by Melanie Taylor | Oct 16, 2017
Make Halloween a fun and safe night for children and adults alike.
From candy to pumpkins to the costumes, Halloween is a fun-filled time for kids and adults alike. However, it can pose dangers. To help make this year’s trick-or-treat a safe and fun time, follow these simple safety tips compiled by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
CREATIVE COSTUMES:
Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure shoes fit well and costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement, or contact with flames.
Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes. The makeup should be tested on a small patch of skin ahead of time to ensure there are no unpleasant allergies on the big night.
When shopping for costumes, wigs, and accessories, look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are “flame resistant.”
If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child’s costume, make sure it is not sharp or long. A child may be easily hurt by the accessories if he/she stumbles or trips.
Do not use decorative contact lenses without an eye examination and a prescription from an eye care professional. While the packaging on decorative lenses will often make claims such as “one size fits all,” or “no need to see an eye specialist,” obtaining decorative contact lenses without a prescription is both dangerous and illegal. This can cause pain, inflammation, and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss.
Review with children how to call 911 if they ever have an emergency or become lost.
PUMPKIN CARVING TIME:
Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then adults can do the cutting.
Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest.
Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and not on a porch or any path where visitors may pass close by. They should never be left unattended.
HOME SAFETY:
To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes, and lawn decorations.
Adults should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
Wet leaves and debris should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
Restrain pets so they do not jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.
TRICK-OR-TREAT TIME:
A responsible adult should always accompany young children during their neighborhood trick-or-treating.
Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and adults.
If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.
Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind Trick-or-Treaters to:
- Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
- Remember reflective tape for costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
- Carry a cellphone for quick communication.
- Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
- If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
- Never cut across yards or use alleys.
- Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom). Never cross between parked cars or out of driveways.
- Do not assume the right of way. Motorists may have a hard time seeing Trick-or-Treaters.
- Just because one car stops does not mean others will!
- Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.
HEALTHY HALLOWEEN TIPS:
A good, healthy dinner prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage children from filling up on Halloween treats.
Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books, stickers, or pens and pencils.
Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.
Try to ration treats for the days and weeks following Halloween to prevent overindulging, which will lead to a stomachache and ruin the night’s fun.
Make sure the Halloween night is fun and safe with the suggested tips above. These tips will help guarantee you all a ghoulishly good time.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
by Marie Arick | Aug 24, 2015
Consumer Reports recently pulled their previous endorsement for laundry detergent pods in light of the potential poisoning hazard for young children. Just to be clear, this is only the laundry pods that contain the highly concentrated liquid detergent, not pods containing powdered detergent. Although these laundry pods are quickly accessed, pre-measured, use less packaging, and are just simple to use, they ultimately are not worth the lives of children. Ariana Eunjung Cha of The Washington Post recently highlighted this excerpt from Consumer Reports:
‘When curious kids find their way into regular liquid laundry detergent, the result is often nothing worse than an upset stomach. Laundry detergent pods are presenting more serious symptoms. Along with vomiting, lethargy, and delirium, some victims have stopped breathing.’
Additionally, two children have died from ingesting a concentrated laundry detergent from a pod. Cha also noted “Last year, 11,714 reports of incidents involving kids aged 5 and younger and laundry detergent pods were reported to poison control centers nationwide. In the first six months of this year, there were more than 6,000.” This is a truly alarming fact that the numbers continue to rise. The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles posted this list on their blog:
Helpful Tips for Safety at Home
Tip 1: Cleaning materials should always be stored out of the reach of children and pets.
Tip 2: Install child-proof latches on under-sink cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom. Even if cleaning materials are no longer stored there, chemical smells may linger and could be dangerous to a child if they play under sinks.
Tip 3: Store laundry products on high shelves because many detergents can cause rashes or itching on a child’s sensitive skin.
Tip 4: Never leave a bottle or container of cleaning supplies open and unattended. Always close and put away the cleaning supplies if you are interrupted. You do not want any temptation sitting around that may harm your child.
Tip 5: When cleaning, take only the proper amount you need from the container, seal the container back up, and store the container away immediately. Use the proper equipment for handling the cleaning supply material, as recommended on the label. If the label says “Wear protective gear, gloves, or goggles,” do so to reduce harm to yourself and family.
Tip 6: When you are done cleaning, properly dispose of paper towels and rags that have come in contact with the cleaning chemicals.
Tip 7: Keep a list of emergency telephone numbers. Many cleaning products and chemicals have instructions on what to do if the product is used incorrectly, resulting in an emergency. Create and keep a first-aid kit that includes emergency-wash liquids. In the first-aid kid, keep a list of telephone numbers for:
- National Poison Control, 1-800-222-1222
- The nearest hospital
- A local ambulance service
- Your family doctor
The American Cleaning Institute urges consumers to “Pledge Now to be the KEY to a safe laundry room and routine!” Click here to take the pledge and for helpful tips for keeping your family safe.
Remember, treat all household cleaning items with care and always err on the side of caution. Look at the product you are purchasing and be aware of potential dangers. Review the warning labels and store in secured areas per label instructions. Always keep in mind: manufacturers use a product label to draw our attention to their product and this, however unintended, applies to children as well! Be diligent in keeping children safe. Personal convenience will never be more important than the life of a child.
by Judy Corbus | Apr 14, 2014
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Photo credit: American Cleaning Institute
Are you familiar with the new single-load liquid laundry packets? They are a convenient new laundry product which contains highly concentrated detergent in single pouches. However, if not stored properly, the packets can pose a danger to curious young children leading to injury from ingestion or exposure to the eyes. The American Cleaning Institute urges parents and caregivers to keep these products in a secure location out of reach and sight of young children.
For best results with the laundry packets, follow these tips:
- Like all other cleaning products, keep single-load liquid laundry packets out of the reach of children and pets between every load to prevent unintended exposure.
- For best results, add the single-load liquid laundry packets to the bottom – also known as the drum – of the washing machine, both for top-loader and high-efficiency front-loader machines, before adding clothes. Do not put this product in your machine’s dispenser drawer.
- Do not cut or tear the single-load liquid laundry packets. They are designed to dissolve completely in the machine, even in cold water.
- Read the product label to determine how much product you should use.
- Do not use the single-load liquid laundry packets for washing laundry by hand or to pretreat fabric.
- If the single-load liquid laundry packets stick together, throw them away. The packets can rupture if you try to separate them.
- Handle this product with dry hands only, and remember to close the product container completely after each use to keep out moisture. The film that encases the laundry detergent is designed to dissolve quickly, even in small amounts of water. Store this product away from water.
- Always ensure the re-closable bag or container is tightly sealed after use and during storage.
- As with other laundry products, keep product in its original container with intact labels.
- Store products away from food, as you would with other laundry products.
Take the KEY Pledge (one grand prize winner will receive one electronic gift card in the amount of $2,500.)
- Keep single-load liquid laundry packets out of the reach of children.
- Educate your family and friends about the safe use and storage of these new laundry products.
- You serve a key role in laundry safety.
For more information, watch this short animated video available in both English and Spanish.
Source: American Cleaning Institute
by Dorothy C. Lee | Oct 24, 2012
What you don’t know can hurt you. “I didn’t know.” In these words lies the story of countless deaths and injuries in countless homes.
About one-half of the accidental deaths of children occur in the home— from falls, suffocation/choking, scalding, poisoning, and burning. Elderly persons, likewise, are subject to greater dangers because of infirmities and impaired faculties. Yet the concern about home accidents is not only for the very young or the very old. Accidents at home can strike people of all ages.
Every year, over two million poisonings are reported to Poison Control Centers across the country, and more than ninety percent of those happen in the home. The majority of non-fatal poisonings occur among children younger than six years, and poisoning is one of the leading causes of death among adults.
The medicine cabinet is a favorite attraction for curious young children. It is not enough to put poisons and certain types of medicines on high shelves because exploring children like to climb. Dangerous substances need to be locked up.
A significant number of children are being poisoned by consuming medicines brought into the home by grandparents or visitors. Poisonings also have occurred when youngsters have visited homes where no children live.
Substances which can cause accidental poisoning in children also are found outside the medicine cabinet. The list is a lengthy one—detergents, cleaning compounds, insect sprays, paint thinners, and antifreeze, just to name a few.
Children are not the only victims of accidental poisoning. Every year, there are numerous cases of men and women who poison themselves unintentionally. To help prevent a tragic accident in your home, follow safety-wise guidelines.
Keep household products separated. Take care that foods are not exposed and become contaminated when you use insect sprays, cleaning agents, and rodent poisons.
- Containers with flammable liquids should be clearly labeled.
- Flammable liquids such as gasoline should be stored in a cool, well-ventilated place, not inside the home.
- Never pour flammable liquids down sinks or other drains.
- Store medicines and cleaning supplies in locked cabinets out of children’s reach.
The Centers for Disease Control report that about 12,000 children every year are victims of poisonous plants or berries they have ingested, or in some cases, just put into their mouths. Most persons are reasonably familiar with dangerous outdoor plants, such as poison ivy, oleander, or deadly nightshade, but what they do not know is even some of the most common houseplants can cause serious, even fatal reactions. For example, tea brewed from mistletoe berries is lethal and rhubarb leaves (not the stalks) contain oxalic acid, which can cause severe kidney damage.
One home safety issue that is not well-publicized regards pressurized containers. Pressurized containers have revolutionized packaging economy, but caution is necessary in their use. Never incinerate a pressurized container. The heat will cause the air inside to expand, which, in turn, may cause the container to burst. Read the warning message on the container to find out if the mixture is flammable. Keep pressurized containers away from children.
Keeping home safety in mind at all times can mean the difference between a happy home environment and a tragedy.
Note: See the following article for additional information on home safety and children, http://www.nanny.net/blog/9-most-common-household-poisons/
