The importance of child safety in vehicles cannot be ignored. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA,) 1 in 3 children (under the age of 13) killed in car crashes died as a result of being unrestrained at the time of impact. The NHTSA has specific guidelines regarding child seats in automobiles. The […]
Protecting our children from burns remains an important part of home safety. A 6-year long study from the Department of Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, looked at causes of pediatric burns and their outcomes. The study included 449 pediatric burn victims under the age of 16. The average was just […]
During my 18 years as a CPR instructor I have seen new guidelines come and go. They appear about every 5-6 years and are often accompanied by declarations of “new and improved.” For the thousands of parents I have worked with over the years, new and improved is only meaningful if it translates into “Can […]
As the weather heats up in Southern California, so does the risk of drowning. Drowning is the second leading cause of fatalities in the pediatric population and, as we know, too many of these events occur in the presence of a parent or care provider. Our overriding emphasis should be focused on primary prevention. Should […]
Up until 2003, the The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was advising that parents keep a 1-ounce bottle of syrup of ipecac in the home to induce vomiting if it was feared a child had swallowed a poisonous substance. Ipecac was recommended for use only on the advice of a doctor or poison control center. In […]
It is imperative that responsible adults maintain a safe home environment and be able to recognize possible symptoms of a poisoning. I am often asked which plants are toxic and which ones are safe for the home and garden areas. Listed here are more than a few relatively safe plants which if ingested are not likely […]
When pediatric specialists ask parents to pay close attention to prevent household poisonings they are speaking from experience. In a 5 year study of poisonings reported on by the American Association of Poison Control Centers, there were 3.8 million reported incidents in this country.* These occurred with infants & children up to the age of six. The […]
Drowning remains the second leading cause of injury death for infants and children less than 15 years of age in the U.S. Adding to this, children under 5 years of age and adolescents between 15-19 years have the highest rates of drowning in the country. How are parents to respond to these figures? What can you do to create […]
A recent medical report based on research in the UK and published in the American Journal of Public Health revealed no relationship between increased risk of allergic problems such as asthma or eczema (a skin condition) and childhood vaccinations. Researchers have been looking for possible causes of a known increase in allergic diseases in the […]
Choking is a leading cause of injury and death among children, especially children 3 years of age or younger. Food, toys and coins account for most of the choking-related events in young children, who put objects in their mouths as they explore new environments. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement, Prevention of Choking […]