toy for him (I know, because I asked him).
We talk about stranger danger issues but Cedar just wasn’t getting it. I was curious if a video or book might help. Cedar saw the commercials for the video The Safe Side and kept asking for it.

We ordered it and watched it and I’ll be back with a review. But first I thought I’d offer some facts from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

The majority of parents worry about their children and stranger danger issues and that’s good because statistics are alarming.

• 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be sexually assaulted before they reach adulthood.
• There are 600,000 registered sex offenders in the U.S and another 100,000 (at least) lost to the system.
• By the end of 2006 NCMEC had received more than 441,900 reports of child pornography.
• 1 in 7 youth report receiving sexual solicitations online.
• Most youth report chatting online with adults they don’t know.
• An alarming 1 in 3 youth report that they’ve actually met someone in person they’ve only known from the internet.

Current statistics from The U.S. Department of Justice.

• 797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing each day.
• 203,900 children were the victims of family abductions.
• 58,200 children were the victims of non-family abductions.
• 115 children were the victims of “stereotypicalâ€? kidnapping. (These crimes involve someone the child does not know or someone of slight acquaintance, who holds the child overnight, transports the child 50 miles or more, kills the child, demands ransom, or intends to keep the child permanently.)

The numbers can be tricky when it comes to missing and abducted youth. Here’s a good article that can help you sort out the figures. No matter how skewed the numbers, it’s a fact that kids are harmed and go missing every day.
To learn more visit:

The Office for Victims of Crime

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

In my next post I’ll cover what we thought of the video and other ways you can help keep your kids smarter and safer.  

Posted in Child Safety, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Have a Wonderful and Safe 4th of July!

The 4th of July is a great time for families to get together. A nice warm day, picnics in the grass, icy watermelon, slip & slide fun (hey, do they still have slip & slides?), and the amazing firework displays.

It’s a fun and family focused day of the year.

But sadly, many accidents can and do occur on the 4th each year. Not to put a damper on the day’s festivities but there are some simple facts you need to know to keep your family safe and healthy this 4th.

Facts & figures

I could give millions of accident stats for the 4th — there’s no shortage. However, let’s just look a few biggies offered by The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

• “In 2005, 10,800 people were treated at hospital emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries.
• The highest risks of fireworks injury are to school-age children. In 2005, nearly half of the people injured by fireworks were under the age of 15.
• Fireworks can result in severe burns, fractures, or scars or even death or disfigurement that can last a lifetime.
• Even sparklers, which are considered by many to be harmless, reach temperatures of more than 1,000° F.
• Based on the amount of time and quantities in use, fireworks pose a higher risk of fire death than any other consumer product.“

On July 4th there are more U.S. fires reported that on any other day of the year — and fireworks account for half of these fires. The figure that surprised me was the sparklers — which are seemingly harmless. I always have let my son use them in the past but I’m re-thinking that this year. Each year the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) promotes a list of safety tips for 4th of July firework safety.

This year however, the AAP is doing something new. The NFPA has come forward with, instead of safety tips, a new recommendation that tips aren’t needed. What’s needed is a call for everyone to leave the fireworks to the professionals. The AAP agrees with the NFPA and so this year’s tips are a little less bulky and a lot safer…

“Legal or not for consumers, fireworks are too risky for amateurs leave the fireworks to the professionals.”

Besides saving you some reading this tip could save your family money, stress, and more importantly maybe your health or life. So follow this year’s one tip. Gather the family, pack a picnic, and head to the nearest community fireworks festivities for a fun and safe 4th.

Safe & happy July 4th wishes from Family Resource!

Posted in Child Safety, Healthy Living, Holidays, Personal Safety | 1 Comment »

New 24-Hour Phone Response System Gives Parents Immediate Access to a Pediatrician / Pediatric Emergency Physician

Los Angeles, Calif. (April 27, 2006) - With overcrowded emergency departments and capacity constraints on office-based pediatricians, many parents find themselves in a quandary when it comes to taking the best course of action with a sick or injured child - especially if they cannot reach their primary physician immediately.

As most parents soon realize, unnecessary trips to the hospital or urgent care facility can be inconvenient and costly. Now parents who are unsure when to call their child’s doctor or when to seek emergency care can have their questions and concerns answered directly by leading pediatric emergency physicians.

Scheduled to launch May 3, 2006, KIDSMD-ON-CALL is the first phone service that provides parents with personal and immediate attention from a physician (unlike existing services that employ a nurse or physician’s assistant). The service charges a $12 connection fee and $7.99 per minute.

The founder of KIDSMD-ON-CALL, board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric

Emergency Medicine, has more than 15 years experience working in a large urban children’s emergency department. A former regional poison center consultant, he also has years of teaching experience, educating hundreds of doctors and nurses.

Parents will find the reliable counseling provided by KIDSMD-ON-CALL one of its most valuable features. When Jack and Aubyn Gominiak’s newborn son was crying uncontrollably, nursing constantly and had a distended belly, they took him to the emergency room, and he was admitted for testing.

“The problem was that we were getting conflicting information,” said Aubyn. One pediatrician dismissed the symptoms as colic, while another wanted to do a series of aggressive tests. “We were confused, and I would have liked to get an outside opinion to find out what course of action would be in our child’s best interest.”

Like many concerned parents, the Gominiaks took advantage of every possible resource to educate themselves on their son’s condition. And while there are several resources available, like the Internet, KIDSMD-ON-CALL offers individual attention and guidance, which puts medical information in the proper context for parents - based on their child’s distinctive situation.

How It Works:

Parents can call 866-4KIDSMD (454-3763) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They’ll have immediate access to a physician who listens to their concerns. After the parent has been asked several questions about their child’s medical and surgical history and the current symptoms, an experienced and well-trained physician will provide the following:

• A general impression about their child’s condition
• An interpretation of the symptoms in easy-to-understand language
• Education about the condition with general treatment guidelines
• What to watch for and how to determine whether the condition is improving or worsening
• What to expect if the child needs emergency care

Whether it’s a question about a cold or viral syndrome or a more concerning disease or serious condition, such as seizures or heart disease, KIDSMD-ON-CALL gives parents the chance to immediately speak to a physician who has treated thousands of patients with a wide variety of medical problems and traumatic injuries.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the average wait time in an emergency room visit is 3.2 hours. More than half of nationwide visits to the emergency rooms are unnecessary. Although uninsured patients seeking routine care make up part of that statistic, another piece of the puzzle is the high number of worried parents who mistakenly believe they are acting in their child’s best interest by erring on the side of caution with a trip to the emergency room.

KIDSMD-ON-CALL may offer concerned parents the same peace of mind, possibly without wasting several hours at the hospital - or unnecessarily exposing a relatively healthy child to the possible risk of disease found in a healthcare setting.

KIDSMD-ON-CALL is not intended for life-threatening emergencies and a phone assessment is not as precise as a complete, in-person evaluation and examination. The physicians DO NOT diagnose conditions over the telephone. When parents call KIDSMD-ON-CALL, they will receive reliable information and personal counseling to help them make well-informed decisions on the medical care of their child.

Posted in Child Safety, Health, Parenting, Uncategorized | No Comments »