Florida Child Injury Law Blog

Archive for December, 2009

Image from the Tampa Tribune

In a recent benefit for a baby who is awaiting a heart transplant, family and friends gathered around to help Baby Ava out. Nicole and Jeff Snyder the father and mother of the baby,  call her their Christmas miracle.

According to coverage by the Tampa Tribune, Ava, who was born on Aug. 12, was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a disease in which the heart is enlarged and does not pump blood properly. She is staying at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, where she awaits a heart transplant.  With the help of medication, baby Ava might be able to come home without the heart transplant, but will have to remain on medication for the rest of her life.

AVA’S HEART FUND

As stated in the article,  donations to the Ava Snyder fund, may be made by check to the school, in care of Claudia Smith, Claywell Elementary, 4500 Northdale Blvd., Tampa FL 33624. Checks should be written to Ava Snyder. The school’s phone number is (813) 975-7300.

  How safe is your home for a child?  Are there any areas that are potentially harmful?  We recently came across an article about childproofing a home with some very helpful reminders.  Let’s examine a few. 

 1. Smoke Detectors.  A smoke detector should be installed in every bedroom in your home, as well as the kitchen and hallway areas.  Testing your smoke detectors every month is a good habit to employ, (also – consider the “change your clock/change your smoke detector battery” system, during daylight savings time.

 2. Electrical Outlet Covers.  Young children get into everything!  They need to be protected from electrical shock or possible electrocution. 

 3. Anti-Scald Valves.  The skin on a baby or a young child is much more sensitive than an adult’s.  Installing an anti-scald device in your faucets and shower heads is a smart move!  Don’t forget to set your water heater temperature to 118 degrees to help prevent child burns.

 Examine your home today, not only for your child’s safety, but their friends as well…and your peace of mind! For more articles and information concerning child safety and injury prevention, visit our Florida Child Injury website at http://www.jwdodsonlaw.com/practice_areas/child-injuries1.cfm

In Part 1 of Internet Safety, we covered a document published by the FBI alerting parents to the dangers of unmonitored child Internet use and sexual predators. 

 So what should parents do if they suspect their child is communicating online with a sexual predator?  Here are four suggestions the FBI offers:

 1. Talk openly with your child about your suspicions. Tell them about the dangers of computer-sex offenders.

2. Review what is on your child’s computer.

3. Use the Caller ID service to determine who is calling your child.  Most telephone companies offer a service whereby you can reject an incoming call from a number you might think is threatening to your child.

4. Monitor your child’s access to all types of live electronic communications. 

 Never take any of your suspicions lightly.  The safety of your child depends on your due diligence.

 For more tips that you can share with your child, please visit www.fbi.gov/fbikids.htm.

A recent public safety recall by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, suggests a product recall for the Amby Baby Motion Beds and Hammocks.

As a public service, we provide you with the information from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website which lists:

Name of Product: Amby Baby Motion Beds

Units: About 24,000

Manufacturer: Amby Baby USA, of Minneapolis, Minn.

Hazard: The side-to-side shifting or tilting of the hammock can cause the infant to roll and become entrapped or wedged against the hammock’s fabric and/or mattress pad, resulting in a suffocation hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Amby Baby is aware of two infant suffocation deaths in the Amby Baby hammock. In June 2009, a 4-month-old girl in Lawrenceville, Ga died in a baby hammock and in August 2009, a 5-month-old boy from Gresham, Ore.

Description: The Amby Baby Motion Bed consists of a steel frame and a fabric hammock which are connected by a large spring and metal crossbar. There is only one model of the hammock available which can be identified by a label sewn onto the hammock stating: “Amby – Babies Love It, Naturally.”

Sold online at: Ambybaby.com and other Internet retailers from January 2003 through October 2009 for about $250.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the Amby Baby motion beds/hammocks and contact Amby Baby USA for a free repair kit. Parents and caregivers are urged to find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Amby Baby USA toll-free at (866) 544-9721 between 9 a.m. and 5p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.ambybaby.com

Reading a recent article in the St. Petersburg Times about a 7 year old child who was playing with a lighter setting off a house fire which took firefighters 15 mintues to contain, reminds us all of the need to educate our children about the dangers of  playing with fire.

Child fire safety education is important early in a child’s life. Playing with fire at a early age can lead to fires, burns, and severe scarring which can permanently injury a child for life.

A wonderful website for fire safety for children can be found at Kids Health. This website offers great safety tips on how you can educate your child while making sure your home is safe.  Adult supervision and education are important to  preventing a fire such as the one in the link listed above.

Additional safety information is available on our Florida Child Injury Lawyer website in the document library. Click here for a resource entitled  ”Fire Safety 101.”

 A new research study reported on the link between lead exposure to children and permanent brain damage. According to the article, “the study was presented Tuesday at an annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago, looking at the long-term effects of childhood exposure to lead. Researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that lead poisoning at a young age caused damage to the regions of the brain that control how decisions are made, and the brain damage from lead exposure persists into adulthood.”

Lead poisoning is a child common injury and can result in: nervous system injury, brain damage, seizures or convulsions, growth or mental retardation, coma and even death.

Within the article, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that approximately 250,000 children in the United States have blood levels greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, which is the level that the CDC considers deserving of public health action.

Many child injury cases with lead have been brought against landlords and property owners  for failing to maintain older rental properties where children and their familes live. Parents should also be aware of chemicals in certain toys which have been recalled due to product defects.

For additional information find a related link here  from a previous blog posted on our Florida Child Injury website.

A recent report shows a  growing trend of injuries involving children and treadmills  is becoming worse each day.  A study, by researchers according to the article, at Our Lady’s Children Hospital found that a  total of 12 children (eight girls and four boys) were identified with friction burn injuries sustained from treadmills from January 2006 to March 2008, with the number of injuries recorded increasing fourfold between 2006 and 2007.

The injuries that can occur from treadmills can be life threatening. They include pediatric friction burns and require specialist care with the risk of long-term functional and cosmetic problems, split skin grafting, and others.

Research suggests the designs of treadmills should be enhanced to help prevent children from playing on this type of equipment.  Home treadmill injuries can be prevented by close supervision of children.

The Internet offers a tremendous wealth of information and content at our disposal.  Sadly, it’s also become a cyberland where sexual predators prey. 

 The FBI has published a document entitled, “A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety.”   Here are 5 questions to ask yourself that might indicate your child is at risk.

1. Does your child spend an inordinate amount of time online, especially at night?

2. Have you found pornography on your child’s computer?

3. Does your child receive calls from men you don’t know or do they ever make long distance calls to numbers you don’t recognize?  

4. Does your child ever turn off the computer monitor quickly or change the screen when you enter the room?

5. Does your child use an on-line account belonging to someone else?

If you answered yes to these questions, your child might be at risk.  In Part 2, we’ll list some answers that the FBI offers to those concerned.

Having a hard time finding the right toy for your child this holiday season? Does your child want that “big boy” toy that everyone else has? Be careful about what you choose for your child and factor in the age and how safe it is for them as noted in a recent news article. As stated in the article, “Toys can teach your child a lot. Even if they aren’t always educational, they always should be fun, and of course they always should be safe. Like your mom said, it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.”

This article also talks about how to check for the age requirements and how to make sure your not buying a toy that is too advanced for even bright children.  Toys with small pieces and objects that can be swallowed, or scooters and bikes that seem like great fun for getting outside but offer dangers and often contribute to child injuries.

Many toys can become  a safety hazard.  Parental supervision is important in the prevention of unintentional child injuries.

Have a safe holiday season!

Gymnastics provide opportunities for children to experience growth in  fine and gross motor skills, agility and coordination. Our grandaughter has had such fun already and learned much in her young and limited experience in their local gym.

-But accidents do occur. Consider some basic safety information before enrolling your children in a gymnastics program. Does the gym have adequate staff and supervision for spotting and monitoring? Is equipment properly arranged and maintained? Is there adequate secured matting and floor padding? Is there a plan in the event of a medical emergency? 

Gymnastics injuries have been studied  by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy. Findings suggest gymnastics is overlooked in terms of potential for injury.  Nearly 27,000 injuries are reported each year – concussions, fractures, sprains.

Parents  don’t typically think of gymnastics as a dangerous sport, but rather an activity.  Do your homework first. Then choose the gym that is right for your child!