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Safety & Prevention

Every year, about 3 million people – many, young children under age 5 – come into contact with poisonous substances. And most poisonings actually happen when parents or caregivers are home, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). If you’re like most parents, you’ve probably taken safety precautions in your home. All of those baby gates, locks and childproof caps can help protect your child from harmful substances – that is, when everything is going according to plan. But when little ones sneak out of sight or there’s an inevitable change in your routine – like family visits, babysitters, running late, parties, holiday get-togethers, etc. – those safety measures may not work as well as they would on an ordinary day. And when you visit other people’s houses (like grandma and grandpa’s), there’s no telling what kids will get into. The Most Common Poisoning Culprits medicines cleaning products liquid nicotine […]

If your child is in need of a hospital stay, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of information, emotions and distractions that can come at you at a feverish pace. But your child’s support system should be consistent and calm — and that starts with you and your child’s entire family. National Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 13–19) is the perfect time to proactively think about how you could help your child’s hospital stays be as safe as possible. Here are some tips from Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patients Safety to help prepare you, just in case: Be your child’s patient advocate. Don’t be shy or feel like you can’t speak up. Ask questions about your child’s care, raise any safety concerns, and/or ask caregivers to double-check their charts before they act. Write down your questions to make sure caregivers address them. Maybe say something like: “Excuse […]

It’s coming up on spring break time, when families, teens and young adults start planning travel to warmer climates. But with all of the buzz about Zika, you may have some questions. Here is what we know, for sure, right now. Q: What, exactly, is the Zika virus? A: Zika virus is a type of flavivirus, which is a family of viruses transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes. Although it’s been in the news lately, Zika was discovered in 1947 and is named after a forest in Uganda. Q: What are the symptoms and treatment? A: Most people (4 out of 5) don’t know they’ve been infected with Zika virus because they don’t have any symptoms. The 20 percent of people who do experience symptoms usually have a mild illness for about a week to 10 days, with fever, rash, joint pain and pinkeye (without the pus). Other common symptoms include muscle […]