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Lead in the Water and Children
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We recently received a letter stating that our area has a high lead concentration in our water and that we should begin doing a list of things to reduce our risk. Of course the first thing is to begin using bottled or filtered water, which is something we already do. Most of the water we use is boiled anyway but then I discovered that even the water we wash our dishes in can have lead!
So what is a parent to do? Lead can cause physical or mental development and children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Most lead ends up in the bone where it can cause all sorts of problems. This disturbed me very much so I made appointments for everyone to get tested by our doctor and check our lead levels. While none of us had toxic levels I was told my high blood pressure could be the result of lead.
Our community is working on correcting this issue and we are getting a home filtration system to help with this. The thing is that we live in an older home and never even thought about checking for this. If your home is older get the water tested so you don’t have any surprises later down the road.
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April 9, 2013
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Vaccinate?
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There has been a lot discussion concerning vaccines.Many believe that Autism is related to children being vaccinated. I can tell you that I personally believe in vaccination for so many reasons. For me there are too many risks to not vaccinate my children. For every argument that vaccines are not safe there are just as many that say they are.
Think about it reasonably; how many people do you know your age that was vaccinated as children? how many of them have Autism or anything else related to being vaccinated? Please note that I am not trying to diminish Autism or what causes it. As I am not a doctor I can not honestly say what causes Autism and I can imagine how difficult it is for parents of Autistic children.
Here is another way to look at things; if we stop vaccinations completely what are we running the risk of exposing our children to? If you knew a child had small pox in your neighborhood would you let your children play with him or her? The answer would be no but nowadays with many parents not vaccinating your children may be exposed to small pox or rubella without you even knowing it.
I would rather my children were vaccinated and as safe as I can make them. I can remember having chicken pox and it was so bad. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone least of all my children. On that note I will later discuss the chicken pox parties people are attending.
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April 3, 2013
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Check Those Batteries
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It is that time of the year again when you need to check the batteries in your smoke detectors. Test them and make sure they are working, if not buy new ones. If you buy new batteries and the detector still is not working then replace it. You may also want to consider buying carbon monoxide detectors as well. They make a really great combo one that will serve you well.
While you are at it make sure you go ahead and check your NOAA radio, if you don’t have one get one. This will help you get storm reports in the middle of the night which can be important and check your emergency supply kit. It is very important that each family has a kit and a plan for what you will do in a n emergency. If you are not sure what all needs to be in your kit you can get a checklist from FEMA’s Ready website which also has all sorts of other useful information.
Practice fire drills and other emergency safety drills with your family. Be sure you have a friend or relative that you all know the number to and will call in the event you are separated in an emergency as well as the place you will all meet. Knowing these things in advance can help keep you and your family safe and calm.
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February 7, 2013
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Weather Preparedness
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Stormy weather season is fast approaching and many aren’t prepared for it. The truth is you need to have a weather preparedness kit at all times ready and waiting. The kit can be purchased or you can simply put one together for yourself and your family. Ours is one we put together. It is actually a cabinet stored where it is less likely to be damaged and has everything we need right in it. Each shelf in the container has a tote with the items so we can grab and run if need be. Some of the items in our kit include:
- Battery-operated radio
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Water: 3 gallons/person, minimum, in a food-grade, plastic container Additional water for sanitation
- Food: minimum three-day supply of non-perishable food. We use MREs or Meals Ready to Eat, you can get them at Army Supply stores and online.
- First Aid Kit one in the kit and one in the car
- A duffel bag of clothing for each family member along with blankets
- Items such as hand sanitizer, feminine pads, toilet paper, etc.
- A small fireproof lock box with copies of all important documents. This has birth certificates, medical records, insurance policies, etc inside it.
- Any medications that might be needed.
There are of course many other items that you can add to yours, the point is to have one ready at all times.
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October 31, 2012
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Halloween Safety Tips
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Tonight is Halloween and if your kids will be out here are a few tips that will help you have the best time and the most fun.
- Plan costumes that are bright or add reflective tape. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
- Masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Also do not use decorative contact lenses without an eye examination.
- Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
- A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
- Review the route that is acceptable to you for older children going alone and agree on a specific time when they should return home
- Make sure kids know they should only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
- Make sure your kids know NOT to eat any candy they receive until it has been checked. Many hospitals and clinics will x-ray candy for you free of charge on Halloween.
- Teach children how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they have an emergency or become lost.
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October 16, 2012
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Halloween and Food Allergies
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Halloween is here and if you have a child with food allergies then you may be stressing out a bit or you may be worrying about giving out candy to a child with allergies. You want your child to be able to participate but how do you keep them from eating things they should not or what to do if they have a reaction?
The best action is to be prepared for an emergency even though one may not occur. Kids eat candy as they get it and you can’t always watch them if they are attending a party. Have an emergency kit ready with things such as an epi-pen so that if the worst should happen you are prepared. Talk with your child about not eating any candy until you have checked it out first.
If your child is attending a party talk with the host beforehand letting him or her know that your child has food allergies. Ask what sort of snacks, if any, will be served. Many hosts will accommodate your child but if not you can always offer to provide a few items for children who may have food allergies. If the host is insistent about not having those sort of foods be sure to feed your child before hand and let him or her know that the food may not be safe for them.
If you will be passing out treats this year why not consider to passing out prepackaged apple slices or even chips. There are plenty of other items that can be given out and will be safe for all children to eat.
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September 20, 2012
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Cooking with Kids: Oven Safety
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Today we are going to talk about one of the most important safety issues when cooking with your kids, oven safety.Burns can be frequent if kids don’t obey safety rules. Discuss oven safety with your children before they start cooking each and every time until they are reciting them back to you before you can say them. Here are a few common oven safety tips.
- Always turn in the handles of pots and pans on the stove top. This is to prevent small hands from pulling them off but also can prevent you from catching a handle on your clothing and pulling off onto yourself.
- Only place pots and pans on the stove. As adults we may set all sorts of things on the stove top but you need to teach your children not to do this because it will help potential fire.
- Use a utensil dish or a spoon rest for utensils used while cooking.
- Buy some kid-sized oven mitts and make sure they always use the oven mitts when handling things from the oven.
- Be watchful of oven lights. Many ovens today have warning lights so be sure to teach your children what they mean and to pay attention to them.
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June 8, 2012
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Swim Lessons Are Important
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This summer as you and your children head to the beach and/or the pool make sure they are ready by ensuing they know how to swim. Many local YMCAs provide swimming lessons as do a lot of pools. Everyday 9 people die by drowning in the United States.
Talk to your children often about the rules of saftey around the water such as not running, not getting into the pool unless there is an adult (who can swim) around. Swimming lessons can also help your children feel much more safe and comfortable around water. The one thing you should NEVER do is throw your children into water. This not only can cause them to panic and drown but can create a fear that was not there. The idea of sink or swim does not always work and taking that chance is not worth it.
Another thing to remember is that a thirty minute lesson a few times a week will give your child the skills they need for basic swimming but if you want them to have that skill as an adult you need them to swim often if possible. The reason is that as we become adults we lose a lot of our flexibility and swimming is a hard skill to master.
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May 25, 2012
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Memorial Day Water Safety Tips
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Monday is Memorial Day and thousands of families are flocking to the lakes, beaches, and pools that will all be opening this weekend. Here are a few tips to help and your little ones stay safe this weekend around the water whether near the pool or at the beach.
Pool Safety Tips:
- Actively supervise your children around water at all times, and have a phone nearby to call for help in an emergency.
- Make sure your pool has four-sided fencing and a self-closing, self-latching gate to prevent a child from wandering into the pool area unsupervised. In addition, hot tubs should be covered and locked when not in use.
- Install a door alarm, a window alarm or both to alert you if a child wanders into the pool area unsupervised.
- Teach children to never go near or in water without an adult present.
- Enroll your child in swimming lessons after age 4.
Open Water Safety (lakes and beaches):
- Actively supervise children in and around open bodies of water, giving them your undivided attention.
- Enroll your child in swimming lessons – it is an important skill for both children and adults to know.
- Make sure kids swim only in areas designated for swimming.
- Teach children that swimming in open water is not the same as swimming in a pool: they need to be aware of uneven surfaces, river currents, ocean undertow and changing weather.
- Teach children not to dive into oceans, lakes or rivers because you never know how deep the water is or what might be hidden under the surface of the water.
Learn infant and child CPR and keep a phone nearby in case of an emergency.
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August 26, 2011
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Kids allergic to milk?
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If your kids are allergic to milk here is an idea that you may want to talk to your doctor about that may be able to help them.
Research published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests that using milk in baked foods in increasing amounts over time may help some kids outgrow their milk allergy.
Of course this isn’t something you want to try on your own if your kids have severe allergies, but in case your doctor doesn’t keep up well with new research (many don’t) you may want to show them this article: Foods with baked milk may help build tolerance in children with dairy allergies
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