Safety & Prevention Archives - Nemours Blog

ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Safety & Prevention

Layers of Protection, Including Swim Lessons, Help Prevent Child Drownings

The pandemic has put many children behind on swim lessons. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) is alerting parents that swim lessons for children over 1 year are an important part of the layers of protection that can help prevent drownings. So, schedule those swim lessons for your kids and use all these layers of protection to help prevent drownings: Water Watcher There should always be an adult water watcher while children are in and around a pool. For young children and beginner swimmers, the water watcher should be within arm’s length. For older children who can swim, the water watcher should have their eyes on the children at all times. The water watcher should not be using a cellphone, socializing, drinking alcohol, or doing anything else that might be distracting. At a party, have adults take turns as water watcher. Even if a lifeguard is on duty, a water […]

Is My Child Gambling? Signs Parents Should Look Out For

Is My Child Gambling? Signs Parents Should Look Out For

Everyone is talking about “March Madness.” Many are tracking their brackets and bets closely. There is plenty of fun to be had cheering for our favorite basketball teams, but it’s also a good time to talk to your child about gambling. You may think this conversation can start when your child is old enough to step into a casino. But for many kids, gambling starts much earlier. Sports betting, lottery tickets, and card games often start in middle school. Some online games bring gambling right to kids’ phones and computers. And these days it’s hard to turn on the TV without seeing a commercial glamorizing the many new avenues for wagering. Here is some information to help you talk with your kids about gambling. What Is Online Gambling? Online gambling is any gambling done through the internet. Common types of online gambling include casino games (poker, slot machines) and sports […]

Melatonin: 5 Safety Tips for Kids and Teens

Melatonin: 5 Safety Tips for Kids and Teens

We all know that terrible feeling of not being able to sleep and drudging through the next day in a fog. If your child is having trouble sleeping, of course you want to help. You have probably heard of using melatonin for sleep problems. Its use has skyrocketed in the past few years. Melatonin is a hormone (or chemical messenger) made by the brain. It helps us fall asleep. Melatonin is also made as a dietary supplement and can be bought in the U.S. without a prescription. But is melatonin safe for kids and teens? Does it work? If melatonin is used with guidance from a health care provider, it is probably safe for short-term use in kids over 5 years. It can help kids and teens get some rest while they work through certain types of sleep problems. But it is still being studied so we don’t know for sure what […]

Fire Safety: What to Know in Case of Fire

Fire Safety: What to Know in Case of Fire

Did you know that winter months are peak time for fire-related deaths? In the event of a fire, you may have as little as two minutes to escape. Home and apartment fires can start and spread quickly. It is important to create a fire escape plan and practice it regularly with your family. Create a Fire Escape Plan The best way to start planning a fire escape plan according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is to draw a map of your home or apartment showing all doors and windows. The NFPA says families should: Plan two ways to escape from each room. Make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily. Identify secondary routes: a window onto an adjacent roof or a collapsible ladder from a second-floor window. If you live in a multi-story building, plan to use the stairs – never the elevator. Designate an outside meeting […]

Gathering Safely for the 2021 Holidays

Gathering Safely for the 2021 Holidays

As the holidays approach, you might have mixed feelings. On the one hand, who isn’t excited about gathering with family and friends for traditional holiday meals and celebrations? On the other, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and you might be worried the coronavirus will spread even more as people gather for festivities. Fortunately, you and your family members can reduce the risk of getting infected with coronavirus. Virtual gatherings are still the safest way to get together. But if your family will be meeting other families in person this year, the CDC has provided tips for keeping safe as we celebrate: Get vaccinated. The best way to protect people both young and old from getting very sick or even dying from COVID-19 is to vaccinate everyone who is eligible. This includes everyone ages 5 and up. And for people over 18 who are already fully vaccinated, a booster shot […]

Pool safety, powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Water Safety

Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related death in children ages one to four, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Safe Kids Worldwide notes that more than half of drowning deaths in children happen in those ages 0 to 4. Nearly 1,000 U.S. children under 20 years old lose their lives to drowning each year. It’s important to know that drownings can happen quickly. The many rules written about pool safety come down to the same important guideline: Kids should always be supervised in and around water, no matter what their swimming skill levels. Young children especially must be watched—they can drown in less than 2 inches of water. That means drowning can happen when and where you’d least expect it. Get Them Swimming Early According to the policy statement, “Evidence reveals that many children older than 1 year will benefit from swim lessons.” And classes taught by qualified instructors at […]

Going Back to School in 2021

Going Back to School in 2021

Kids wear a lot of things to stay safe at school … shoes to protect their feet, sunscreen to protect their skin on late summer days and a jacket to protect against the fall chill. Once again, this school year, wearing a face mask may be included in that back to school list, depending on where your child goes to school. When Everyone at School is Wearing a Mask Since the Delta variant of COVID-19 is more transmissible than previous strains of the virus, some schools are requiring indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. Changing rules over the past few years may confuse your child. Help them understand with these six tips! Explain why kids and adults are wearing a mask. Keep the explanation simple: “I wear a mask to keep you safe. You wear a mask to keep me safe.” Normalize by […]

Button Batteries

Button Batteries: Small in Size, Big in Dangers to Children

The child ingestion rate of button batteries is on the rise. More than 3,500 incidents of button battery ingestion are reported to U.S. poison control centers each year. The most serious injuries are usually associated with 20 mm diameter batteries, about the size of a nickel. They are dangerous to toddlers and kids because they are easy to swallow or be inserted into their nose or ears. Serious injuries and even death can result if the button battery is not removed in time. What Are Button Batteries? Button batteries are small, round, and shiny batteries that are found in numerous household items like: Hearing aids Remotes controls Toys Holiday decorations Watches Flameless candles Bathroom scales What Can Happen If Ingested? If swallowed, chemicals in the batteries can cause serious burns when swallowed or get stuck in the body. According to HealthyChildren.org, when the battery makes contact with bodily fluids, it generates […]

Top 5 Summer Safety Tips

Top 5 Summer Safety Tips

Great summer weather means lots of opportunities for fun activities with family and friends. But with these activities can also come some not-so-great summer injuries and issues for kids. Here are some of the most common reasons for summer emergency room visits, and how you can avoid them by keeping these summer safety tips in mind. 1. Sunburn Every child needs sun protection, either from sunscreen or by covering up. All kids, regardless of their skin tone, should wear broad spectrum (protects against UVA and UVB rays), water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Reapply often, especially if your child is playing in water. For babies under 6 months of age, the best sun protection is shade and clothing. Also, ask your doctor or pharmacist if any of your child’s medications increase sensitivity to the sun so that you can take extra precautions. 2. Bites and Stings In […]

Nut Allergies: What Friends and Family Need to Know | Promise: Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Nut Allergies: What Friends and Family Need to Know

For parents whose children live with an allergy to peanuts or tree nuts, avoiding the ingredients can become a matter of cautious routine. It’s never easy, but parents grow accustomed to avoiding certain foods and contaminants, watching for symptoms, and carrying the necessary supplies in case of an accidental exposure. But what about friends, friends’ parents, or other family members? It can be hard to give a simple overview of the dangers and limitations that come with a peanut or tree nut allergy – especially when you’re trying to allow your child to live a life that’s as close to normal as possible. Here’s what friends and family members should know about caring for or spending time with a child who has a nut allergy – whether it’s a sleepover, family vacation, or a babysitting gig. It’s a real thing. No matter what your own experiences with peanut or tree nut […]

Protect Your Family From the Flu

Protect Your Family From the Flu

This year, it’s more important than ever to get the flu vaccine. There has been so much focus on COVID-19 this year that many people may not even realize that flu season has already begun. For many people, the flu is more than a seasonal annoyance, it can be dangerous. And as COVID-19 continues to spread during this 2020-2021 flu season, it’s extra important to get a flu vaccine for all family members as soon as possible. The flu virus spreads easily from person to person. It gets into our lungs and airways and can turn into serious illnesses like pneumonia. The flu is especially dangerous for babies. It can also be serious for kids and adults with health problems like asthma or diabetes. Why Does My Family Need a Flu Vaccine This Year? Getting the flu vaccine not only protects you from the flu, it also helps protect the […]

10 Tips for a Safe Halloween This Year

10 Tips for a Safe Halloween This Year

2020…the year of cancellations. But as the pandemic continues, we have adapted. Fun activities are returning in safe and creative ways—drive-in concerts, anyone? As summer fades to fall, the question is beginning to swirl: Can we have Halloween? The simple answer is yes, so long as everyone follows some basic safety measures. The tips below apply to all ghouls and goblins, big and small! Ditch the Candy Bowl Quite possibly the most important thing you can do is forgo the “communal” candy bowl. Whether you usually hand out candy from the bowl or let kiddos dig in and grab their favorites, it’s just too tricky for trick-or-treating this year. A candy bowl cannot be contact-free. So what’s the alternative? Grab-and-Go Set up a table, decorate it if you wish, and place the wrapped candy out on the table individually, allowing kids to come up and pick their favorites without touching […]

Page 1 of 5

Page 1 of 5

Page 1 of 5