Florida Child Injury Law Blog » parents

Facebook Offering More Security for Teens and Parents

James Dodson — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 23:43:33 +0000

Social networking giant, Facebook, has added a new Safety Center designed to provide information for teens and parents, as well as law enforcement and educators. A number of best practices are offered in an effort to create a safer online environment.

Questions like “What should I do if my teen is being cyberbullied?” are addressed to parents concerned about their child’s well-being online. Parents who might not understand their teen’s “connected world” should review the information and tips Facebook provides in this new offering.

Educators should also benefit from the new Safety Center page. Instructions are offered concerning how to manage group pages so that teachers can use Facebook as another avenue to responsibly interact with students and parents. Teachers will also be able to connect with over 270,000 other educators via the Facebook on the Education page.

Our Florida Child Injury Lawyer offers a wealth of safety information articles and resources to protect children and families on our website, including: dog bite prevention, teen driver safety, drown proofing your child, bike helmet safety, car seat safety guidelines and more!

Working to make safety, every child’s reality, toll free number @ (888) 340-0840.

Traumatic Brain Injuries and Children

James Dodson — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:30:10 +0000

We recently found this write-up from a CNN physician’s blog full of good information. Children under the age of four are just in the beginning of their developmental years. For babies and toddler their sense of balance is anything but astute. Because of this they often fall. All parents understand that falling is second nature to toddlers and for the most part shouldn’t cause undo alarm. But when a fall occurs by a stairwell or a hard sharp surface a more severe injury can occur.

Lisa McGuire, a doctor within the Injury Unit of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are telltale signs parents should look for that might indicate a TBI. They may include any of the following:

Sudden drowsiness
Inability to be alert
Loss of interest in favorite toys
Numbness of one side of the body
Difficulty recognizing familiar people
Vomiting or neck pain

The Dodson Law Firm has been representing personal injury clients for over twenty years. Our slip and fall attorneys are specialized in handling fall cases and understand the importance of prompt action to protect your claim.

After a Child Injury : Parents Experience Emotional Trauma

James Dodson — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:08:27 +0000

In the event of an injury to your son or daughter, you experience doubts and a sense of anxiety about your child. In a great article from WHYY news it states: “In the aftermath of a child’s injury, parents often struggle with pain of their own.”

The article explains a new study from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and examines how parents cope psychologically after a child is injured.

According to the study, “Doctors at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at the Children’s Hospital found that one month after a child’s injury, 37 percent of parents experienced symptoms of traumatic stress including high levels of anxiety.”

In the event of an injury to your child, you may experience these same kinds of symptoms. We have found an excellent website to help parents deal with the trauma after an accident or injury. AfterTheInjury is a great website with alot of resources.

Kids on Escalators | Parents Use Caution

James Dodson — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:40:34 +0000

A recent article published by the Shreveport Times reminds us of what we need to do to protect our children when riding on a escalator. It is all too common for kids to be injured on these machines in malls and shopping centers. The article outlines safety precautions for Parents to protect children on escalators.

Some tips include having your child remain in the center of the escalator, removing your child from his/her stroller before getting on the escalator, in addition to other tips parents should be aware of to avoid a child injury involving a escalator. As a public service, we provide you with up to date safety information in an effort to help you become more aware of unintentional injuries to children.

Read this article.

Checking Your Child’s Safety on the Internet Part 1

James Dodson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:03:03 +0000

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.

Age and Safety in Choosing Child’s Toys

James Dodson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:44:52 +0000

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!

Parents Learn How to Install Car Seats Correctly

James Dodson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:41:01 +0000

The Florida Department of Highway Safety held a public service event recently, to educate local parents about the correct installation of a child car seat. The training was an effort to reduce the number of injuries suffered by children who are either riding unrestrained or in improperly installed safety seats.

The event, which took place in Tallahassee and the surrounding areas was appropriately called, ”Help Keep Florida’s Children Safe.” Officials were on hand to check out the installation of existing car seats for parents as well as to provide new seats at a discounted price for families in need.

We commend the efforts of the Florida Department of Highway Safety in educating parents. We read all too often of tragic accident reports of toddlers or small children seriously injured because they are riding in a car either unrestrained or not in an age appropriate car safety seat or booster seat.

The unexpected accident does happen. Always safely secure your children to avoid injury, even when traveling a very short distance.