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Safety & Prevention

Doctors, Including This One, Push for Baby Walker Ban, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Doctors, Including This One, Push for Baby Walker Ban

We’ve all seen them, maybe even used them at some point. The infant walker. Usually a round or square structure with a seat in the middle, the baby walker has “legs” with wheels, so baby can move around and also play with the many activities on the attached tray. They seem innocent, even helpful to baby’s development. But from 1990 to 2014, nearly 230,676 babies under 15 months old were treated in emergency departments for walker-related injuries. Risks of Baby Walker Use The number one risk from baby walkers is falling down stairs, followed by falling out of the walker. The majority of injuries are to the head and neck. But there are also other risks because while in the walker babies can reach for things that are normally too high—things like pot handles on stove tops or a tablecloth where there is hot coffee on a table. The concern […]

Car Seat Safety, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Car Seat Safety

As a parent, you want the very best for your children. One of the most important things you can do is make sure your kids are as safe and secure as possible while riding in your car. Keep Your Kids Buckled Up Every Time Parents and caregivers can keep children safer every time they ride in the car by doing the following: Know the proper way to use car seats, booster seats and seat belts. Use appropriate seats and seat belts with your children on every trip in the car, no matter how short. Set a good example by always using a seat belt yourself. A Car Seat Safety Guide There are many car seat and booster options available to parents and caregivers to use in protecting children while driving. Use this guide to help determine the best way to keep children safe in the car. Rear Facing Car Seat […]

6 Sun Safety Tips: How Kids Can Have Fun in the Sun and Be Sun-Safe, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

6 Sun Safety Tips: How Kids Can Have Fun in the Sun and Be Sun-Safe

All kids need time outside. It’s good for them to play and exercise, get fresh air, and spend a bit of time in the sun, so their bodies can make vitamin D, which helps all of us absorb calcium for strong and healthy bones. But too much sun exposure can be dangerous, especially to children. Damage from exposure to the sun builds up over time, so knowing about sun safety and how to protect your child from the sun should start early. No Tan is a Healthy Tan The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin in as little as 15 minutes. When your kids spend too much time exposed to UV rays without protection, they can also damage their eyes and immune systems. And just one blistering sunburn in childhood could double the risk of getting melanoma (the most serious skin cancer) later in life. The intensity of […]

Why newborns need a vitamin K shot , Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Why Newborns Need a Vitamin K Shot

With ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes, a newborn infant seems perfectly made. But the one thing a baby is not born with is enough vitamin K. For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) since 1961 has strongly recommended that all newborns receive a dose of vitamin K at birth. This has been the standard of care for infants since that time. However in the last few years, there has been a small, but alarming trend of parents who are opting to defer the injection at birth. Why Vitamin K? Vitamin K is a crucial vitamin that helps the body activate clotting factors, which can prevent bleeding. It does not pass in sufficient quantity to an infant during pregnancy, so every baby is born deficient. Most of the vitamin K we make in our bodies comes from the food we eat and from healthy bacteria in our […]

Food Recalls: What Parents Should Know, Powered by Nemours Chiildren's Health System

Food Recalls: What Parents Should Know

Do the recent food recalls of romaine lettuce due to E. coli concerns and eggs because of possible Salmonella contamination have you worried? You’re not alone! These events made the news because the products were widely distributed and the lettuce has been linked to nearly 100 illnesses in 22 states. But it’s easy to miss other recalls or alerts. That’s why it’s important to know about foodborne illnesses and food safety. Everyday precautions can help protect your family from “food poisoning” and the diarrhea and vomiting it can cause. What Are Foodborne Illnesses? Foodborne illnesses happen when people ingest food or drinks contaminated by bacteria. Common culprits include E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria. Bacteria can spread through food via: undercooked poultry, eggs, and beef fruit and veggies contaminated through soil or washed in contaminated water unpasteurized (raw) milk, dairy, or juice products deli meats and cold cuts soft-ripened cheese […]

Kids and ATVs: Ten Dos and Don'ts, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Kids and ATVs: Ten Dos and Don’ts

This article was written by Nemours Health & Prevention Services Intern Juliana Russo. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are NOT toys. Inez Tenenbaum, Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, stated that “every year 700 people die and 136,000 go to the emergency room because of ATV related injuries.” She also says, “ATVs are the fifth deadliest product that we oversee.” Nemours Children’s Health System supports the American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement, which strongly recommends that children under the age of 16 not ride ATVs. But, if you do allow your children to ride, we urge you to understand the risks: ATVs can weigh up to 850 pounds ATVs have a high center of gravity so they have a higher chance of flipping over Most ATVs can sustain high speeds over 60 mph, risking a child’s loss of control of the vehicle There are no seat belts, roll bars, air bags […]

Vaccines: It Doesn't Have to Hurt, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Vaccines: It Doesn’t Have to Hurt

Back-to-school is approaching fast. If you’re like many parents, that means back-to-school physicals and possibly vaccines or blood draws for your kids too. For some families, this topic makes kids and parents alike cringe. We know the critical importance of vaccinations, but it doesn’t make it easier on a child who is frightened of needles, or on parents as they watch their kids squirm, scream, and cry in anticipation of the shot or needle. Thankfully, research doesn’t stop at the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Dr. Christine Chambers and Anna Taddio are well-known pediatric psychologists who study pain and have worked to get the message out publicly that pain management in kids is important and accessible, especially in the case of vaccine! The campaign, “It Doesn’t Have to Hurt” is an excellent resource for parents. Currently, fewer than 5% of kids receive any pain management during vaccines. It’s reassuring to […]

Caffeine-Related Death Offers Cautionary Tale, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Caffeine-Related Death Offers Cautionary Tale

Recently, a 16-year-old high school student collapsed at school and was pronounced dead an hour later. His parents were devastated, and the time they should have spent together as a family was now being spent on making funeral arrangements, procuring a Batesville casket, and grieving for the loss of their son. How could this have happened? Spontaneous death is a rare occurrence that few parents will have to worry about. Though sudden death is often caused by the introduction of a food or chemical into the system. During the investigation into the student’s death, no drugs or alcohol were found in his system. However, he was known to have ingested a significant amount of caffeine in the two hours before his death, including soda, coffee and energy drinks. The cause of death was determined to be cardiac arrest due to arrhythmia, caused by excess caffeine ingestion. With arrhythmia, the heart […]

Lawn Mower Safety - Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Kids and Lawn Mowers: Tips to Stay Safe

Each year you know it’s coming. The transition from a crisp wind to a warm breeze, green overtaking barren trees, longer days, and kids riding bikes and scooters. Winter takes its exit as spring reawakens the outside world. And with the change of seasons, the familiar growl of lawnmowers everywhere! Each year, up to 4,800 children are injured in lawn mower accidents. And 75 children die each year from lawn mower accidents. The most common injuries from lawn mowers are cuts, usually to the hands or fingers. Lawn mowers can also kick up rocks and sticks that act as projectiles, which can cause eye injuries or cuts. Kids under five years can get burned by coming in contact with the mower. In fact, passengers and bystanders are more likely to be admitted to the hospital than the person operating the mower. Lawn mower-related injuries are the most common reason for traumatic amputations […]

What is Powassan virus? | Karen Ravin, MD, Division Chief of Infectious Diseases, Nemours/AIDHC | Promise, powered by Nemours Children's Health

What is Powassan virus?

An unfamiliar tick-borne virus is making headlines this spring. What is Powassan virus and how worried should we be? Powassan virus is an extremely rare infection transmitted by a tick bite. Powassan can cause fever and vomiting, disorientation, seizures and brain inflammation and swelling. How common is Powassan? To say it is rare is an understatement. Since 2006, only 75 cases have been reported in the U.S., mostly in the Great Lakes region and New York State. One case was reported in Pennsylvania, three in New Jersey and none in Delaware or Maryland. The chances of contracting Powassan virus are about one in 50 million. Is it new? Powassan isn’t new. It was first reported in Canada in 1958. Recently, a toddler in Connecticut became ill with Powassan virus (the first case identified in that state). Reports were featured prominently in national media, raising awareness (and fear) of Powassan. In […]

Staying Safe With a Stinging Insect Allergy, Jordan Smallwood, MD | Promise, powered by Nemours Children's Health

Staying Safe With a Stinging Insect Allergy

Honey bees. Wasps. Fire ants. Yellow jackets and hornets. Few people are big fans of these bugs, but for those who have a stinging insect allergy, there’s more at stake than the pain of a simple sting. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening reaction that occurs in people who are allergic to the venom of stinging insects. It happens when a person’s immune system overreacts to the proteins in an insect’s venom, and the effects are immediate and very dangerous. While most people develop pain, swelling and redness at the site of an insect sting, it’s important to watch out for symptoms of an allergy. These signs include: Hives Tightening of the throat Wheezing and/or difficulty breathing Stomachache Vomiting or diarrhea Itchiness Lightheadedness or loss of consciousness Itchy, watery or swollen eyes If your child starts having serious allergic symptoms, like swelling of the mouth or throat or difficulty breathing, give an epinephrine auto-injector […]

New FDA Warnings against Codeine and Tramadol for Kids | Michelle Karten, MD | Promise: Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

FDA Issues New Warnings against Codeine and Tramadol for Kids

The FDA has updated its guidelines for the use of two ingredients found in cough and pain medicines. These new warnings and contraindications target codeine and tramadol in children and teenagers. What are the ingredients? Codeine and tramadol are a type of narcotic medicine called an opioid. Providers may prescribe codeine to treat mild to moderate pain and to reduce coughing. Tramadol is a prescription medicine approved only for use in adults to treat pain. However, data show it is being used in children and adolescents, even though it is not approved for use in these patients. While these medications are effective, they carry serious health risks children younger than 12 years old. Risks include slowed or difficult breathing, and even death. What’s changing? The FDA will require warning labels on prescription drugs that contain codeine and tramadol, advising that children under 12 not take the drugs. The warning extends to women who […]

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