|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 19-25, 2017 is National Poison Prevention Week!
|
With the arrival of spring comes sunshine, growth of plants and flowers, and warm, fresh air. During this time of year, many individuals take the opportunity enjoy the warm breeze before the humidity of summer settles in, and to air out their homes after being shut all winter. Would the idea of having windows open be a safety concern to you?
According to a 2015 report from Safe Kids Worldwide, about 8 children under the age of 5 die each year in the U.S. from falling out a window, and more than 3,300 are injured seriously enough to go to the hospital. While one certainly can enjoy open windows, there are some things you can do to keep your children safe:
- Always supervise children and keep their play area away from windows
- If windows are open, make sure children can't reach them
- For a double-hung window on an upper floor, open the top pane for ventilation and keep the bottom closed
- Screens are meant to keep bugs out, they don't keep children in
- Keep furniture away from windows as they could tempt a curious child to climb and potentially fall
- If there are young children in the home, install window locks, which only allow the window to open a few inches
- You may also utilize the built-in window locks should you have newer windows in your home
Something else to keep in mind are the cords on blinds or window coverings. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, about one child a month dies from window cord strangulation.
Interested in what to look for and how to retro-fit your older window coverings?
Learn more
about window safety and keeping children safe.
|
|
|
|
Spring Cleaning
As winter draws to a close, many of us begin to think about spring cleaning. While keeping a home clean can be helpful to keep germs and illnesses away, sometimes those same cleaners can be dangerous to young children, since so many look like bottled fruit juices or sports drinks
.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), approximately 2.4 million people swallow or have contact with a poisonous substance each year, and more than half of these people are under age 6.
As a precaution when doing any kind of housework, be sure to keep these safety tips in mind.
- Store all cleaning products in their original containers and out of children's reach, or locked up
- Use non-toxic cleaners instead of heavy-duty cleaning products
- Supervise your children to be sure they do not go near cleaning products while they are in use
- Post the Poison Control number by each phone in the house, and store it in your cell phones: 1-800-222-1222
Check out other spring hazards and how to keep your family safe.
|
Youth Sports Safety
Before your child's sports season kicks off, it's important that they are ready to play. This includes getting a pre-participation physical evaluation (PPE) each year and getting the proper equipment for the particular sport(s) they plan to participate in. A helmet, shin guards and mouth guards, for example, help to keep athletes safe by reducing the potential for injuries.
Stretching is also key to prevent sports-related injuries and should be done before every practice and game.
In addition to being physically ready to play, it's important that your child knows the rules of the game
so they can play the game appropriately,
and to ensure their safety.
Before the season starts, remember to talk to your child about staying hydrated during the game (by drinking water 30 minutes prior to the activity and every 15-20 minutes during the activity). Be sure to also understand the signs and symptoms of a concussion so that you and your child can identify if they need to come off the field of play to get medical attention.
Following each of these recommendations not only ensures a safe sport season, but it also helps your child to have the best time playing the sports they love to play!
|
|
|
Working Together to Build a Safer Cincinnati
|
Lighthouse Youth Services at the Sheakley Center for Youth offers shelter to young adults ages 18-24 who are motivated to move from homelessness to safe and stable housing. Here, these young adults learn self-reliance and life skills, and work with a case manager to develop a case plan and implement it. The goal is to move young adults from the center into safe and stable housing within 30 days.
In partnering with staff at Lighthouse, members of the CCIC staff have been able to bring the STEPS program to those adults. STEPS is a community outreach effort that provides a system of integrated partnerships to promote educational, social, and health opportunities for young parents.
The STEPS program provides easy access to education and resources.
STEPS partners include: the CCIC, Buckle Up for Life, Cradle Cincinnati and UC's Infant Mortality Program. Through this partnership, the CCIC has been able to provide pregnant and/or parenting clients of Lighthouse with education, as well as the CCIC's home safety bundle and a new car seat.
Visit their webpage for more information. Thanks again to Lighthouse Youth Services staff for your partnership and valued efforts!
|
|
Daylight Savings Time & Fire Safety
|
Smoke detectors are one of the best tools to keep you and your family safe when it comes to fire prevention. However, if the smoke detector batteries are dead and no longer working, then it will not be able to function properly when you need it.
It is recommended to check your smoke detector battery at least twice a year to be sure the batteries are still working. As we change our clocks twice a year when Daylight Savings Time starts and ends, these are perfect opportunities to check our smoke detectors as well. Daylight Savings Time started this past Sunday, March 12th.
Did you check your smoke detectors yet? For more information about fire safety, review these safety tips from Safe Kids Worldwide. |
|
|
|
|
Learning Thru Play
Saturday, March 25th
Members from the CCIC will be present for Learning Thru Play at the Duke Energy Children's Museum. If you plan to visit the museum, be sure to stop by! |
Home Safety Day
Saturday, April 22nd
The CCIC will be hosting their first Home Safety Day in the West End and Millvale areas.
Learn more about volunteering for this event, or
register your home for a safety visit!
|
PIN Home Safety Day
Saturday, May 13th
The next PIN Home Safety Day is just around the corner.
Learn more about volunteering for this event, or
register your home for a safety visit!
|
|
|
Keeping Kids Safe...On the Go
|
Ask An Expert
Corazon Ochanda, MPH, CPST
Injury Prevention Coordinator
Q: What are some "do not's" surrounding car seat safety?
A:
Although we often have check lists for the do's it's just as important to remember the do not's. Here are a few reminders for parents and caregivers, regarding some things to avoid when traveling with children and infants in vehicles.
Potential Projectiles
After market car seat products are not recommended. Make sure that all other objects in the car (luggage, sports equipment, etc.) are tightly secured in your vehicle. These objects could become projectiles in the event of a crash.
Renting or Buying a Used Seat
The safest route is to use your own car seat.When you rent or use a used seat you don't always know important facts about its history that could affect its ability to protect your child (e.g., expiration date, crash history, etc.) in the event of a crash.
Loose Straps
Many parents don't realize how tight the straps need to be - both securing the car seat to the vehicle's back seat and then the child into the seat harness itself. When a car seat is properly installed it should not be able to slide more than one inch in any direction when tugged from the back and bottom where it's secured to the vehicle seat. Also, when the harness straps are tight enough on a child, you should not be able to "pinch" any excess webbing. If you can do either, the straps need to be tighter.
For more information on car seat safety, please
visit Buckle Up for Life's website to check out digital resources in English and Spanish, including animated videos to walk you through proper installation step by step.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
