Posts filed under 'Child Safety'
Approximately 600,000 Americans suffer sports-related eye injuries every year¹, and approximately 43 percent occur in children younger than 15 years of age². If your child is signed up for tee-ball, baseball, softball, tennis or soccer this spring, a few simple steps can help protect them from becoming a statistic.
One big misconception is that “normal” eyewear is sufficient for your child to wear while playing sports. It’s not. Wearing the proper protective eyewear is important to fully protect their eyes, say the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association (OOPA) and American Optometric Association (AOA).
According to these groups, conventional frames and lenses don’t meet the minimum requirements for impact resistance in most sports, so even a small collision can easily turn into a sight-threatening injury. Sports-protective eyewear, on the other hand, is tested to meet rigid safety standards, and some have been independently verified and received the AOA Seal of Acceptance.
It’s also important to take your child for an eye exam before letting him or her play. These exams can detect vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, all of which can diminish your child’s performance on the field or court.
Many parents may not realize that the sport of paintball is especially dangerous to their child’s eyes. The size of the paintball and the velocity with which it’s projected make it particularly threatening. Participants and bystanders alike can sustain injuries from this popular sport.
Every 13 minutes, an emergency room in the United States treats a sports-related eye injury3, nearly all of which could be prevented by using the proper protective eyewear. Whether your child is playing for fun or for competition this spring, do all you can to ensure they play – and see – well.
Brad Smith is an optometric physician in Portland and a member of the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association. See an OOPA informational on kids’ sports vision.
Check out Parenting Tips for children’s safety at Childn’ Parent.
¹ Tri-Service Vision Conservation and Readiness Program, Eyes (Ears) and Workers Compensation
² U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
3 US Consumer Product Safety Commission
April 8th, 2008
When I strap my child into a car seat, I want the confidence that she is safe and secure. Last year, car seat safety testing by Consumer Reports magazine had many parents questioning the safety of their children in the car seats. The magazine later revised its recommendations, stating that all of the car seats met federal testing standards and that their method of testing was different.
Now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has revamped its consumer ratings system for child safety seats. The new rating is a five star system based on the seat’s ability to secure a child, the ease of use and installation, and clear labeling and instruction manuals.
To ensure safety, it is important to never use second hand safety seats, since having been in a previous accident could affect the seat’s stability in a crash. Check your car seat’s expiration date if you’ve used it for more than one of your children. The buckle case on one of my car seats cracked. When we checked the date, it was expired. Also check your car seat against recent recalls.
The Evenflo Company has issued a voluntary recall of 1 million child safety seats. Tests showed the seats could become separated from their base in a high impact side collision. The recall concerns Discovery infant car seats models 390, 391, 534, and 552 made between April 2005 January 2008.
To correct the problem, Evenflo is offering a free supplemental dual hook fastener to ensure the seat remains attached. It is not necessary for users to return the car seat, only to use the new fastener. To order the fastener call, 1-800-356-2229 or visit the Evenflo website.
For more Parenting Tips and a more complete guide to keeping your kids safe in the car see our website at childnparent.com
By: Megan C. Wallgren
March 9th, 2008
It is odorless, colorless, tasteless. This silent killer, without a sound, can kill your sleeping child. It is called the “unseen enemy.” This chemical gas, carbon monoxide, is produced when fuel such as kerosene, charcoal, oil, wood, or natural gas is burned. Today, many families have gas appliances in their homes as well as recreational vehicles that burn fuel. Many families also have diesel or gas powered generators used in electrical emergencies. These too, if not monitored carefully, can be dangerous and produce a toxic level of carbon monoxide. With more and more parents becoming aware of this potential danger, extra measures of safety are being taken to make sure that children are protected from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Why is Carbon Monoxide Dangerous?
Oxygen is carried by red blood cells to various parts of the body. At a high level, carbon monoxide interferes in this process, bonding to the red blood cells and blocking oxygen from reaching the delicate tissues of the body. Red blood cells actually pick up carbon monoxide faster than oxygen. Being exposed to higher levels of carbon monoxide inhibits the body’s ability to get the oxygen it needs. Internal tissue damage can occur and, at toxic levels, even death. All of this can happen in a very short time. Sleeping children and adults seem to absorb carbon monoxide faster, and when you are asleep, symptoms are not readily apparent. Parents need to be aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and how to keep their child safe from its deadly effects.
Recreational activities can be killer culprits in carbon monoxide poisoning. Grilling and boating can be especially dangerous if preventative safety measures are not in force. When firing up the grill be sure to do it outside in a well ventilated area. Grilling in cabins and/or tents is a fire hazard and could also cause a build up of carbon monoxide. Matches need to be controlled as well so that little children don’t wind up playing with them.
The danger of carbon monoxide poising while boating comes largely from the boat’s gasoline powered engine. Houseboats with onboard electric powered generators also pose a threat. Generators that vent toward the rear of the boat present a significant danger to those swimming on the swim deck, or near the rear swim platform. Carbon monoxide tends to accumulate just above the water and near the rear platform. It can fill the air space beneath the stern deck and reach toxic levels in minutes. Carbon monoxide can also build up around any exhaust vents inside or outside the boat.
Read this family safety article with help on symptoms, treatment, and monitors at Childn’Parent.
By: Debby Hoffer
November 6th, 2007
