Child Health & Safety News Roundup: 07-23-2012 to 07-29-2012
Welcome to Pediatric Safety’s weekly “Child Health & Safety News Roundup”- a recap of the past week’s child health and safety news headlines from around the world.
Each day we use Twitter to communicate relevant and timely health and safety information to the parents, medical professionals and other caregivers who follow us. Occasionally we may miss something, but we think overall we’re doing a pretty good job of keeping you informed. But for our friends and colleagues who are not on Twitter (or who are but may have missed something), we offer you a recap of the past week’s top 25 news-worthy events.
- How to Talk to Your Kids About…Bullying http://t.co/N8CHzh5M as the school year approaches, something we need to think about 2012-07-29
- Feds file suit against Buckyballs, retailers ban product http://t.co/5FvM9yJd kids who swallow them can require surgery. Yikes!! 2012-07-28
- Infographic: The truth about teens and sexting http://t.co/VlWkRrEy 2012-07-28
- Protective Eyewear Can Ward Off Injuries in Young Athletes http://t.co/XHH7NenK 2012-07-28
- Insurance co’s win Mom’s loyalty by helping teens drive safely http://t.co/FrOWBR2n 2012-07-28
PedSafe Headline of the Week:
Safety and etiquette of posting kids’ photos online http://t.co/IYfixv8a
…how can we share AND keep our kids safe??
- Sexting Reflects Sexual Activity among Teens: **scary article – but one parents need to read by @marykayhoal http://t.co/4u85LSNW 2012-07-27
- While kids account for 60% of 5 common medical conditions, only 12% of clinical trials for them were on kids http://t.co/J3fgqIb5 2012-07-26
- Peg Perego Recalls 223,000 Strollers, 8 Years After Baby Death http://t.co/V9FM8bu0 2012-07-26
- Heavy Drinking in Pregnancy Linked to Host of Central nervous system abnormalities in Children http://t.co/F4r2ipC4 2012-07-26
- Pedia Nurse Unveils New Pediatric Nurse Triage System http://t.co/JT6Tu2Aq nice! 2012-07-26
- The Truth About Cyberbullying http://t.co/qc9YXR2r #pedsafe 2012-07-26
- Controversy regarding cholesterol testing for kids heats up http://t.co/cz7IHJmD 2012-07-26
- The real problem with overzealous breastfeeding advocacy | Confessions of a Dr. Mom http://t.co/fPov350G 2012-07-25
- Why Are There So Many Recalls on Kids’ Products? http://t.co/ugrg4Yxl #pedsafe 2012-07-25
- Car pollution puts Australian children’s health at risk http://t.co/SiFAcRN3 2012-07-25
- Stranger Danger Advice given in NZ schools ‘can place our kids in danger’ http://t.co/wLngwWSK >90% of the time, child knows the abuser 2012-07-25
- NCAA and Big 10 Conf agree on multiple, heavy sanctions for Penn State http://t.co/qXAS3vUY accountable & responsible! TY! 2012-07-24
- Parents, docs may clash on quality of kids’ lives with trisomy 13 or 18 | Reuters http://t.co/aGRZFvBQ 2012-07-24
- Vaccination first step in protecting children from whooping cough; adults need booster shot – The Washington Post http://t.co/7vlmNbIb 2012-07-24
- U.S. Office of Personnel Mgmt extends health coverage to the children of a same-sex partner of a federal employee http://t.co/ioq7e6fB 2012-07-24
- Red Cross Campaign Encourages Pool Safety l http://t.co/wGqjxNSW 2012-07-24
- Potty training traps and setting yourself (and your child) free | Confessions of a Dr. Mom http://t.co/2XrW6r8E 2012-07-23
- Talking to kids about the shootings in Colorado theater http://t.co/Pc1FaSlE 2012-07-23
- Food Allergies: Keeping Your Child Safe when they enter childcare or school program http://t.co/gsLxbzTL 2012-07-23
Summer Hazards 2012: Part II – Insects & Spiders & Snakes Oh My!
Summer Hazards Part I focused on counteracting the effects of the sun: remaining well hydrated during the time of the year when fluid loss through activities can cause significant problems and minimizing the potential harm that can be caused by direct exposure to the sun. Part II focuses more on keeping your family healthy and safe this summer from the pests that come around summer – the insects, spiders and snakes – and the problems that often come along for the ride.
Insect bites: Most insect bites are benign unless one is allergic to that particular insect. Unfortunately it is not possible to tell who is allergic prior to the first episode of reaction, however, most reactions are of a minor nature, e.g.: hives, general itchiness and red itchy eyes. These can easily be treated with an antihistamine by mouth such as Benadryl and cold compresses to the skin or the eyes. Of course the more serious reactions (usually due to vespids- bees, wasps and hornets) can be fatal but fortunately, they are rare, and usually do not occur with the first reaction. If you are one of the unfortunate few who are known to have serious reactions you will carry with you medicines that can significantly change the outcome of the reaction, e.g.: epipen or epipen jr. which is a form of epinephrine injected just under the skin for maximum (what can be life-saving) effect.
Other insects known to produce reactions or painful side effects include spiders and small insects such as ants. There are certain species of ants, such as fire ants, that are responsible for a painful bite that usually occurs after someone has stepped on a nest. Cold water or ice on the area along with such antihistamines as Benadryl, will help the stinging sensation. Certain large black ants can also bite but are usually not found in this country.
Only 2 spiders in this country should be avoided: Black widow, notable for an hourglass orange imprint on the abdomen, is responsible for a very painful bite that can cause muscle spasm notably in the abdomen- usually not deadly but very painful. The other spider of note is the brown recluse spider which although looking very benign to the naked eye yields a very painful and tissue destroying toxin that can cause problems over the next several weeks. Ideally, the best treatment is avoidance as is true of everything discussed prior to this point.
Snake bites also tend to occur when a human being inadvertently steps on or disturbs the animal. Although most snake bites are non-venomous in this country all bites can be painful and if you plan to spend any prolonged time outdoors (camping etc.) It would be well worth your while to study up on types of snakes and animals indigenous to the area and be prepared for a plan of action if an incident occurs. In general, an imprint consisting of two rows of teeth are usually from a non-venomous snake while 2 prominent puncture wounds are produced by a fanged snake usually producing a toxin of some kind. These bites tend to be very painful from the onset and only get worse with time. Other side effects can be very nasty and at times life-threatening. This person needs medical attention as promptly as possible.
How to Talk to Your Kids About…Bullying
With a new school year quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to talk to your children about bullying.
All of our children will be faced with confrontation. Whether it is in school, their neighborhood, college, work, even in marriage, as they are older. It is important to prepare them to deal with confrontation now.
- Start talking to your children when they are young. When appropriate, find ways to bring up the subject of bullying so conversations can ensure.
- Don’t just talk, listen. Our children will drop little hints when there are bullying problems. We will miss the cues if we don’t actively listen to what they are saying.
- Role-play with your children. THIS IS A MUST! Give your children different scenarios and teach them how to handle the situations. (“What do you do if someone calls you a name…takes your backpack…etc)”. Answers to these questions are going to be slightly different for each family, depending on how you want to handle things in your own house. There are some things about the answers that will be the same:
Responses should be confident, direct, and void of emotion. (Emotion conveys weakness). Children should speak with their bodies as well as their mouths. Shoulders back, standing straight and tall, using a firm voice.
Instead of “…that hurts my feelings… the response should be “…knock it off”. Instead of “I don’t like that…the response should be…quit it” So much of successful response to bullying is in the delivery. Practice directness, confidence, and strong body language. Go through each situation and teach them what to say and do. It will empower them, and when they are faced with bullying they wont be as intimidated because they will have had experience and practiced what to do. They will know just how to respond if necessary. This also gives your family the opportunity to teach your morals and values when handling these types of situations.
- Talk to your children about conflict resolution. Talk to them about managing their anger, communicating, compromise and being patient. This is done through role-play and everyday situations. As conflict happens in your home between siblings, use it to teach. Be sure that as adults, we are being good examples of conflict resolution also.
- Talk to your children about violence. Fighting is not the answer. Teach your children that it is not okay to fight, UNLESS there is a need to stand up for them selves in self-defense. They should know that if they need to defend themselves because they are being, or going to be physically attacked, then they do. And, that if they do have to fight in self-defense that you will understand and not get mad at them because things turned physical.
Research teaches us that helping our children build their self-confidence is one the best defenses against bullying. By talking to our children about conflict and role-playing challenging situations, we can build our children’s self confidence so they feel more prepared when faced with bullying
The Truth About Cyberbullying
Would you know if your kid was being cyber-bullied?
The reality is we may think we know what’s going on when our kids are online, but we don’t always see everything …and unfortunately, in today’s digital society, ignorance can’t be an option. Cyberbullying is dangerous… A child’s life is stressful enough without being told by an anonymous “friend” that they would be better off dead.
It may just be that by being nosy, by asking, by knowing and by interfering when needed, you could just save your child or another child’s life.
So know the facts…get involved…be a parent… and know that YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Why Are There So Many Recalls on Kids’ Products?
I’m checking my email on my iPhone 4S (don’t you love Siri?) and click on “an important message” from Build-A-Bear Workshop. I think it has something to do with my daughter Kate’s online game account. Nope. It says that one of the stuffed animals I bought has been recalled because parts of it present a choking hazard and that I should bring it back to the store for an exchange. I look at the picture, and sure enough, I have seen that bear before … on Kate’s bed.
I’m actually trying to decide whether I should kidnap the bear and return it to the store (will she ever miss it among the pile of other teddies?) when I scroll further down my email. More bad news: Pottery Barn Kids sent me an email about the bed I bought for Kate three years ago. It says several canopies have fallen down on children and urges me to remove it immediately while I wait for replacement parts. What the heck! I think she’ll notice that the top of her bed is missing!
I appreciate getting recall notices. I really do. I don’t want my daughter playing with dangerous toys, sleeping on a hazardous bed or eating contaminated food. But, geez, why couldn’t they get it right the first time? I vent to Nychelle Fleming of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the agency that tracks all the nonfood recalls and advocates for stronger safety standards: “How widespread is the problem?”
Fleming shoots me off a list of the recalls for the last month: rattles (choking hazard), lunchboxes (problems with the cool gel), desk chairs and stools (lead paint), gas grills (fire hazard), even bike helmets (don’t meet standards to prevent injury). In the first three weeks of January, in fact, there were nearly 20 different types of products recalled, representing almost 1/2 million items sold. Honestly, with as much stuff as we have in our house (send me your de-clutter tips!), it’s no wonder I don’t own more recalled items. Fleming actually thinks I might. “Do you check regularly for recalls?” she asks.
I confess; I don’t. I knew about the stuffed bear and the canopy because the companies sent me emails. More and more businesses, she says, retain purchase records and alert consumers to a problem. In addition, Fleming thinks I should also fill out product information cards on items I buy. I often resist doing this — I get plenty of junk mail already — but she says a recent law prevents companies from doing anything else with the info except contacting you if something goes wrong. Of course, she says the CPSC also posts all the recalls on its home page, CPSC.gov. And for food recalls, you can look at Recalls.gov/Food.
The CPSC doesn’t think there will be a drop in recalls anytime soon — standards are higher, and reporting of injuries is better than ever — so it’s just something we’ll all have to deal with. Grrr. But at least so far in my experience, companies are trying to make things right. Kate got a cute new bear, and Pottery Barn Kids is sending a repairperson to my house to fix the hardware on the canopy. And with the millions of dollars recalls must be costing big businesses, it’s certainly in their best interest to make their products safer the first time around.
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PedSafe Editor’s Note: If you’d like to check if a product you’ve purchased for your child has been recalled, we have a “Recalled Product Search Tool” that we host on our Innovations page that will enable you to search the CPSC database
Child Health & Safety News Roundup: 07-16-2012 to 07-22-2012
Welcome to Pediatric Safety’s weekly “Child Health & Safety News Roundup”- a recap of the past week’s child health and safety news headlines from around the world.
Each day we use Twitter to communicate relevant and timely health and safety information to the parents, medical professionals and other caregivers who follow us. Occasionally we may miss something, but we think overall we’re doing a pretty good job of keeping you informed. But for our friends and colleagues who are not on Twitter (or who are but may have missed something), we offer you a recap of the past week’s top 20 news-worthy events.
- Making Safe School Buses for China’s Kids – Businessweek http://t.co/9xNGhora 2012-07-22
- Are your kids safe during summer vacation while you are at work? New HelppWatch program offers solutions http://t.co/3YlyIncs 2012-07-20
- Correlation between housing crisis, child abuse: study | Reuters http://t.co/0hKZHl41 Not surprising…but sad 2012-07-20
- Sports Promote Healthy Weight in Teens – new study: walking or biking to school can greatly impact student weight gain http://t.co/cth410nV 2012-07-20
- FDA: BPA no longer allowed in baby bottles or sippy cups http://t.co/g2Tk8E6S Nice!! 2012-07-20
PedSafe Headline of the Week:
Food Choking Risks in Young Children: What Every Parent Needs to Know http://t.co/HjiQ9vjG
- Taliban’s vaccine ban may affect 280,000 children in tribal areas of NW Pakistan http://t.co/7Hd7pqNo 2012-07-20
- Parenting Special Needs Magazine July August 2012 issue is now online – Los Angeles Special Needs Kids Examiner http://t.co/eaFO4I3Q 2012-07-19
- New study links BPA in certain kids’ tooth fillings to a slightly increased risk of behavioral problems http://t.co/xFZ4mgmC 2012-07-19
- Beware Children’s Cough Medicines Containing A Controversial Drug | Healthy Child Healthy World http://t.co/BAWlDXes 2012-07-19
- 4 Tips for Flying with a Toddler | Healthy Child Healthy World http://t.co/sl1NE8rp 2012-07-19
- 5 Strategies to Conquer Your Kid’s Doctor Phobia http://t.co/BVocxdV0 #pedsafe 2012-07-18
- From babies to teens: 5 car seat safety tips worth knowing | Confessions of a Dr. Mom http://t.co/BWfpuOAv Terrific article!! 2012-07-17
- **Recall alert: Oto-Ease ear lubricant may be contaminated with bacteria and mold http://t.co/TkErLhQk 2012-07-16
- Health Canada issues warning about candy-like laundry detergent pods after dozens of kids get sick http://t.co/yGufv7Vd 2012-07-16
- Low-level lead exposure linked to kidney damage, hypertension, other problems in adult & children http://ow.ly/cgTHP 2012-07-16
- Graco Commits to Banning Toxic Flame Retardants from Children’s Products | Healthy Child Healthy World http://t.co/U2hprmyU Nice! 2012-07-16
- UN study says children with disabilities almost 4x more likely to experience violence http://t.co/8y5pwbf9 shameful! 2012-07-16
- New Brain Beats CD Brings Learning and Music Together http://t.co/NMhLxFEw 2012-07-16
- Study links breast milk to nut allergies http://t.co/e6isA4FV while not showing cause, does show it’s not a preventative 2012-07-16