Florida Child Injury Law Blog

Posts Tagged ‘died’

U.S. News and Health Report recently published a report on protecting children against germs.  Every year, 4.5 million children under the age of 5 are hospitalized because of infections.  Generally, vaccines and preventive measures such as your child regularly washing their hands with soap and water are good tactics to ward off infections.

 7  Dangerous Childhood germs: 

 Rotavirus -This virus causes severe dehydration and diarrhea.  Since 2006, admissions have dropped 45% because of 2 vaccines, RotaTeq and Rotarix.  The makers of Rotarix hit some recent snags, but the FDA approved changes in May and have deemed the vaccine safe.

 Streptococcus Pneumoniae- This is a very serious infection that can lead to meningitis and deafness.  In 2000, a vaccine called Prevnar was introduced which decreased the infection  by 80% in children under the age of 5.  Just recently, Prevnar 13 was released and is aimed at protecting children under the age of 2.  

 H1N1- Also referred to as the “swine flu”.  H1N1 was identified in April 2009 and has proved to be deadly.  It’s estimated 1,300 children and adolescents have died because of this flu.  Experts recommend everyone older than 6 months should be vaccinated.   

 Neisseria Meningitidis- This germ is rarer than others on the list but extremely dangerous and is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis. It has the capacity to strike fast before doctors can act.  These bacteria can live in a child’s mouth and nose.  People who live in confined spaces can pass this on to one another. 

 MRSA-Clinically known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA has resulted in 30,000 children being hospitalized in the last decade…and seems to be on the rise.  The bacteria often spread among kids playing contact sports. 

 Pertussis- Also known as whooping cough.  In infants, pertussis can be life-threatening.  A vaccine known as DTaP has long been effective but over the last 30 years cases are increasing. 

 RSV-Respiratory Syncytial Virus can be mistaken for the common cold.  75,000 to 125,000 infants are hospitalized every year because of RSV.  Currently no RSV vaccine exists, high-risk infants are being administered an antibody shot for preventive measures.

Keeping a watchful eye on your child and noting any distinct changes in his/her health is an essential step in protection. Regular check-ups and maintaining all of your child’s immunizations are vital to their health and safety. Your Clearwater St. Petersburg Florida Child Injury Lawyer, working to make safety every child’s reality.

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.