Florida Child Injury Law Blog

Posts Tagged ‘safety’

Household injuries are one of the top reasons kids under age 3 visit the ER, and nearly 70% of the children who die from unintentional injuries at home are 4 years old and under. Young kids have the highest risk of being injured at home because that’s where they spend most of their time.

Supervision is the best way to prevent injuries, in the home and out, but even the most watchful parents can’t keep kids completely out of harm’s way every second of the day.

We’d like to share additional information with you on making your home safer.  We went over some tips in part 1, but here are a  few more.

 1) Child monitoring system.  These systems offer peace of mind and protection.  They come in audio and video configurations.  Monitoring your child when they are out of sight in another room provides a safe environment.

 2) Carbon Monoxide Detector.  Reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by installing these detectors outside a child’s bedroom or other sleeping areas in your home.

 3) Safety Gates.  Children need to be diverted from dangerous areas, including   stairwells and places you consider off-limits.  Safety gates that can be attached to a wall offer more protection than pressure gates.

4.) Always keep guns, toxic items and choking hazards safely stored and locked up  and out of the reach of children.

5.) Keep a list of emergency contact phone numbers near your phones in the event of an emergency.

 Protect your child from unintentional injury.  Implementing safety devices and keeping a watchful eye will benefit your child.  An ounce of prevention goes a long way!

  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

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 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!

Fishhawk Ranch had its first annual Bicycle Rodeo to show children how to safely operate a bicycle and practice smart tips on riding on the street. The event was sponsored by South Florida Baptist Hospital and was held in a parking lot adjacent to FishHawk’s Park Square.  The event was an outreach of the St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Children’s Advocacy Center, located in Tampa.

According to the article, the bicycle safety event was held from11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with about 35 children taking advantage of learning how to ride a bicycle, both smartly and safely. A road course was setup to give children real life scenerios to help them know what to do when confronted with a similar situation.

This type of program helps inform children and parents of the dangers of bicycle riding. We  thank all of those  involved in educating children about  the correct way to safely ride a bicycle in situations they will likely face.

The Florida Public Interest Research Group, a toy safety watchdog organization, has announced a new website. The site lists dangerous children’s toys and recalls, in addition to allowing  parents a place to post problems or concerns about children’s toys.

As holiday shopping nears, the group presented their annual report at All Children’s Hospital Education Center in St. Petersburg.

Additional information is available on our Florida child injury website, http://www.jwdodsonlaw.com/blog/dangerous-childrens-toys-florida-child-injury-lawyer-st-petersburg.cfm

  Approximately 1 million strollers sold by Target and Babies R Us were recalled this month.  British stroller maker, McClaren and the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the recall after twelve reports of amputation surfaced.

 A hinge mechanism is at the root of the problem.  The risk happens when a child’s finger is placed in the side hinge of a stroller while it unfolds. Upon opening, the stroller locks into place, and it can then cut off the tip of a child’s finger.

 Under federal law, companies are required to alert the CPSC if they find information about the safety of their products, according to the commission’s Web site. The commission can hold companies responsible for not following through on this action. The recall includes all Maclaren umbrella strollers sold in the U.S.

The recalled strollers include 11 different models, details of which can be found at the company website www.maclaren.us/recall or by calling  (877) 688-2326.