Safety | Cobento Home

Posts Tagged: safety

Babies-Toddler — Comments Off
29
Apr 11

Travel Safely With Toddlers

When children first begin to crawl, their curiosity about the world around them triples as they explore any and everything. Pre-schoolers develop motor skills but they have poor impulse control and judgment. Children don’t have the strength, coordination nor maturity to avoid injury and their curiosity is a powerful force.

As a result, they enter one of the most dangerous times of their lives when they are at the highest risk for injury. Preventable injuries in the home are the number one cause of death of children. These injuries also transfer to any environment where you are with your infant or toddler. That can be a hotel room while on vacation, grandma’s house, a rental property, etc.

The same precautions that you take at home should be taken at any of these temporary locations as they all have dangerous sliding doors, toilets that can cause drowning, cabinets that should not be opened by a toddler and sometimes access to toxic products that can cause a poisoning.

Child Proofing needs to travel with you. We suggest you have a travel kit filled with door knob covers, electrical outlet covers, sliding door blocks, toilet seat locks, a first aid kit, a poison antidote, etc. to ensure the protection of your small children.

Also, should there be an accident while your child is with a caregiver, be sure you have a Medical Authorization form completed and notarized so that a caregiver can authorize medical care should you not be available. If, for instance, there is a poisoning and your child is rushed to the hospital while you are finally out for that long awaited romantic dinner, the grandmother cannot authorize care without a Medical Authorization. You don’t want the physicians just standing by waiting for you to arrive when they could be saving your child’s life. An emergency telephone list with details of your child’s blood type, allergies, etc. should also be with each caregiver.

There is absolutely no greater devastation than loosing a child and certainly that devastation is compounded when the loss is due to a preventable accident. Your question is not will your child find hazards, but when. Take the extra precautions today to prevent a trip to the emergency room tomorrow.

Holidays — Comments Off
27
Mar 11

Halloween Safety

Between the Harvest Festivals, Halloween parties and social gatherings, this Halloween season could be very busy for you and your family. This is why all parents should make safety the number one priority while having fun. It also never hurts to be reminded of the precautions all Halloweeners should take while gathering candy.

Before leaving the house, every person going out to Trick-or-Treat should be dressed appropriately. Begin by making sure attire is weather appropriate. The cooler the temperature, the more layers needed to keep warm. These layers should be easily removed as not to interfere with the costume if it gets too warm. Any masks being worn should fit so that vision is not obscured in any way. Children can’t be expected to be completely safe if surroundings can’t be seen easily. Batman and Darth Vader costumes are popular this year, and their dark cloaks can make seeing trick-or-treaters almost impossible after the sun has set. Take the ultimate safety precaution by purchasing reflective tape and place it on the back of the costume, which can be done without changing the appearance or effect of the costume. It also helps to add reflective tape to the side of shoes to add extra reflective surfaces. If a car approaches your child from any direction, enough reflective tape will give your child shape and the driver will be able to see the children. Glow sticks and other accessories are also great ways to make sure you and your child can be seen in the dark.

When moving from house to house, children should refrain from walking in-between parked cars and ideally, should only cross the street at crosswalks. Some neighborhoods are easier to navigate than others, but it is always better to visit houses on one side of the street at a time. Keeping on sidewalks and driveways and refraining from grass and other soft areas will help prevents slips, trips, and falls. Holes and dips in the ground are hard to see in covered areas. Blacktop and concrete surfaces should be used for navigation as much as possible.

Only visit houses that are inviting. Houses without a light at the door or front porch, or without any light from jack-o-lanterns or other means or decoration should not be included in the list of houses to visit. Not only is it not safe, but obviously the tenants do not want visitors.

Although neighborhoods with larger houses in prominent areas are more appealing, it can be tiresome for smaller children. These houses take longer to go from door to door, ultimately causing small children to tire more quickly. If you drive to a neighborhood to visit, try to pick one with houses that are closer together to make the trip more productive with less walking.

Some of the best places to trick-or-treat isn’t necessarily in a neighborhood going from door to door. Churches, malls and shopping center strip-malls often offer treats to those who stop by. Churches often offer forms of entertainment like “Trunk-or-Treating,” where the parking lot of the Church is filled with vehicles where drivers give out candy from their decked-out truck beds and lawn chairs next to their cars. These are wonderful places to take children because the people giving candy may already be a friend, therefore giving parents a more trusted source of treats. Parents are also able to socialize and have some fun themselves, too!

We all know of the importance of screening the candy our children receive during Trick-or-Treating. Some communities offer free screenings with X-ray devices, which is an ideal way to make sure the stereotypical metal object hasn’t been inserted into your child’s candy. In addition to screenings, parents should check each piece of candy thoroughly before consumption. All candy should be wrapped or packaged well without any tears or punctures. Make sure the wrapper on the candy is still secure and bags are free of puncture marks or tears. If candy looks like it has been tampered with in any way, be sure to discard immediately.

Whether you decide to stay home and give out candy, or take a stroll or drive to your favorite haunts, be sure safety is first, no matter what! Enjoy your Halloween!

This article may be republished for web content as long as the author information, bylines, and active links are included.

Holidays — Comments Off
24
Feb 11

A Safe Halloween

Here’s something that should make all your little ghosts, goblins and witches cackle with glee: this year’s Halloween will last longer. Daylight savings time isn’t officially over until after Halloween, on November 4th. That means more daylight and more time to collect that candy! Sadly for moms and dads, that doesn’t mean Halloween festivities will start later. Most school parades and town festivities start early and wreak havoc with working parents’ schedules. It’s also no guarantee your little monster won’t change his or her mind at the last minute about a costume. Like any holiday, Halloween comes with its share of stress. But a little thought and preparation will go a long way to keeping the chaos to a minimum.

Alicia on ‘Talk Now About Safety’
‘Have a conversation with your children before the big day to talk about rules and expectations for the night. If your kids are older and trick or treat alone, make sure you set a time they must be home (give them a watch), and agree on a route in the neighborhood before they set out. Give your older trick-or-treaters a cell phone in case of any emergencies, or just to check in throughout the night. On Halloween, over 20,000 kids are hit by cars, so remind your trick-or-treater to always look both ways! Provide your children with a flashlight or glow sticks and consider putting reflective tape on their costumes to make sure they stand out. Safety is also very important when creating a costume. Choose face paint over bulky masks that obstruct your children’s vision and costumes and accessories that are fire resistant.’

Sarah on ‘Scheduling Enough Time’
‘Avoid the last-minute chaos and possible heartbreak of missing your child’s costume parade at school by booking the important times on your schedule now. If you haven’t already done so, sit down with your children this week to pick out a costume. That way, on October 30th you won’t be scrambling through the remnant costume bins hoping to find a cape for Superman or the perfect tiara for Cinderella. Scheduling applies to the big night as well. You’ll want to make sure you have ample time beforehand to eat dinner together as a family (you don’t want your children to fill up on candy) and of course, you’ll want to make sure you have enough time to take pictures of your adorable little monster.’

Get organized for Halloween with the tips below.
1: Better in Bulk!
To save money, buy your candy in bulk packs, but make sure your family likes the candy in case there are leftovers! Look for variety packs so there is something for everyone. If you have a costume closet at home, or recital outfits, encourage your children to make costumes out of pieces you already own. Think of costumes that your children can use accessories from home, such as pirates, sports players or fairies.

2: Health on Halloween?
People may think you are a dentist, but offer toothbrushes and floss if you pass out candy as well. Even better, pass out prepackaged crackers, wrapped granola bars or 100 calorie cookie snack packs. It gives kids a healthy snack during the night as a respite to all that sugar. Make sure you offer only wrapped treats that are peanut free, to avoid any problems with children who have nut allergies.

3: Try a Pillowcase
Use pillowcases for your children’s candy bags. They are great because they don’t break, can be washed and you can tell your children, they hold the most candy! If you want to make it into a fun activity before Halloween, take old pillowcases and have your children decorate their own with markers, paint pens, glitter and ribbon.

Parenting — Comments Off
15
Jan 11

Children Safety for Summer

Everyone wants to be outdoors when summertime arrives. The warmth of the sun makes people happy, but it can also harm you and your children if you are not careful. Play it safe this summer. Prepare ahead of time to protect your kids while they have fun in the sun.

Purchase sunglasses for your group. Children抯 eyes need to be protected from the harmful ultraviolet rays, too. If you buy them, they will get used to wearing them. Sunglasses that wrap around the face also shield the peripheral area of the visual field. If your child is young and refuses to keep the sunglasses on, give them a wide brim hat or a sun visor instead. Depending on where you live, they need to shield themselves from the sun even when it disappears behind a cloud.

Use sunscreen. On the bottle of sunscreen is an SPF number. SPF stands for 搒un protection factor? The higher the number on the bottle, the greater the protection from the sun抯 radiation will be. Children need a factor of fifty or more. African-American and other children of color also need a high SPF factor in their sunscreen. It has long been believed that the extra melanin in the skin of darker individuals protected them from the sun抯 rays, but this is not entirely true. Melanin in the skin offers some protection from ultraviolet rays but as the skin heats up and tans, the skin begins to burn. Anyone that is exposed to the sun for long periods of time without any protection will suffer sunburns and possibly sun poisoning. Sunscreen should be applied from head to toe. Purchase a waterproof variety to keep sweat and water from washing off the product.

Stay hydrated in the summertime. We lose valuable moisture through our pores when we sweat. If your child is out playing, they are not thinking about how much they are sweating. A dehydrated child could collapse from the heat. This is serious business. Make sure that you call your child inside at regular intervals for a cold glass of water to replenish the fluids that they have already lost. The water should be cold because cold water is absorbed quicker by the body. I would caution against giving sports drinks to children for thirst. They may contain added sugars that your child does not need.

Dress your child in loose fitting clothing. When they go out to play, make sure that they can move around freely. Lighter materials such as cotton allow your child抯 skin to breathe and stay cool while they play. Denim is too confining and holds moisture. Let them wear sandals or tennis shoes with a pair of cotton socks. Without footwear, the sand or sidewalk will burn their feet.

Regulate your child抯 time outdoors. The time when the sun抯 rays are hottest is usually between ten o抍lock in the morning and two o抍lock in the afternoon. Restrict your child抯 time spent in the sun to the early morning or late afternoon. Let them come inside for lunch and a nap during the hottest hours of the day. Staying outside when it is too hot could result in heat stroke which can be fatal.

Protect your child from the harmful rays of the sun this summer. Make sure that they are well covered and adequately hydrated when they venture out of doors during the day. Their first defense is you.

Parenting — Comments Off
31
Dec 10

Teaching Kids About Electricity

Electricity is obviously important in our lives, but it can be dangerous if misunderstood. This is particularly true for children. Fortunately, there are simple, inexpensive projects that can show them both the benefits and risks.

It is a good idea to teach children about electricity for several reasons. Electricity and magnetism are such basic principles of science that an understanding of them gives a good background in several scientific disciplines such as chemistry and physics. Also, electricity can be dangerous and learning respect for it is very much a part of any project that is geared toward children. The most important reason is that electricity is just plain fun to play around with and children seem to be endlessly fascinated by it.

For a small amount of money and a trip to Radio Shack, you can build a simple electrical generator that will produce enough current to light a small light bulb. This project is ideal for a science fair project. You need 4 1cm x 2cm x 5cm ceramic magnets (Radio Shack part # 64-1877), 200 feet of #30 magnet wire (Radio Shack part #278-1345), and a 1.5v 25mA light bulb (Radio Shack part #273-1139). All of these would cost less than $10. The only other things needed are cardboard to make a box and a large iron nail. A hand drill is a helpful optional item. The nail is inserted through the box and the magnets are attached to the nail. The box is wrapped with the wire making a coil. When the magnets and nail are spun rapidly (this is where the hand drill comes in handy), enough current can be generated to light the bulb.

A good paperback book written by Rudolf F. Graf is 揝afe and Simple Electrical Experiments? It contains over 101 projects and experiments dealing with static electricity, magnetism, current electricity, and electromagnetism. This book costs less than $8 and most of the projects have budgets less than the simple generator in the previous paragraph.

There are more complex toys available if you wish to make a more serious investment. The Elenco Company makes the Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 kit and the Electronic Playground 50-in-one kit. The SC-300 has snap together parts that are like giant legos. It is possible to complete up to 300 projects including a radio, a doorbell, and a burglar alarm. In the end, it does not matter which approach you take. You can spend a little bit of money or utilize projects that can be done for almost no cost. The idea is that electrical projects are fun. They teach quite a bit about an important and practical area of science. They also give children an early understanding and respect for this useful, but dangerous force. These are all pretty compelling reasons for giving them a try.

Babies-Toddler — Comments Off
26
Dec 10

Comfort, Safety and Ease of Use – This is What a Car Seat Should Be

I will unabashedly admit that this review is for a product that I literally fell in love with at first sight. Keep in mind that I walked confidently into Babies R’ Us one day last year after having done exhaustive research on children’s car seats and was prepared to quickly pick-up and carry to the cash register my first and only choice. However, I walked out with a model and brand I had not given any consideration to previously, which is extremely uncharacteristic of me. The reason for this change of mind and decision is described in the following review.

The Triumph Advance car seat from Evenflo catches your eye from across the aisle simply by its appearance. My first thought before ever touching the seat was that I wished it were made in a size which could sit in a family room and fit a grown man. It looked that comfortable even from a distance. And, upon further, detailed inspection, the seat pad and support pillows did not disappoint. When pressing on the material and padding, I found the Evenflo to have a much more comfortable feel than its competitors. Inevitably, with other brands, I would be able to feel the underlying plastic shell fairly easily through the padding in certain locations which I felt could be uncomfortable for baby but I did not find this with the Evenflo. By the end of the day, my son was strapped in and rolling down the highway in blissful infant comfort.

But my son was also riding down the highway in reassuring safety as well. Evenflo touts their “New EPP energy absorbing foam liner” as part of this seat and in my opinion, have developed the most user-friendly harness system available. Their “TensionRight” knob for tightening the harness with a twist of the wrist is a welcome change from the more standard pull-to-tighten strap design commonly available. Knobs are located on both sides of the seat meaning that whether rear facing or forward facing you can make your adjustments from either side of the seat. The “infinite slide harness” feature assures that you will not be required to reweave the shoulder harnesses to different heights as baby gets bigger. The shoulder height of the harness automatically adjusts and locks into place. As someone who dealt with regular frustrations of webbing twisting in the harness on our former safety seat, I have been very pleased with the twist resistant design and operation of the Triumph Advance.

Mounting of the car seat is uncomplicated and well described in the instructions. The body and head support pillows fit baby just right and are incrementally removed as he or she grows. Also of note is that apparently, building comfort into a child’s seat does not necessarily mean that durability must be compromised. With over a year’s worth of daily use, the material and padding have produced no tears or other damage and any spots or clean-up were easily removed.

Retail price is around $160 dollars and obviously in my opinion is well worth the money if you are shopping in this price range. It is not the cheapest or most expensive seat and, in many arenas is not necessarily rated as the “best”, but if you give it a good look, you will likely be pleasantly surprised and swayed as a consumer by this product’s unique features. Comfort, safety and ease of use – this is what a car seat should be!

Parenting — Comments Off
1
Dec 10

Baby Cribs – Keeping Your Child’s Crib Safe

Caring for your baby is a full time job. Because they are small and defenseless, babies are prone to accidents. It is impossible to protect your child 24/7, so it is important that when you do leave them alone, they are as safe as they can possibly be. That is why crib safety is very important.

Safe, not just pretty

Thousands of crib-related accidents happen every year ?some of them fatal. So when shopping for baby抯 crib, your priority should not be looks ?it should be safety. There are several types of cribs to choose from, each with its own pros and cons, and each with its own set of safety issues.

One of the most popular types is the drop-side crib ?you can lower down one or both sides for easier access. Adjustable cribs also have side rails, but they cannot be dropped completely ?only adjusted to different heights.

A 慶onvertible crib,?as its name implies, can be converted to a full size bed with its thick mattress and bottom drawers.

For babies on the go, there are also portable cribs available. They collapse into sizes ideal for storing and traveling.

Choosing your baby抯 crib: No to wood?

It is important to choose cribs made with materials that will not be harmful to your babies. Crib rails made of durable plastic are more recommended than wood to prevent damage to your baby抯 teeth and gums during their teething stage.

Babies are very precocious, so cribs with steel castor brackets are important safety features because they are generally strong enough to take your child抯 weight.

And while swivel or caster wheels are convenient features, you would need to ensure that they have safety locking mechanisms to prevent them from rolling and causing untoward accidents.

Babies-Toddler — Comments Off
8
Nov 10

Childproofing Basics For Your Mobile Baby

Your Baby Is Mobile! Time to Childproof!

The moment your baby starts rolling and scooting, you are going to realize how important childproofing your home is going to be. If you leave even the most microscopic piece of paper on the floor, your baby will find it. Now is the time to childproof if you haven’t already done so, because that baby will be crawling and walking before you know it.

Get Down

Start by exploring your home on your baby’s level. It is amazing to see all the hazards in your home just by changing your perspective. Little hands are always tempted by a chord or anything dangling from an end table. Be sure to look under things, like under the sofa, for temptations. Remember, tiny baby hands can reach where grown up ones can not. Remove anything from your baby’s reach that is smaller than a golf ball, has small parts that could break off, is extremely heavy, or poses any other type of hazard.

Get Covered

Your electrical outlets are a huge temptation for your baby, and this becomes even more evident as he or she becomes a toddler. Purchase outlet covers and install them now. They are a hassle, but one toy stuck in an outlet could cause serious injury for your baby.

You also need to cover any sharp, hard edges. Do you have pointy corners on your end table? You can buy covers for this purpose. Babies who are just learning to walk can be injured by furniture with pointed corners. If you have a fireplace, purchase a cover for the hearth, as those bricks are very dangerous for little heads.

If you think the stove knobs are going to be a temptation for your little one, you can purchase covers for them. If there are doors you do not want your toddler to open, you can cover the handles with baby-proofing covers.

Lock Up

Keep all hazardous chemicals and cleaners in one place, and lock that closet or cupboard with a baby lock. Keep your knives out of reach and out of sight as well. Lock up any cupboards or drawers you want your baby to stay out of since he will enjoy opening and closing them.

Wrap Up

Believe it or not, drapes and mini blinds are also dangers in your home. The long chords from them are very intriguing to a baby, yet very hazardous. It is not difficult for a baby to get entangled in these, and she could suffocate before you could get them off. Wrap all of these up so that they are out of reach. If you cannot do this, have them trimmed. The same thing goes for chords and cables, which also pose an electrocution risk. You do not want anything dangling down for your baby to try to grab.

Accomplish these simple steps while your baby is still an infant so you can enjoy the scooting, rolling, and crawling phase with the peace of mind that your home is already child proofed!

Holidays — Comments Off
27
Oct 10

Halloween Safety Tips For Kids

We all love Halloween. It’s a fun time, no matter how old you are. It’s even more fun for children. We want our kids to have fun but we want them to be safe too. These tips will help your children to have a wonderful, safe Halloween.

If you will be giving out treats from your house, make sure you keep your pets in a different room. You don’t want them frightening children or worse, biting them. Halloween costumes can frighten and confuse animals and they may try to protect you from that “monster.” You also do not want to take the chance of your pets running out the door.
Keep candle lit jack o lanterns away from where a child could knock it over or brush up against it. A better idea would be not to use candles at all for your jack o lanterns, but put a flashlight or small battery operated light inside the pumpkin.
Put away anything else that is on your porch or lawn, that a child could trip over.
It goes without saying that young children should only go trick or treating with an adult or a responsible older child. Older children should go with at least one other friend, and preferably go in groups.
Children should never enter houses while trick or treating, unless they know and trust the residents of the house.
When trick or treating without a parent, children should only got to houses where they know the residents.
Only trick or treat at houses where the outside lights are on. If they are off, the people in that house are not welcoming trick or treaters.
Children should walk on the sidewalk. If there isn’t a sidewalk, walk close to the edge of the road. Do not run out between parked cars and do not run.
Instruct your child not to eat any candy until they get home and it can be checked by you.
Obey the city laws and only trick or treat during the allotted times.
If you plan to make your child’s costume, use bright colors or add reflective tape to it. You can find reflective tape at Sporting Goods stores, wherever bikes are sold and Hardware stores.
It’s better for visibility to use make-up instead of masks. If you really want a mask, make sure it fits snuggly and the eyeholes are big enough and positioned where the child can see out of it.
Wear good fitting sneakers or walking shoes while trick or treating.
Costumes should be comfortable and not so long that the child will trip on it.
Any accessories taken, should be soft and flexible. No real swords or knives.
Do have your child carry a flashlight.

Hopefully this list does not seem too long and obtrusive. A lot of it is common sense but when kids are excited, they may not remember these things. It’s up to us as parents to remind and teach our children how to be safe.

Parenting — Comments Off
25
Oct 10

Raising Kids – Is Your Home Safe For Your Child?

Today’s news brought another tragic story of a 4-year-old child who was killed at home. She was Mike Tyson’s beloved daughter who was killed when she was playing on the treadmill at home and somehow the loose cords got caught round her neck and she was strangled to death. My deepest condolence goes to the Tyson family. Raising kids can be a tough and tedious job but losing a kid is like getting a knife plunged into our hearts – it will bleed and hurt forever. Nevertheless, I cannot help but wonder if it should send all parents a warning message that it’s time we do a thorough check to see if our homes are child proof?

It is of course impossible to child proof the world as danger is everywhere around us but it will definitely be very useful to check that the risk of injury in your home is reduced to the minimum, especially since your home is where your child will be spending most of the time. Meanwhile, you can teach your child about the safety measures that they should keep in mind. Below is a checklist you can use to ensure that your home is child proof:

1.Install gates for stairways
Very often young children were injured due to falls and stairways are very dangerous places for little children, so parents should ensure that the stairways are blocked with gates on both sides. It is better to use gates that are securely mounted into the walls rather than pressure mounted gates at the top of the stairways as your child might be able to apply enough pressure to cause the gates to give way. Nevertheless, it is always safer to ensure that an adult is around to keep a close eye on the kids when they are near stairways.

2.Lock outlets, drawers and cupboards
If you look around your house, you might find that there are many objects which will cause your children’s little fingers to get injured such as when they slam the cupboard doors or drawers. Even the door hinges can cause their fingers to get caught and bleed. Outlets that are hanging loose are a potential danger too so make sure they are safety tied up or hidden in plastic outlet covers. Before purchasing such products, test them out to see how child friendly they are first. If you have to install child safety latches, make sure they are easy to use or you might just end up not using them at all!

3.Remove medicine, cleaners and other poisons from sight
Young children are very curious and they would love to touch and taste everything they can lay their little hands on so make sure such poisonous substances are kept out of reach of your kids. Never keep your cleaners under the kitchen sink or on the ledge of the bathtub as it is very convenient for your little ones to get hold of them. Always ensure that they are safely locked away or placed in a high cupboard where your kids cannot reach. Even the medicine and sharp items at home should also not be within your children’s reach.

4.Keep small toys and other choking hazards away
Apart from falls, choking is another is another very common cause for children’s visits to the hospitals. Being curious, young children love to put everything that they can lay their hands on into their mouths, for example, small toys, batteries, coins, buttons, etc. So parents have to be very vigilant and keep all these choking hazards out of the way of your little ones. If you have older kids, teach them to keep these small items away from younger children.

5.Be on the lookout for new potential dangers
Your child is growing everyday so you need to be on the lookout for what he can reach up to. What he could not get hold of previously might suddenly be within his reach one day. You do not want to be caught in a situation where he is busy pulling down the table cloth and everything else on it! Get the items out of his way before it’s too late!

6.Install window grilles or lock windows
To prevent your little ones from falling out of windows, you can either lock the windows or install guards that can prevent the windows from opening too far out. Alternatively, you can also install window grilles or screens. Your child is never too young to climb so make sure all blind cords, cribs, beds, chairs and other furniture are not placed near the open windows because a young child can easily climb up and reach the open windows.

No doubt prevention is better than cure but it is also a parent’s responsibility to teach your child how to behave and to stay away from potentially dangerous places. Your child will definitely get to visit homes that are not child proofed like yours so to prevent any disastrous accidents from happening, teaching them to understand what is not safe is still the best remedy. Anyway, isn’t raising kids about teaching our children all about life?

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