Baby Toy Safety Tips to Protect Your Child
Aug 24, 2009 Child Safety
Each year, thousands of babies are injured by playing with toys that are unsafe. While most manufacturers have taken great care to ensure their toys are baby-safe, the injuries continue. Sometimes, it’s due to the manner in which the toys were built. Other times, babies are left unattended with toys that are otherwise safe but can still cause harm when the baby is alone. The injuries are always unfortunate. Some are tragic. Thankfully, with diligence, most of the toy-related harm that happens to babies can be prevented. In this article, you’ll discover the toy hazards that can potentially hurt your child.
Beware Of Sharp Edges And Points
Toys aren’t typically sold with sharp edges and points. However, some toys are manufactured in such a way that they appear harmless but can cause injury when played with. Also, though many baby toys are built absent of any edges or points that can pierce, cut, or otherwise injure your child, they can break. When a baby plays with a toy, pieces can break off exposing sharp points that can slice or puncture the skin. When you buy a new toy for your baby, take time to inspect it. Remove it from the packaging. Take note of any potential breaks or damage that can expose metal, glass, or hard plastic edges.
Watch The Small Parts
Most baby toys don’t allow small parts to be removed or unfastened. They’re typically sold in 1 piece. But, toys break easily. Simply dropping it onto the ground can cause pieces to loosen. The parts may not break off at that moment, but a slight pull or tug by your baby can easily cause the part to dislodge from the toy. Because babies tend to put things into their mouth, this can be extremely dangerous. Small parts can be swallowed and become lodged deep in your baby’s throat, cutting off air. Or, your baby may place the small piece in her ear or nose. There, it can remain out of reach as your baby screams in pain. While considering toys to buy, make sure there are no removable parts. Keep in mind the materials from which the toy is constructed. Hard plastic can easily break off and cause injury.
Mind The Projectiles
Surprisingly, there are a few toys that are sold with the ability to shoot small projectile parts. There’s very little power behind the projectile, but its size can cause a tragic problem. Your baby might swallow the projectile. Or, it can strike your baby’s eyes. Every precaution that you take in purchasing baby toys with small parts should be taken when buying toys that propel small objects. These toys can become deadly in a baby’s hands.
Choosing Toys Your Baby Can Handle
There’s a lot you can do to ensure your baby is never exposed to the dangers of hazardous toys. It requires a bit of forethought. For each toy you purchase, ask yourself whether the toy is too small. You don’t want your baby to swallow the toy. How heavy is the toy? If dropped onto your baby’s head, can it cause an injury? Does it have a cord that your baby may inadvertently wrap around his neck? Are there pieces that are loose on the toy? With time, can those pieces become detached and pose a safety threat?
These are the questions you should ask yourself whenever you buy a baby toy. By being mindful of the potential hazards, you can all but guarantee the safety of your baby. Thousands of babies are injured by toys each year. Nearly every injury could have been prevented. Use the tips above to protect your child.
Child Safety Seats for the Car
Aug 24, 2009 Child Safety
As your child grows, several different child safety car seats will need to be purchased. Each time you buy a new car seat, mail the registration postcard so that you will be informed if there is a recall. Recalls of car seats are very common because documentation of car seat performance continues even after manufacturing. Contact your local health department for classes on child safety or inspections of car seat installations. Differing locations may use differing personnel, such as the local hospital or fire department to conduct safety classes. Below are some things you may learn about car safety for children.
Put your child in the back seat of the car. Most automobiles have airbags in the front seats and a child in a safety seat should not be placed in a front of one. The airbag is a bit too powerful for a child’s small mass, and children have been hurt by airbags. Even if there is no airbag, a child is safer in the back. If a car seat is rear-facing, as it should be for small infants, parents can use a special mirror to help them occasionally peek at their child’s face. Some parents hate to have the baby somewhat out of sight, but they can usually put their baby to sleep in a crib out of sight. Remember the instinct to keep a child close and in sight will not help the child in a car crash if the child is not safely restrained.
Garage sales and secondhand baby stuff is a great way to save money, but not for child safety seats. You never can tell if a seat has been in an accident and such seats should not be re-used. Also seats that are more than five years old should not be re-used. Seats that have been in a recall should not be re-used. This is why you should buy your own seat and send in your registration card.
Another reason to buy a new seat is so that you will have the instructions necessary to proper install your car seat. Read the instructions and follow them. We repeat, read the instructions and follow them. If your car seat needs some kind of kind of tether strap to secure the seat to the car in addition to the regular seat belt, be sure to use it. If you drive an older model of car that has no anchor to secure the tether strap, call a local dealer of your model and order a bracket to have installed in your vehicle.
Since 2002, cars in the United States are required to have a LATCH system as part of their design. LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. This system makes installation of car seats easier than before. LATCH is a built-in system of anchors and tethers to secure car seats. It works very well with the newer child car seats. For more information about how to put a child car seat in a car with LATCH, see Learning About LATCH by Evenflo.
Child Safety Online – Crucial Decisions For Parents
Aug 20, 2009 Child Safety
Discussions of child safety are more frequently focusing on the issue of online safety. Between these two topics, child safety and online safety, parents are increasingly finding themselves in the crosshairs.
Parents must forever struggle with the ever-shifting balance between control and autonomy for their children. But as television’s Dateline shows with it’s “To Catch a Predator” segment, parents must take an evermore proactive role in assuring their children’s safety online.
The first steps parents must take to assure their children’s safety online are to:
* Talk openly about the issue of online safety.
* Be honest (but not overly alarming) about their concerns for the child’s safety.
* Set some basic rules about not sharing personal or family information with online acquaintances (what school they go to, their address, etc.).
These are the first steps, but parents must remember that the predator’s game is a confidence game. It is a con game, one that can threaten any child’s safety. The predator may appear as just another player in an online game, building trust through shared interest and activity. Or they might be the sympathetic, reassuring ear to a frustrated teen’s complaints in a chat room. Or they may be explicitly teasing and tempting, seemingly treating the teen as the adult she wants to be. Whatever the tactic, the underlying goal is to build rapport and trust.
Children, even well informed children, are extremely vulnerable to this kind of subtle seduction.
Because of this natural and normal vulnerability parents may well need to take additional steps to assure their child’s safety online. Probably the single most important thing parents can do is to keep the computer that their child uses in a public area of the house, not the child’s bedroom.
Such a change may well create tension for both child and parent. Everyone likes to have their own space. Growing children increasingly desire privacy. And parents certainly don’t mind having a bit of peace and quite while the kids are in their rooms studying, playing or surfing online. Despite the difficulties this basic decision is probably the single most effective step parents can take to assure their child’s safety online.
Naturally, it is best to implement these measures as early in the child’s life as possible so that these are accepted norms rather than rude awakenings.
In addition to this, or perhaps as an alternative to relocating the computer, parent’s need to establish that the computer is not the child’s private domain. Parents should install one of the parent control software packages that are available.
Net Nanny or PC Tattle Tale, for example, are programs that allow parents to either block or filter specific sites or specific content. Some of these packages even allow the parent to monitor computer usage remotely.
All parental control software programs keep logs of activities for review. Some even provided frequent screen captures that are played back as a rapid slideshow so that past use can be viewed graphically.
Child safety online is a real issue. Online predators are a real threat. Even if online safety comes with the price having to endure normal resistance to such changes it is a small price to pay for keeping your child safe online.
Toy Safety Essentials for Parents and Carers
Aug 20, 2009 Child Safety
Check Toys for sharp edges or rough surfaces as they can cause injury.
Always buy washable, non breakable toys for babies.
Regulary disinfect and wash bath toys to avoid mildew.
Warning: Anything small enough to fit into a 35mm film canister can choke a child or infant under 3 years of age.
Toy chests and boxes should be designed not to close on top of children, or preferably with a removable lid. Anything big enough to crawl inside must have ventilation.
Always read and follow the advice labelled on new toys. “Not suitable for children aged under 3″ means that there are small parts contained in the product which could be swallowed; it is not an indication of skill level or intelligence.
Check toys regularly for loose parts that pose choking hazards.
Check that there are no gaps or holes which childrens` fingers can get into.
Be aware that toys able make loud noises can be harmful to hearing. In particular those toys which are held against the ear, such as walkie~talkies and toy mobile phones.
Check for ventilation before buying tents, masks, helmets etc.
Make sure that ride-on toys are stable, age appropriate to the child and will not overbalance. Toy bikes should have brakes in good working order which can be applied by the rider.
Please check out our range of toys in aladdiescave. If you have any queries about any of our items please email aladdiescave@aapt.net.au.
Happy and Safe Shopping
Tags: Carers, Essentials, parents, Safety
Buckle Up For Car Driving Safety – Wear Your Seatbelts
Aug 20, 2009 Child Safety
There are any of a number of reason people hold why they should not use their seatbelts. “It ties me in”, “I don’t like it”, “the airbag is enough” or just plainly “It’s ridiculous”. In the end it never hurts to play it safe. It in the end it can be said and summarized that there are no good reasons why you should not wear why you should not wear and seatbelt and plenty of good reasons why you should and aught to.
Safety and the yearn for safety are an integral parts of our daily lives and cultures. However when it comes to driving we often forget to ensure the well being of both ourselves and our motoring passengers. This can be said to apply well to the wearing and use of ordinary car, truck or S.U.V. seatbelt safety devices.
Remember “Newton’s Law” from your high school or university physics courses. Simply put by Newton’s law “An object in motion remains in motion”. If a vehicle is in motion on the road and stops suddenly then anything within that vehicle keeps moving in that same direction. Inertia continues on. Seatbelts will serve to keep an occupant or occupants firmly and securely in their seats.
A properly worn seatbelt will save lives and injury. Without a seatbelt that same forward motion and inertia will be stopped. However what stops it may be the front windshield, the dash, the steering column or perhaps even dangerously an infant in the car. True cars have become safer – steering wheels collapse, glass is safer, car dashes are padded – but all in all it’s a poor choice and bargain – when compared to the simple safety afforded by buckling in with standard automotive seat belts. It’s no accident that seat belts are mandatory equipment in all vehicles for many years now.
You might think that the forward motion involved in automobile travel is minor and that your strength will simply save you. I will just put out my hand or hands grab something and stop. Not only do accidents happen in a flash, are unexpected, but even a minor stop from 15 to 25 hours a mile to standstill is enough to throw a grown man right through the windshield.
The same logic of safety first should always be applied first and foremost to children and infants. Interestingly enough one may commonly see on the roads and by ways infants or children properly buckled up in the car , or an infant in a properly tethered infant sear in the back seat , yet notice that the adult driver themselves are not restrained properly. Not only is the parent taking a chance with their parental duties themselves but also in the event of an accident, since they are unrestrained may cause damage or injuries to their children in the event of an accident. This can not only occur on long journeys at high speed but even on short trips to the store or supermarket but even in the parking lot of that supermarket itself.
One can never be too safe when it comes to safety and the application of safety when it comes to driving. The same can be said of the mandatory use of seatbelts in any automobile – whether it be car, auto, truck or S.U.V. It is no accident that fully that between 1/3 and ½ of all those people who are killed in motor vehicle accidents were found not be wearing seatbelts. Make it standard practice to ensure that both your occupants as well as you are properly buckled up with the seatbelts installed in your automotive vehicle.
Shrink Labels Ensuring Holiday Toy Safety
Aug 18, 2009 Child Safety
The holiday season is upon us and that means new toys under the tree. The joyous Christmas wonder in a child’s eye as he or she unwraps a coveted gift, however, can soon turn harmful-even deadly-if toy safety concerns aren’t taken into consideration. Unless you’ve got a shrink labeled product from a reputable American manufacturer in your hands, what you get may not be what you hoped for.
Shrink wrap labels can ensure that a package’s content originates from its designated source. That’s good news given that “three times as many foreign-made products than American-made products were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 2008,” according to the Web site BuyDirectUSA.com. What’s more, toys manufactured in China led to a widespread lead-contaminant scare in 2007.
But what further complicates the toy safety situation is the very packaging that aims at securing the gift’s contents can quickly become an injury trap in and of itself. Indeed, HealthDay reports, “There’s one other hazard parents should keep in mind: the packaging the toys come in. They should move quickly on Christmas morning to clean up all the mounds of debris left in the wake of gift-giving.
‘The adult really needs to take away those packaging materials,’ [the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesperson] Fleming says, noting such choking hazards as twist-ties, shrink wrap and small plastic anchors. ‘We don’t want any of the packaging to turn into a deadly plaything, so the adult really needs to clean all of that up.’”
This year, thankfully, one of the top online retailers is cutting back on the packaging parents and children will need to open to get their hands on the goodies inside. “The Seattle-based company plans to start shipping items in plain brown cardboard boxes, instead of putting a pre-boxed or plastically sealed item inside another box.”
Children’s toys will now be shipped from this particular Internet retailer’s warehouses “in a plain brown box with cardboard padding and a plastic bag holding the toy people and whatnot.” A shrink label adhered to the outside of the brown paper box or a hermetically sealed shrink bag inside can verify the safety and security of the contents.
It is anticipated that other retailers and manufacturers will soon follow suit in this environmentally friendly packaging cutback. As they do so, they will turn to the latest shrink label technology.
Showpack® flat bottom bags, for instance, offer the latest technology in pre-made, side gusseted, true flat bottom shrink label bags. Their unique format is sure to differentiate a retailer’s product and, unlike the current brown bag approach, generate attention at the point of purchase.
With their wide seals and a stable base, Showpack® bags look great displayed standing up on the shelf, and with registered print on all five panels, they provide excellent graphics when displayed lying down as well. Hermetic shrink seals eliminate infestation issues and extend shelf life.
Compared to other packaging formats, like multi-wall paper bags, Showpack® bags’ plastic construction is sturdy. The bags are also available with value-added features like press-to-close reclose, slider reclose and carrying handles. These additional shrink label measures further ensure the safety integrity of the contents.
Airbag Safety System With Ears!
Aug 18, 2009 Child Safety
Till the time new age automobile safety systems, such as intelligent highways become common, a lot of innovations to improve automobile safety rely on making the existing safety systems more effective and efficient.
With the talks of encouraging stronger car roofs, and news of putting air bags on the outside, this year’s Bavarian Innovation Prize winner seems to have taken a leap ahead to enhance passenger safety by a good margin. The award was jointly received by the international automotive supplier Continental and the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences.
The prestigious award went to the innovation called the “structure-borne sound airbag.” Not only does this innovation promise to effectively sense an impact but it can also “hear,” the sound of impact. This additional functionally aides the device to react quickly and intelligently. Precisely, the system promises up to 50% faster firing times for air bags.
The system with ears is based on the technology called Crash Impact Sound Sensing (CISS). The research on the technology was carried out at the Institute for Applied Research (IAF) at Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences for several years.
How it Works?
The whole process of triggering air bags can be thought of to occur in two phases. The first is the detection of danger and the next step calls for the system to decide on what action to take?
The CISS works by hearing the danger as it approaches. It can detect both the accident as well as its severity from the typical structure-borne sound produced by the impact. Further, it can even differentiate much more quickly and more reliably between varied crash situations.
The second critical component of the cycle is to make a quick decision on release of the airbags. During serious accidents, the airbag safety system must decide within fractions of a second. For a typical frontal collision, the system has anywhere between 10 and 40 milliseconds to decide. The system’s got to make a choice whether the airbags have to be triggered? Or are the airbags not needed at all, because the other elements, such as the crumple zone and safety automotive accessories viz. seat belts would suffice, etc.
The vehicle’s rate of deceleration provides the necessary input to the system, and this information is then fed into the central airbag control unit (ACU) for analysis, all of which happens in a matter of milliseconds. The whole system has been integrated into a single high-performance sensor.
The structure-borne sound is produced when the vehicle deforms. During a crash, the sound is transmitted through the front longitudinal members of the chassis and frame, or the body shell’s “railway lines,” to the central control unit.
It’s exciting to see automotive research geared towards making promising advancements in automobile safety with seemingly simple, yet highly effective tweaks here and there.
Playground Safety Tips
Aug 16, 2009 Child Safety
A day out at the playground can be just the thing to get your kids active and enjoying some fresh air. It doesn’t take much to please children. Give them a slide and a few swings and they will be happy for hours. But don’t make the mistake overlooking potential dangers at the playground. Some rules should be put in place in order to protect your kids from unnecessary harm.
Start out by ensuring that the playground your children play at is appropriate for both their age group and their size. Playgrounds come in all sizes and forms. Some of them really are not for toddlers and pose many risks. If you have very young children, seek out a park that has baby swings and a small slide rather than equipment designed for much older children. Likewise, some areas are even designed for teenagers rather than younger kids. Determine the proper level of play for your kids.
It’s a good idea not to leave your kids alone at the playground. Of course this is up to the parent and varies based on things like age, distance and length of stay. Accidents can occur and it would be unfortunate for a child to get injured and be too far away from home to get proper help. If you must send kids without a parent, send them in groups. It is always much safer in a group.
Be certain that your children know how to deal with things like strange people or strange animals. Knowing how to deal with a potentially dangerous situation makes all the difference when it comes to getting out of it. Children should also be taught to use playground equipment properly. Most accidents occur because of improper use of something. If kids know how to use the playground equipment it will eliminate them from taking too many unnecessary risks.
If you plan to be spending a lot of time with your children at the playground, it certainly does not hurt to take a First Aid kit with you. Even a small cut or scrape can be taken care in just a few minutes with some cleansing material and bandages. A good thing to have in your kit is some kind of eye wash in case something gets into an eye.
Pay attention to who else likes to use the playground with your kids. The most incidences of bullying tend to occur at playground when there are no adults present. Children can be vicious at times so pay attention to the goings on around your child when they are at play. If you have any reason to believe that something is not right, make a point to find out if there is something going on that you don’t know about.
The playground is something that some of us never really outgrow. Spend time there with your children. It’s a great place to get some much needed exercise and get away from the electronics. Prep your kids for safety and they will be just fine.
Tags: Playground, Safety, Tips
Tips For Child Safety at Home
Aug 16, 2009 Child Safety
Maintaining your home for child safety is a big task but is one that is essential. There are so many things that can cause harm to children. All it takes is one mishap or forgotten element. There are many things that can be done to promote safety in the home and prevent accidents from occurring. New parents may find that they feel overwhelmed with all of the little things but in time it will become much easier to deal with.
Electrocution is one of the biggest risks that face a small child. All of the electrical outlets and plugs should be filled with safety guards designed specifically for that purpose. Most department stores and baby sections will have these outlet plugs. They seem to be more advanced all the time. They are no longer that easy to pull out and some even clip in place so that they are nearly impossible to take out. It definitely prevents little fingers from getting into an outlet running too much power for a child.
The stairs pose an incredibly large danger as well. They should always be blocked off with a safety standard gate that is approved by your country or state. Even a few stairs can cause great injury if a small child were to take a fall. It just isn’t worth the risk. Toddlers may be walking but they are not walking very well yet. Don’t make the mistake of taking the gate down too early.
If you have certain rooms that you would like to keep your children out of at a young age, find some door knob covers that make it difficult for small hands to open. Adults can work them but kids can’t which means they cannot get into off limits rooms or somehow make it outside undetected. This is something that happens too often, especially in the winter months when kids are not properly dressed for cold weather. Use door knob covers and take comfort knowing they are not escaping the house or playing in the bathroom.
Keeping your home clean also plays a role in the safety of your kids. Improper cleaning can lead to the growth of bacteria. Some bacteria are very harmful to the health such as salmonella or other bacteria caused by food. Do a regular tidy with antibacterial cleansers to ensure there is nothing lingering to hurt your family. The bathroom is a zone that should be cleaned on a regular basis as is the kitchen.
The most important thing that you can do to keep your children safe at home is to keep an eye on them. It is when kids are left unsupervised that they tend to get into the most trouble. Pay attention to what they are doing. Avoid allowing things like the phone or computer distract you from what the kids are up to.
Child safety all starts with the parents. Identify areas that are cause for concern and do your best to eliminate or reduce their hazard potential.
Improve Child Safety and Home Safety With This Basic Childproofing Checklist
Aug 14, 2009 Child Safety
When your baby starts walking, the number of dangers multiplies and parents must pay even more attention. Bookshelves become hazardous and table knick knacks become the object of unquenchable curiosity. Even table cloths can become dangerous. Yes, a simple tablecloth can create unintended havoc when a toddler is involved. Here are is a checklist for parents to follow and implement before your baby becomes a walking toddler:
1. Use bolts or screws to fasten bookshelves to the wall. If a toddler likes to climb, this is one of the many types of furniture they’re very likely to climb on, pull down or fall off of. There are also straps, anti-tip kits and anti-tip devices that secure your bookshelves to walls keeping your toddler safe. Falling bookshelves, bookcases, dressers and in general, falling furniture happens more often than people think and it can be fatal.
2. Electrical and pull cords can strangle a baby or toddler. Tape down all electrical cords and put cords on blinds and curtains up, out of reach of a child as they may be dangerous. Even the cord on the treadmill should be removed so a baby or toddler doesn’t strangle herself. As most of us know, a celebrity just tragically lost a small child because of a loose treadmill cord. Cord shorteners are available for curtain and blind cords. It only takes a moment to walk into a room and take precautions that will dramatically enhance child safety.
3. Put covers on electrical sockets so that a baby or toddler doesn’t get shocked, or electrocuted by putting his fingers or a metallic object in the socket. This does happen in real life, it is not an urban myth.
4. Medications and household cleaners can be dangerous. Items as mundane as bath oil or nail polish remover are toxic when ingested by a child. Put them up in a locked cabinet. Remember, a baby or toddler cannot tell you what they swallowed. Assume the worst. If you suspect that your child has swallowed something toxic, call your local poison control center. In fact, always make sure you have a legible list of emergency numbers next to every phone in the house. Take the time to program those numbers into your mobile phone.
5. Beware of small objects on the countertops like coins and paperclips. A toddler can reach these items and there is a high probability that they will at the very least put them in their mouth and at the worst, swallow them. Obviously, there is also a high probability that these item will cause the child to choke. It only takes a minute to look at your countertops and to remove those small, dangerous objects.
6. Keep electrical appliances, knives and glass objects high up and far away from your toddler. A small child will grab at anything that looks bright and shiny. These objects need to be locked up in cabinets and those cabinets should be up very high and they absolutely need to be locked. When a baby becomes a toddler latched doors and drawers in lower cabinets are no longer safe. A small child will try and open that lower cabinet if given the opportunity. All cleaning supplies should be kept high and locked up to ensure that the toddler can’t reach them. Never leave cleaning supplies out and absolutely never, never leave them open. That is just asking for trouble.
7. Cover any and all sharp edges on furniture. Toddlers aren’t all that agile or coordinated plus they wobble when they walk. It is not abnormal for a small child to bump their head or other body part on the corners of coffee tables, other tables, cabinets, table legs and just a countless list of furniture parts and pieces.
8. If you don’t have a garbage disposal and have a garbage can, secure it, hide it or keep it secured outside. Babies and toddlers are insatiably curious and the child can reach in and remove, examine and possibly swallow small objects or toxic objects. I am not exaggerating. Remember, whether you keep a garbage can inside or outside child proof it by securing it.
9. Put safety gates at both the top and bottom of stairs. Use baby safety gates that require a hardware installation as pressure gates are insufficient. Stairways are dangerous for babies and toddlers at both the bottom and top of the stairs. Make sure the railings of the gate are less than 2 3/8 inches apart. The last thing you want is to give a small child an opening between rails. Small children love to explore and will simply look at this as another adventure and the last thing you need is that type of adventure.
Please follow this checklist to ensure the safety of your children. Remember, child safety and home safety should always be priority number one.
Tags: Basic, Checklist, child, Childproofing, home, Improve, Safety, THIS