Kid’s Companion for Special Needs

Editor’s Note: We first introduced you to Kid’s Companion Chewelry for special needs children in January, 2010. Since then the company and mom-founder have expanded their product range and added items for babies and toddlers. We thought it was worth another introduction to this company that emphasizes benefits for kids with sensory issues along with safety and environmental responsibility.

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A common thread for many mom entrepreneurs is the stories that have made our companies. This is mine. It’s the story of the HeartString Kid Companion. One little item that gives peace of mind to caregivers and a shot of confidence to special needs youth. Let me tell you how…

One day, with two growing children, I noticed that my daughter, with Tourette’s Syndrome and sensory issues, very much appreciated a clay heart pendant I had made for her teething sister. Maybe it should be noted that my university background is in health sciences, but I also am a jeweler (my creative side I guess). As I watched, it struck me that my 3 year old couldn’t chew and fidget discreetly while my nursing infant could tug and teeth to her hearts’ content. After a few comments from parents, phone calls to child healthcare professionals and fruitless product searches, I realized that other parents were looking for such accessories, especially for their special needs children.

This began our journey. It was 2006 and the road ahead would be long with many challenges we’d need to overcome. As a mother, I wanted to see my children happy. Part of having a happy special needs youth is having one that functions well at school, at play and especially, as best she can with her peers. With time, needing to belong to her peer group would become more and more important. That meant creating something that was chewable and tuggable while still being “cool” enough to blend in. Finally, we had a solution….a durable, colorful, non-toxic pendant that was safe to chew on…something that could help any child be him/herself, anytime, anywhere. We called it the HeartString Kid Companion.

Years of research and development went into making this a product we could truly be proud of, from finding materials for the design idea to testing prototypes and final parts. Since our products are developed for infant use, we wanted FDA approved, North American sourced/made and socially responsible materials. THAT was a tall order, but we did it! We have followed ASTM standards and have passed the new (and future) CPSIA 3rd party testing. We have our 3rd Party Certificate documenting the safety standards met. We even keep a record of all MSDS certificates from our suppliers.

In the end, we learned a lot. From injection molding, to lab testing, to exporting and distribution channels… logistics, FDA and marketing. Our business skills are becoming honed and our knowledge of the maternity/paternity and infant market is increasing daily. With the many legal and marketing loopholes we encounter, we see how important it is, that companies like ours press on with their values. (…that is a whole other story…)

Ultimately we had one goal in mind for the time-strapped parent: In a world of increasing uncertainty about children product safety, The Kid’s Companion would give parents peace of mind.

• A custom breakaway clasp will release and can be re-attached with ease – a feature that guards against strangulation, even at play.
• 18” or 20″ necklaces (lanyards) are made with durable and washable rayon/cotton that is dyed with safe non-toxic dyes.
• Pendants all pass small parts test and are actually around 2” to eliminate any possibility of choking
• Pendant and clasp materials are medical grade, BPA/phthalates free, Lead free, Latex free and Cadmium free.
• Everything can be washed!! (Pendants are even dishwasher safe).

Even more important…we discovered a way to help a child whose special needs might easily set them apart… find a way to fit in. For my daughter…for other children…we are making a difference…

Healthful Hints

There are a number of different types of products to help your child overcome sensory issues. Often recommended by both parents and occupational therapists are the following:

• Chewy Tubes, developed by a speech pathologist and great for home use.
• Tri-Chew, by Debra Beckman, MS, CCC-SLP.
• Nûby™ Nibbler™ for parents to place food inside.
• Check with The Sensory Processing Disorder Resource Center for other ideas as well.

Many children with sensory issues like to put things in their mouth. To keep them safe:

• Check if the product complies with safety regulations for child care articles!
• Avoid PVC and plastic items with enamel or paint. Especially those at economy stores.
• Do not rely on retailers or manufacturers to meet voluntary standards, or even to comply with mandatory standards. Request Proof. Get informed. Supply chains notoriously have holes.
• As with the Kid’s Companion, make sure the items are too large to be swallowed and can easily be sanitized (i.e. dishwasher safe or machine-washable).
• Replace any damaged products before they break, tear or can become small parts.

As always, if you’re introducing something new to your child’s routine, check with your child’s pediatrician, therapist or teacher first.

BuddyTag

It was a cold winter night when my six-year-old Bethanie got separated from my family at Six Flags over Texas. We have a tradition of going to Six Flags before Christmas to see the holiday lights and Christmas musicals, drink hot coco and go on the fun rides. It was getting close to the parks closing hours, so we stopped by a gift shop on the way out. My wife thought I was watching Bethanie, and I thought she had her. It was not until we got to the parks’ exit we both realized our youngest one was not with us. We had to fight through the crowd trying to exit and were lucky that we found her back at the gift shop. She was holding the store clerk’s hand with tears rolling down her face. Even though it was only about 10 minutes, it definitely felt like a worst nightmare, and so many horrible possibilities came across my mind.

That same night I searched the Internet for a product that I could use to track my children whenever they are out with me. But everything online was GPS or cellular tracking products. They are expensive, over $150 per piece. Worst yet, there are monthly service charges, averaging about $10 per month. It just so happened that I was working on a Bluetooth product for my company and realized that I could use this unique technology to make a child safety product that is cost effective, has no monthly fees, and easy to use; hence, BuddyTag!

BuddyTag is truly simple to use, and we designed each wristband with kids in mind- there are over 5 color combinations! Each BuddyTag set comes with a Bluetooth tag that fits into a custom designed wristband, and a free app that you can download onto your iPhone (4S or newer) or Samsung phone (Galaxy S3, S4, Note2 and Note3 with Android 4.3). There are many unique capabilities, but there are four that you should really know about.

The one we hear most about from parents is the Out of Range alert. When your child wanders out of your pre-set proximity, our app will sound an alarm and vibrate your phone to alert you. When you get the alert, you want to quickly get your child back within your sight. The maximum distance varies depending on which phone you have and also your surroundings (open space vs. a house with many walls). With my iPhone 5S, my daughter’s BuddyTag can work up to about 80 feet at a playground. My sister has a Samsung Note3, and her phone can track a BuddyTag up to about 120 feet. Our app also has a customization setting that allows you customize the range.

I personally find the Panic Button the most useful with my two daughters! When they are out shopping with me, I am always nervous about letting them use a public restroom because I don’t know who is in there and what’s going on inside. If my daughters ever felt threatened in any way, they are taught to scream and quickly press the Panic Button on their BuddyTag . My phone will alert me, so I can quickly take actions to help them.

Speaking of which, whether you have one child or a Brady Bunch, you can connect all their BuddyTags to your phone and even enter each child’s name so you know which BuddyTag is who. This way you can track all your children on the same app. Not to worry though – you are the ONLY person who can track your child’s BuddyTag. Once it is connected to your device, no one else can see it. If you want to pass your child’s BuddyTag to your spouse, you simply disconnect it from your device and let your spouse connect to it with theirs. We wanted simple – but safety was key!

If you and your child do get separated, the Personal ID tag will help reunite your lost child with you. Our silicone wristband has a white sticker for your name and phone number, while the Velcro and terrycloth wristbands have a personal ID insert. If your child doesn’t have your cell phone number memorized this feature is very important.

If you are a working parent with a babysitter taking your child out for daily activities, the Email with Last Seen Location is extremely useful. Before leaving your kids, download the BuddyTag app onto your babysitter’s phone. If the child wanders out of the Bluetooth signal range from the babysitter, our app alerts the babysitter that the child is out of range and also sends an email to two additional designated persons with the date, time and the Google map location of where they got separated. When you receive the email, you can quickly call your babysitter to make sure your child is safe and sound.

My engineering team and I spent over a year optimizing our app and refining our BuddyTag design. Based on our customers’ feedback, we made sure to address any concerns about easy removal of the wristbands. Our patent pending silicone wristband is reinforced with Mylar and fastened with a custom designed coin screw. Once you use a coin to fasten the wristband on your child, it’s actually pretty difficult to remove it. Alternatively, if you want something that is easier to put on and take off, our Velcro and terrycloth wristbands would be perfect. If having something around their wrist bothers your child, you can loop the Velcro wristband around one of the belt loops or simply remove the Bluetooth tag and place it in one of your child’s pockets.

Like all technology and safety products, BuddyTag is not meant to replace proper parental supervision. It is best to use BuddyTag in conjunction with the healthful hints below. I sincerely hope BuddyTag brings you a peace of mind as it has for me!

Editor’s Note: If you want to see BuddyTag in action, it will be featured on the TODAY show on Monday, March 10, 2014. Look for it on your local NBC station.

HEALTHFUL HINTS:

Before you visit a theme park or go shopping with your child, develop a game plan on how to find each other if you get separated. Keep it simple because your child will not remember too many things when in panic.

1. Stay Where You Are. Don’t panic, just stay where you are at. Don’t try to wander around and look for mom and dad. It’s easier for mom and dad to trace our way back to find you than you trying to find us.
2. Ask for Help, But Don’t “Go” with Strangers. You can ask for help from adults, but first look for police officers, security guards, store clerks or theme park workers wearing uniforms and nametags. If you don’t see any uniformed personnel, you look for other kids holding hands with their moms. Ask one of the moms for help, but don’t go with them. When I was at Disney World with my children during Thanksgiving, the first thing we did when we got to the park is to teach my children recognizing park employees. Most theme park employees wear colorful polo shirts and khaki pants, and they all usually have nametags on.
3. Carry Personal ID Information. My younger daughter is 7 years old now, but I still make her carry personal ID information with her. I am concerned that she might not remember my cell phone number when she is in panic. It doesn’t have to be a BuddyTag, but simply a piece of paper with your name and phone number will work.

If you have children younger than 4 years old, you should also make sure they know your full name. Many young children know their parents only as mommy and daddy. It is crucial to teach them to yell out your full name when lost.

Baby Silk

Editor’s Note: we first introduced you to Baby Silk in December of 2009. With all the new products they’ve developed since then, we thought now might be a perfect time to re-introduce them to you. Also, this gives you the chance to meet the MD Moms 2014 Charity of the Year: UCPlay. **************************************************************************************************************************

Hi, we’re Dr. Diane Truong and Dr. JJ Levenstein, pediatricians and founders of MD Moms, makers of Baby Silk, the first personal care line for babies developed by pediatrician-moms. As pediatricians and moms, we’ve cared for thousands of children for nearly a quarter of a century. It’s no surprise that during this time we’ve fielded hundreds of questions from concerned parents about common skin conditions and the safety and efficacy of the products available to treat them. One of the most common questions asked in our practices was, “How do I treat my baby’s cradle cap?” Cradle cap, for those unfamiliar, is a greasy, flaky rash that develops on the scalps of many newborns in the first few months of life. As parents ourselves, we couldn’t find any baby products on the market for our own children with ingredients that made sense (i.e., there were plenty of oily emulsions out there, but none with specific keratolytic or exfoliating ingredients). Our solution? To make one ourselves. But we didn’t stop at cradle cap. Because parents also asked about how to treat skin conditions such as diaper rash and dry skin, we created a full line of skincare solutions for babies.

Building MD Moms from the ground up meant we’d need to make sacrifices, but we believed strongly enough in our vision that it was more than worth the investment. With the help of a consultant, feedback from our own patients and a veteran cosmetics formulator from a respected research and development laboratory, our Baby Silk line—inspired by our Gentle Scalp Rub—was born in 2006. In our early stages, we borrowed against all of our assets (college fund, savings, and our home and retirement accounts) so that we could fund the first couple of years of MD Moms until we started to see an increase in sales. Personal time was spent traveling, arranging promotional events and taking part in weekend meetings and special projects. And when we weren’t treating our patients, we spent many late nights rebottling, repacking and shipping thousands of promos.

Because safety is our top priority, each of our products undergoes strict clinical testing and exceeds industry guidelines for safety. We use the latest medical data to ensure that each is effective, gentle and safe for infants. We further validate our products’ gentleness and safety by performing RIPT (repeat insult patch testing on sensitive subjects) to assure that our products are least likely to irritate baby’s skin. All of our products rated “0” on a 1-5 scale (perfect, hypoallergenic, non-irritating score) in the first round of testing. Additionally, we enlist a chemist and Pharm D Safety Assessor to review the chemical specifications and toxicological profiles of our ingredients to ensure that they are safe and fulfill the needs of our young consumers. And with the needs of our little patients in mind, we’re continually working to enhance and improve upon our line.

We know we’ve accomplished our mission when we hear from parents who were elated to find us after unsuccessfully searching for solutions to their little ones’ skin conditions. Also, our company has made it possible for us to raise awareness of the UCPlay Project, our children’s Charity of the Year for 2014, which brings brings creative, sensory and highly interactive performing arts programming into public schools for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. We’re fortunate to be able to address children’s needs—whether it’s through charity or our Baby Silk line—and will continue to look for ways to improve the health and lives of children.

HEALTHFUL HINTS

Q: Aside from using Gentle Scalp Rub, what else can I do to treat my baby’s cradle cap?

A: Cradle cap is best treated by removing the crusts and flakes on baby’s scalp with an oil-based shampoo. Shampoos with an oily base essentially soften the greasy scales, and separate the scales from the baby’s hair. When combined with a gentle exfoliator, like salicylic acid (a derivative of aspirin), the flakes will be easier to rub or comb off the baby’s scalp.

Q: Are there different types of sunscreen?

A: Yes. A variety of sunscreens exist to provide protection from sun exposure: chemical sunscreens, physical sunscreens, or a combination of both.

Chemical sunscreens absorb UV radiation on the skin, then disperse this energy into harmless rays. They are made from active ingredients like octyl methoxycinnamate, octyl salicylate, octocrylene, and oxybenzone (which provide UVB protection) or avobenzone (which provides UVA protection). Chemical sunscreens require 20 minutes to activate, and ideally should be applied in 2 coats 20-30 minutes apart, before going outside.

Physical sunscreens (containing titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide) are not absorbed into the skin, but rather sit on its surface and reflect, scatter and block UVA and UVB rays. These ingredients are less irritating, in general, and are immediately active upon application. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Dermatology advocate their use in children, and even in infants under the age of 6 months if direct sun exposure cannot be avoided.

Some sunscreens combine both chemical and physical agents in order to provide broad spectrum protection. Our sunscreen uses only physical agents to provide both UVA and UVB protection.

Q: How can I prevent diaper rash on my baby?

A: The best way to prevent diaper rash is to keep your baby’s bottom clean and dry at all times. Since this is not always possible, using a barrier cream to keep baby’s skin from coming into direct contact with irritants in a dirty diaper will help.

Q: Why is my baby’s skin dry?

A: A newborn’s skin dries out almost immediately after birth, as baby transitions from the moist environment of the womb to his or her new environment in the outside world. Within the first 2-3 weeks of life, a newborn’s skin will typically flake and shed, regardless of what a parent does. After that point, if your baby’s skin continues to feel dry, regular application of a moisturizer can make a difference.

easidream

Editor’s Note: we first ran this post in July of 2009 not long after easidream’s creation. It will officially be available to purchase this summer so we thought we’d take this opportunity to share it with you again.

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Hello, I’m Lynda, mum to six lovable and lively children and inventor of easidream®

When my sixth child, Bradley was born, he cried constantly and it was a nightly struggle to settle him to sleep…a struggle that went on until he was two and a half years old! I tried everything to soothe him off to sleep, but I discovered that the most reliable way was to lean over the cot sides and create a ‘rocking cot’ motion by moving the mattress up and down. Having scoured shops and the internet for any product that would replicate this movement (and relieve my backache!), I realised that there was nothing suitable out there, so I went on to take the ‘massive step’ of developing a product of my own – easidream® crib

For the next few years I researched the problem as deeply as possible, canvassing valuable input from sleep experts, university departments and medical professionals like midwives, child psychologists and paediatricians. I also consulted with the baby care industry and product design teams and, of course, surveyed many parents with young babies. At last, after a 7-year gestation easidream® was born!

The finished product has been meticulously designed and researched. I considered it was essential for easidream® to undergo proper scientific trials to validate its efficiency… it was no good just me saying it worked, I needed to be 100% sure that it did! I embarked on a year long period of research in conjunction with University of Brighton medical experts, which involved testing both the moving platform and the soothing sounds on a wide selection of babies. These studies not only revealed just how effective easidream® was at promoting healthy sleep patterns, but also showed that it encourages parents to adopt safe sleep practices.

The findings revealed:

• Average crying time on easidream® was reduced from 18 minutes to less than 1 minute
• All of the babies that took part in the trials remained happily settled on their backs; great news in respect of SIDS
• Time to settle to sleep in some cases was reduced by up to 95%

We all know that when a new baby arrives, uninterrupted sleep is rare and we have to adapt to shorter, broken nights and savour every moment of sleep we can catch. But although we think our bodies are coping with just a few ‘catnaps’ a night, continuous lack of sleep eventually catches up on us all; it’s vitally important that we understand just how crucial sleep is to the whole family’s well being… not just for healthy child development, but also for the general health and well being of everyone in the household. Did you know that it has been proven that well rested children develop faster, are healthier and have fewer behavioural problems? With adults, lack of sleep has been proven to affect both memory and cognitive skills…. What more can I say? I was determined to invent a product that would not only help soothe particularly fractious babies, but also promote the formation of a healthy sleep pattern, so both babies and parents could benefit from a good night’s rest.

easidream® actually assists in encouraging the formation of a healthy sleep pattern plus it encourages babies to self settle on their back in the cot, which is great news in the fight against SIDS. It also solves the problem of sleep deprivation for the whole family by rewarding them with those valuable hours of sleep they so richly deserve. End result: happy, healthier babies and happy, healthier parents!

HEALTHFUL HINTS:

1. Putting babies to sleep

• Make sure you place your baby with their feet at the foot of the cot (but not touching the end of the cot) , to reduce the likelihood of the baby wriggling down and becoming overheated underneath any cot bedding, which may end up over the baby’s head. Overheating has been shown to greatly increase the likelihood of a SIDS related incident occurring.
• Also, remove soft toys from the cot, as they too could increase your baby’s temperature to an unsafe level. This is why ewan, our dream sheep, is secured to the cot bars and not positioned directly in line with your baby’s head, just in case he becomes detached – although this is extremely unlikely! (Some of our website shots are at an angle that may look like ewan is close to the head, but I can assure you he’s not!)
• Always ensure your baby is placed to sleep on their back; again this is incredibly important in reducing the likelihood of a SIDS incident occurring. (The beauty of easidream® is that it has been proven to actually help baby’s settle to sleep on their backs and so parents are more likely to follow the recommended safe sleep guidelines.)
• While all of this is consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Safe Sleeping , each baby is unique. Always remember to ask your doctor what’s best for your baby’s sleep.

2. If they wake up or refuse to sleep:

• …it is extremely important that you go and check your baby to determine the reason why. We have spent a great deal of time researching this particular area and having consulted medical professionals, and it is why we decided against having an automatic sound activated feature or a remote control that would “restart” the soother. As this is such a vulnerable age group, we consider it vitally important that parents return to their baby to remedy any problem – dirty nappy, thirsty, hungry etc. For healthy, happy sleep times we believe that interaction with your baby is vital and we strongly encourage this practise.

Coughy Cup

Imagine a coffee cup that’s not for coffee and it has no bottom. It’s my latest invention. I turned a coffee cup into a cup for coughing and sneezing. It’s called a Coughy Cup as in coughing cup. It’s a play on words but hardly child’s play.

The Coughy Cup looks like a standard Starbucks’ paper coffee cup with a plastic lid but it’s the inside that matters most. The Coughy Cup captures, contains, filters and kills 99.9% of germs and viruses. This means the germs and viruses stay in the cup and not in the air, on your hands, body or others. How? By using an antiviral and the same face mask filters used by doctors during surgery.

My name is John Delatorre. I was once a TV weatherman for ABC in Sacramento, California, Corpus Christ, Texas, El Paso, Texas and a few other cities. I spent much of my time visiting schools teaching kids weather and encouraging them to stay in school and away from drugs. Today I’ve taken on a whole new role in my efforts to help children.

A few months ago, my wife and I were watching Shark Tank; the ABC reality show. Out of the blue, my wife says to me, “You need to invent something to help children.” My initial reaction was to say it’s not easy to think of things to invent and that it takes time. My next response gave way to its creation. I told her that I would pray about it and see what God had to say. I did not pray at that moment nor later that night but 24 hours later I did. My wife was out of town that night so before I went to sleep I closed my eyes and my exact words were, ‘Okay God. You heard her. What do you got?’ A half second later I pictured two words; Coughy Cup. I immediately knew what it would be. There was no doubt in my mind. I was blown away. I was sure God had blessed me with an amazing gift. That night I began my research and the next day I started writing my fifth patent application. When my wife returned the next day, she agreed God had given me a great idea.

My initial reaction was to draw up every crazy complicated cup I could think of. Thank goodness that thought process didn’t last long. I quickly understood that I had to manufacture each cup for as little as possible and I had to be sure my cups would be socially acceptable. So, what is the cheapest form of a coffee cup? Paper, right?

Paper coffee cups and plastic lids can be made for pennies and people are very comfortable walking around holding them. They’re seen everywhere from meetings to work and play. I also understood that the name Coughy Cup easily described how the cup should be used so that was a huge advantage.

With this new knowledge, I set out to design a common coffee cup with a plastic lid. The only difference would be my cup would have no bottom, a bunch of holes in the lid and a filter. But, the cup was the easy part. The key to the success of the Coughy Cup would be the filter or as I like to call it, Coughy filter.

My journey began with understanding how to avoid germs and viruses. I found myself studying how surgical face masks worked. I knew there were a lot of face masks; some better than others. I soon found out that some materials used in face masks make breathing more difficult. My filters had to make breathing easy.

Consider what it’s like to cough. You expend a tremendous amount of air after each cough and immediately your body requires you to inhale deeply. The breathability of my Coughy filters makes it easy to inhale after each cough.

It also turns out the best face mask filter has a bacterial filtration efficiency of 99.9% and a particle filtration efficiency of 99.9%. But I didn’t want to only trap the bacteria. I wanted to kill it too. I knew other products were killing 99.9% of germs & viruses. So, I figured I’d find a way to apply this same technology to my cups. I am happy to say I found a solution, one that will remain a secret for now.

Soon after, I introduced the cups to the world of social media using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and launched two sites of my own: www.CoughyCup.com and http://coughyt.wordpress.com. The response to the Coughy Cup has been amazing! In a few short weeks, thousands of teachers, parents, doctors, nurses and even Howie Mandel are following my work and appear to be my greatest advocates and why not? They know germs and viruses better than most.

So now the word is out! One of the first questions I often get is people wondering whether I expect them to walk around coughing into a cup. The question always makes me chuckle. You can certainly use my cups while walking around but that’s not how I expect people to use them. My cups are primarily for confined areas where people are expected to sit for long periods of time. Places like schools, school buses, airplanes, daycare centers, nursing homes, prisons, doctors’ waiting rooms and hospitals.

Imagine you’re on a road trip and someone in the vehicle gets sick? Would you prefer they be given a Coughy Cup to reduce the chance of others in the vehicle getting sick? Imagine you’re on a plane and the person next to you can’t stop coughing. Would you prefer the flight attendant hand the passenger a Coughy Cup? I’ve had people tell me they plan to buy my cups to give away to anyone around them who start coughing and sneezing.

My primary goal is to first get my cups into the hands of young school children. They represent a major line of defense in battling the spread of germs and viruses. If my cups can help reduce germs & viruses in schools, that means fewer kids and teachers missing school and healthier parents who don’t miss work.

Studies show that ativan canada, on average, 40 percent of teachers in New Jersey’s Camden City Public Schools are taking sick days compared to only 3% absenteeism among the average American worker.

I believe the CDC will one day consider the Coughy Cup to be a huge help in so many ways. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are constantly seeking ways to better understand, treat and ultimately prevent infectious diseases. The numbers of people affected in the U.S. alone are staggering.

• The average child can catch between 6 to 12 colds every year.
• Colds cause children to miss 22 million days of school every year.
• More than 1 billion colds and more than 30 million flu cases occur every year.
• Almost 1 million people have died related to influenza in the U.S. in the last 30 years.

Ultimately, I would like to see a dishwasher-safe, reusable Coughy Cup in every child’s book bag. Teachers would be able to use the cups as a way of instructing children to perform one common behavior and a way to monitor who’s sick in their classrooms.

They would always have their cup at the ready. The shelf life of my Coughy filters is more than two years and they’re in air tight sealed envelopes. The child would simply take the filter out of the envelope, snap it to the lid, place the lid on the cup and cough or sneeze. It’s that simple.

So what’s my plan for getting my cups into schools? I’m hoping to recruit the help of pharmaceutical companies, cough syrup manufacturers and the makers of tissues. It’s a win/win. They get good PR and the kids get free cups.

I also hope to convince the airline industry to offer my cups to their passengers, especially international passengers. Consider the Middle East virus. The bird flu is only a plane ride away. The U.S. government is very concerned about the likelihood of a pandemic flu. It’s why they are stockpiling needles and syringes to be shipped to 10 receiving stations throughout the U.S. The purchase order can be viewed on their FedBizOpps.gov website.

But getting the cups into the hands of children and airline passengers unfortunately won’t be possible this flu season because I still have a lot of paperwork to do. Believe it or not, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consider the Coughy Cup to be a medical device. The FDA requires what they call Pre-Market Approval. This means any claims I make (i.e., kills 99.9% of germs & viruses) must pass an FDA evaluation before I can sell my cups. It’s a whole lot of government paperwork and a min of $9,500 to get there.

Still, I have no doubt the FDA will certify my cups. The Coughy Cup might sound too good to be true but it’s not because the science and technology works. In the end I expect the Coughy Cup to be by far my most successful invention.

That success may include winning the right to sit on the shelves at Wal-Mart and Target. I recently entered Wal-Mart’s “Get on the Shelf” and Target’s Simplicity Challenge contests.

• Wal-Mart gives Facebook users a chance to vote for which products they like best. I am happy to say my Coughy Cup made it through round two. Get additional information here
• Target’s contest is just getting underway. Target is using doctors and healthcare industry experts as judges. The winner gets $25,000 and a chance to partner with Target. Details can be found here

If all goes as planned, the Coughy Cup should begin showing up in schools and airplanes by next cold and flu season. I believe once people begin seeing the Coughy Cup in use, it will become better understood and more socially acceptable.

So, pass the cup, not the germs because NOT sharing is caring.

HEALTHFUL HINTS

I. Tips to Avoid Germs

• Don’t put personal items like backpacks, book bags, books, coats or similar items on the floor, especially public restroom floors or on kitchen counters or tables at home as this may further spread germs.
• Leave your phone in your bag or pocket when entering restrooms either at home or public.
• Try not to multitask (i.e., talking on phone, working on computer) when cooking. This could spread germs from one surface to another
• Children should never share food in school, especially during cold and flu season. If it’s necessary to share books, remember to never touch any portion of your face until you wash your hands and even then try to not touch your face.

II. Cold vs. Flu

• Colds usually go away on their own in 3 to 5 days.
• Colds are usually contagious in the first 3 days.
• A cough that last more than 5 days may be a sign of a sinus infection or pneumonia.
• Pay serious attention to a cough that lasts more than 7 days. A chest x-ray may be needed.
• If a cold does not go away after 7 days, your child may have a bacterial infection and need an antibiotic.
• Cold and flu symptoms can mimic one another but the common cold rarely includes a temperature over 101 degrees.
• If your child’s fever is over 101 degrees, keep him home. A fever is a sign your child is fighting an infection.
• The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends giving a child plenty of fluids and increasing the humidity in the room as the best way to relieve a child’s cough. Hydrate with popsicles, watered-down juice, flat ginger ale and chicken soup. Open a stuffy nose with 2 to 3 drops of saline solution in each nostril.
• Don’t worry about a child’s daytime cough. Coughing helps dislodge phlegm and reduce congestion.
• Persistent coughing, especially at night can be a sign of asthma.
• Honey has been shown to be a natural way to soothe a cough. The risk of botulism makes honey unsafe for children under one.
• A coughing child having difficulty inhaling may be a sign of whooping cough (pertussis).
• Rest may be the best medicine to prevent sickness but a sick child needs even more sleep. Normal sleep for children is 8 to 12 hours every night.

5 Phases Hybrid Glass Baby Bottles

With the arrival of one of life’s most precious gifts, we as parents find ourselves paying a little more attention to the world in which our children will grow. We naturally find ourselves wanting to give them the safest and best of everything. After the birth of our second child my eyes were opened and I became educated about how chemicals in the environment are affecting us, especially our children. I share my story to hopefully make people realize, we need to make some changes.

After years of disappointment from unsuccessful infertility treatments and multiple miscarriages we finally had a viable heartbeat from our baby. But the smiles were short lived when during a routine ultrasound our doctor informed us our baby could possibly have a birth defect. After numerous tests the defect was confirmed but did not appear to be genetic. There was no certainty on the cause but this particular birth defect was on the rise. In the mid 1980’s approximately 1 in 350 babies were born with this birth defect. By the time our baby was born, the numbers had increased to a staggering 1 in 125. I questioned many times what I could have done to prevent this from happening. It wasn’t until a few years later that I had an idea about the possible cause.

In April 2007, I read an article in the Los Angeles Times about plastic baby bottles, and the hormone disrupting effects of BPA and phthalates. These chemicals leach from plastics into our foods and are found in products we use daily. After further research, I discovered studies have shown that even very small doses of these hormone disruptors have been directly linked to early puberty, malformed genitals, infertility, reproductive disorders, diabetes, and cancer. Those most vulnerable are pregnant women and infants. When I read these chemicals were leaching from plastic baby bottles into our babies milk I was mortified and thought there has got to be a way to get parents back to using glass baby bottles. I found, with the increasing concerns of using plastics, many parents wanted to use glass but feared them breaking. I am an airline pilot. I never thought of myself as an inventor, but I felt the need to help new parents by giving them a better alternative for feeding their babies. Starting from a drawing on a paper napkin and over 4 years of product development I finally launched my hybrid glass baby bottles in December of 2010.

So what exactly is a hybrid glass bottle and how is it different from traditional glass bottles? 5phases bottles are a unique combination of glass and plastic that helps the glass resist shattering, but if shattering occurs, will keep both the broken glass and liquid contained with no mess. The removable and interchangeable glass inserts add convenience and affordability and make an excellent storage solution for pumped milk and formulas. They are also microwavable and freezer safe. This unique design earned us the 2011 JPMA innovationaward at the ABC show.

After everything we had experienced, chemicals and safety were our greatest concern when developing our bottles. 5phases glass bottles were inspected and tested by a third party for known toxic and harmful chemicals. This third party is recognized in the US by the FDA, Canada and in the EU for product safety and quality control. Our bottles passed rigorous infant safety and chemical testing.

People are becoming aware of the hazards of certain plastics. Studies have shown throughout its lifecycle, plastics can continually leach chemicals. Of most concern are plastics labeled #3 polyvinyl chloride, which contain phthalates, #6 polystyrene and #7 polycarbonates which contain BPA. However, there are still concerns associated with ANY plastics leaching chemicals when in contact with food, even BPA free plastics. Experts agree, the better alternative for baby is glass.

So why not just breast feed? I am a true advocate of breast feeding and there is nothing better or more natural than “mom “, but certain circumstances can prevent a mother from breastfeeding. Both of my children had protein allergies and the only solution was a prescription formula called Neocate. Our bottles simply provide a better alternative for moms who are unable to breastfeed and want to use glass.

There is a definite movement towards green living. We live in a world filled with chemicals, and in many instances avoidance proves to be impossible. For this reason we owe it to ourselves, and to our children, to minimize exposure to toxins whenever possible. My dream is one day, we as consumers will demand our products be safe without having to read the fine print on labels. Knowledge is power and with knowledge we can make a difference.

HEALTHFUL HINTS

Helpful Bottle Feeding Hints:

• Disassemble and sterilize new bottles by boiling for 5 minutes prior to use
• Avoid overheating and test temperature in bottle before feeding
• Keep baby propped up while feeding
• Avoid putting child to bed with a bottle; tooth decay may occur with prolong liquid contact
• Replace nipples regularly for normal wear and tear
• Bottle feed baby under adult supervision only
• Always transport glass bottles (and 5phases glass inserts) inside a protective sleeve to help prevent breakage

Note: Studies have shown heating breast milk and formula in microwaves may destroy important nutrients