A recent article in our local paper about a 9 month old baby almost drowning in a pool while being watched by grandparents is a stark reminder of our need to be vigilant when having children around swimming pools.
Even though both grandparents said they had a eye on the baby, a brief period of distraction has the potential to lead to a heartbreaking consequence .
Child and Infant Pool safety information is important for every parent. From KidsHealth.org, the Dodson Law Firm provides a list of pool safety reminders for adults and kids.
- Always have an adult watch you when you are in the pool — even in your own backyard. Never go in the pool if an adult is not around.
- Gates are around pools for a reason — to keep kids away from the water when there isn’t a lifeguard or adult around to watch them. Never go through any pool gates when they are closed. Stay safe and stay out!
- Always obey pool rules.
- Swim with a buddy.
- If you’re learning to swim, ask your mom or dad to make sure your flotation devices are Coast Guard approved.
- Walk slowly in the pool area. Don’t run.
- Swim at a depth that is safe for you. If you’re just learning to swim, stay in the shallow end.
- Don’t push or jump on others. You could accidentally hurt someone or yourself.
- Toys to help you float come in many shapes and sizes (an inner tube, air mattress, or beach ball, for example). Although they are fun and can help you while you learn to swim, what they can’t do is save a life. They’re toys that can lose air or float away.
- Don’t chew gum or eat while you swim — you could choke.
Be safe around pools and other swimming sources. With Spring around the corner, these rules are important to pool safety for children and infants.
Case reports from the cancer study clearly reinforce the findings.
Lead researcher, Susie Pearce of London’s University College Hospital, stated that in one instance, a young woman “thought she was going mad” after three months of headaches and 12 visits to doctors. Upon breaking down and crying at her doctor’s office, she was referred to a specialist. She subsequently was found to be suffering from neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nerve tissue.
In a particularly alarming case, a 22-year-old woman had a variety of symptoms. They included frequent diarrhea, abdominal pain and rectal bleeding. These continued for nine or ten years before finally she was diagnosed with colon cancer. The cancer had spread to her liver. The woman has since died.
Receiving prompt medical care is of utmost importance when we suspect that a loved one such as a teen, young child or even ourselves, are suffering from an ailment or symptom. If you think your symptoms are being overlooked, see another physician or speak to a specialist.
A health news report published interesting information on the subject of cancer being overlooked among teens. In a unique study, British researchers are concluding that teen and young adult cancer patients often feel frustrated that their symptoms are not taken seriously.
Interviews with 24 cancer patients between the ages of 16 and 24 revealed one common thread: a perception existed among these patients that they were not being listened to and that cancer was being ruled out as the result of their age.
Dr. Gregory H. Reaman, a pediatric cancer specialist at George Washington School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., agreed with the study noting the situation is similar in the U.S. “And it’s true for children, not just teens and young adults,” he says.
“The symptoms are pretty nonspecific — lethargy, pain, fever, for example. So they are generally attributed to a benign condition, other than cancer, given the rarity of cancer in this age group,” Reaman says. Reaman also stressed however, that if symptoms persist they should be checked out.
Young people aged 15 to 24 account for less than 2% of all cancer cases worldwide.
The news of a “cancer cluster” in The Acreage, a community near Palm Beach, Florida this week has been very disturbing. The most distressing aspect was revealed Wednesday when state health officials announced that they would mount a campaign to raise awareness about childhood brain cancer rather than search for the environmental cause of the cancer cluster.
Dr. Alina Alonso, director of the Palm Beach County Health Department said the state’s investigation hasn’t uncovered the reason behind the Palm Beach County community’s elevated levels of childhood brain cancer and brain tumors. Alsonso gave no hope that even after investigators wrap up the 2nd phase of their work next month that an answer will be found.
Senator Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, an attorney general candidate countered with his own comments saying, “It’s unreasonable to simply say there is no known cause, when many factors could have contributed to environmental contamination in The Acreage.” The concerns lie in large groves and farms, and most notably in the nearby Pratt & Whitney plant, which has spilled chemicals on its property over the years. The Health Department director pointed out to reporters that she has “nothing saying these cancers are a result of Pratt & Whitney.”
Results released Monday confirmed suspicions and fears. Higher rates of brain tumors and cancer are evident in the 32,000-39,000 residents of this rural Palm Beach community. The data reveals “significantly elevated” pediatric brain and central nervous system cancers, particularly for girls, in those up to 19 years old.
What’s next? That part is unknown as this promises to be an incredibly frustrating and frightening series of events for the residents at The Acreage. For the latest information visitors can find out more at acreageforum.org.
What brings on hearing problems in children? There are two basic kinds, congenital and acquired. Congenital means that the problem existed at birth. Acquired hearing loss appears after birth. Its onset can come at any time as a result of a disease, a condition, or an injury. The American Speech-Language Hearing Association provides a list of some examples of conditions in which children can acquire hearing loss.
Ear infections (otitis media)
Ototoxic (damaging to the auditory system) drugs
Meningitis
Measles
Encephalitis
Chicken pox
Influenza
Mumps
Head injury
Noise exposure
Physicians who suspect a child is suffering from a hearing loss need to act fast and order an audiologic testing to determine the nature and extent of the loss. Early treatment is essential so the disorder does not become irreversible.
Children learn speech and language from listening to other people talk. The first few years of life are especially critical for this development. If a hearing loss exists and goes unrecognized, a child does not get the full benefit of language learning experiences.
The American Speech- Language Hearing Association
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/causes.htm
With the big game coming up, safety officials are warning families to be safe and keep kids away from a potential TV that could cause injury if overturned. This also includes TV stands that could be a hazard as well, if pulled or climbed upon.
Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News
As reported by the New York’s Lower Hudson website, “Injury rates have been increasing year after year. It’s a serious problem,” said Don Mays, senior director of product safety and technical policy for Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. “The good news is that it’s very preventable.”
Just a reminder to keep children safe while watching the Super Bowl game this weekend and also throughout the year!
Every year there are tens of thousands of serious accidents related to All-Terrain Vehicles. Safety should be of utmost importance to all drivers, but especially to those children under the age of 16. Make sure you understand state by state regulations that apply in terms of children’s operating restrictions.
The following is a list of safety tips from the US Product Safety Commission:
- Children and young people under the age of 16 should not ride adult ATVs.
- All ATV users should take a hands-on safety training course.
- Always wear a helmet and safety gear such as boots and gloves while on an ATV.
- Never drive an ATV on paved roads.
- Never drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Never drive a youth or single-rider adult ATV with a passenger, and never ride these vehicles as a passenger.
- Some ATVs are designed for two riders. Passengers on tandem ATVs should be at least 12 years old.
The ATV Safety Institute reports that 90% of child injuries on ATVs are caused by improper driver behavior. A child should not operate an all terrain vehicle without the supervision of an adult.
Find additional information about What To Know About the Dangers of ATVs and Children on our Florida Child Injury website.
All-Terrain vehicles have been popular since their inception almost forty years ago.
Naturally, the risk for accidents involving children is high. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 16 be prohibited from operating ATVs. State by state, regulations differ in terms of restrictions placed towards adolescents.
In 2008, 74 children died and another 37,000 had accidents related to ATV’s that required them to go to the emergency room. These figures actually represent a drop from the previous year. Rachel Weintraub, director of product safety for Consumer Federation of America isn’t certain what caused the decrease, but said more needs to be done. “Is it because incidents with recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) were taken out of the report; is it because fewer children are riding ATVs that are too large for them; is it because of higher gas prices; or is it because educational efforts are becoming effective?” she asks. “We need to replicate what is going right and do more to reduce these numbers significantly.”
In Part 2 of this report we will look at ATV safety tips that all families should follow.
Information surfaced this week related to a diet study led by a team at the University of Washington. The report shows that when restaurant 
menus list calories, parents limit how much fast food their kids eat.
In the study, close to 100 parents in two groups ordered food for their children and themselves from McDonald’s- type menus. One group’s menu included the calorie content next to the price for each item. Generally, parents whose menus did not list calories selected a meal of approximately 670 calories, while those who had access to the calorie information ordered a meal with 100 less calories.
Only a few states nationwide have passed mandates requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information. But researchers insist its importance. “One hundred calories may seem like a small amount, but over time it could make a significant difference,” said Dr. Pooja Tandon, a pediatrician at the University of Washington, who led the study. For example, she said, an extra 100 calories per day in adults can lead to 10 extra pounds in a year.
Children playing with fire cause hundreds of injuries and deaths each year. Preschoolers and kindergartners often start these fires, usually by playing with matches and lighters, and are most likely to die in them.
Facts & figures
- In 2006, children playing with fire started an estimated 14,500 structure fires that were reported to U.S. fire departments, causing an estimated 130 civilian deaths, 810 civilian injuries and $328 million in direct property damage.
- Nearly two-thirds (63%) of all fatal victims of fires by playing are children 5 years old and younger.
- Nearly two out of every three child-playing fires — and four out of five associated deaths and injuries — involve matches or lighters.
- The items ignited by home fire-play are principally mattresses, bedding or clothing.
Source: NFPA’s “Children Playing with Fire“
