By Candice Silsby

We are all overwhelmed by constant advertising. Parents are likely overwhelmed by all the challenges of being parents. I was an early childhood teacher for six years and I have been a children’s entertainer for over eight years. When I browse through K-*rt and the like, I think “landfill waste” and crying children.

I hear over and over again, “she has so many toys” While I love the idea of moderation and know that this culture has way too many possessions, I am concerned about the quality of the toys children have and how carefully they were selected.

A close friend of mine is constantly says “no” to her children when we are shopping- perfect strangers comment to me about how good she is at saying no to her kids as if they have never heard a parent do so. She refuses to buy them cheap junk that they beg for…I suppose they are attracted to the bright colors or the anticipation of the plastic ball coming out of the gum ball machine.

I say value is everything. Selecting a toy should be a careful process- not one motivated by “mommy I want…” Play is so important to child development. Shouldn’t the toys they play with be an educational investment?

These are my personal pointers: 1) What will the toy teach my child? This answer should be obvious and there should be more then one answer.

2) How safe is this toy?

3) *** this one is so very important in the electronic age- Is it an active toy for a passive child or a passive toy for an active child. I am sorry to say that too many are active toys for passive children which is not only lacking in educational benefit, but also encouraging children to be passive therefore uninvolved, anti-social and inactive.

4) How long will this toy last? What is the guaranteed offered by the company selling the toy? Believe it or not Discovery Toys has a lifetime guarantee on all toys.

5) How long will my child make use of and learn from this toy? Does the toy grow with my child or does the child grow out of the toy? Remember if there is a lifetime guarantee younger siblings will also enjoy your toy investment.

About the Author
Candice Silsby has an extensive background in Early Childhood Education and Human Dev elopement. She have six years experience working with young children as a pre-school teacher and caregiver for children under 3. She worked with special ed children for two years. She has eight years experience as a child entertainer and currently has her own business doing puppet shows for children. She is a Discovery Toys Educational Consultant because the toys are educational and developmentally appropriate. These toys meet the high scrutiny of her Developmental Education background. Discovery Toys improve the quality of life for children and families therefore the world.

by Gary Direnfeld

There are few thoughts as terrifying as the abduction of your young child by a stranger. The fear causes parents to think long and hard about their children’s safety. They tell them in a very clear voice, “Do not to talk to strangers.”

The problem is though, that a child’s view of a stranger is very different from a parent’s view. From the child’s perspective, because a stranger is someone they are supposed to be afraid of, they expect a stranger to look ugly or scary. In fact, few, if any strangers actually look like the child’s notion. Then to make matters more confusing for children, we teach then to respect and listen to their elders and be polite. Then as role models, children see us talk to people we have never met before, day in and day out.

So young children get it and will not to talk to strangers. They will very willingly avoid scary looking people. However, when confronted by a friendly, kind looking older person, they will likely respond politely, which in most cases means “speaking when spoken to” and as they are taught in school, they will follow their directions.

Helping young children not to talk to strangers or not go with them, takes much more than the simple admonishment, “Don’t talk to strangers.”

Parents who want to increase the likelihood that their child will avoid or leave from persons unknown must spend a good amount of time talking about the issue and teaching their children on an ongoing basis. These tips may help:

When out in the community, in a matter of fact voice, point out the various people and ask your child if s/he knows them. Use this as an opportunity to explain that a stranger is any person we do not know, regardless of what they look like.

Next it becomes very important to differentiate the rules for grown-ups and the rules for children. Sometimes simply phasing it as, “Are you old enough to talk to people you don’t know by yourself?” and then explain that they must have your permission to do so.

In the event a stranger approaches a child, they then must be equipped with strategies to manage the situation. Some parents provide a “code word.” Explain to the child if someone doesn’t know the code word, they do not have permission to go or talk with the person. In such situations, the child must be instructed to leave the person and immediately go to another adult they know, or older child if an adult is not available. It important to also teach the child that this is not rude. The child must understand that they have your full permission to leave the situation and to do so immediately. Managing your child’s safety, in your absence is truly a scary thought for most parents. We do not want to put undue fear in our children, but we do want to keep them from harm. It is important to understand how our own behaviour may contradict what we want children to do when approached by people they do not know. We have to talk about the difference between what parents may do and what children may do. Only parents may touch the stove… only parents talk to strangers.

Finally, in addition to teaching who NOT to talk to, we must also teach, who they CAN talk to. If for instance, your child is lost in the store, who can they talk to? Develop a list of safe persons your child can talk to – even if they do not know them. The list may include police, fireman, teachers and even cashiers in stores. Remember keeping children safe is an ongoing discussion and not a simple one-time set of rules.

Keep talking with them to keep them safe.

Gary Direnfeld, MSW
garydi@sympatico.ca
905 628-4847

About The Author
Gary Direnfeld is a social worker and expert on matters of family life. He is in private practice, writes and provides workshops and is the developer of the “I Promise Program” – teen safe driving initiative. Search his name on GOOGLE.COM to view his many articles. Feel free to call him for your next conference and for expert opinion on family matters. Courts in Ontario consider Gary an expert on child development, marital and family therapy, custody and access recommendations and social work. garydi@sympatico.ca.

As of January 1, 2002, California adopted a state law the Unattended Child in Motor Vehicle Act “Kaitlyn’s Law”, (CA Vehicle Code Sections 15620, 15630, 15632), to outlaw leaving children unattended in a vehicle. If a child aged 0-6 years is left unattended in the vehicle, the responsible adult will be fined $100. Eleven states have adopted specific laws regarding not leaving children unattended in motor vehicles, and 12 more have proposed a law.

Be especially careful about keeping children safe in and around cars during busy times, schedule changes, periods of crisis, or holidays. There are an alarming number of children who have been injured or killed after being left alone in or around vehicles. According to Janette Fennell, founder of KIDS AND CARS, at least 213 children died as a result of non-traffic incidents in 2005, the largest number of deaths in a single year. “Backover” incidents injure or kill over 2,500 children each year with over 70% of these incidents involving an immediate family member. Another disturbing trend we see emerging is that children are being killed as vehicles slowly move forward in driveways and parking lots.

Some real-life scenarios where children were injured or killed, include:

• Children let themselves into an unlocked parked car and lock themselves in or put the car in gear;
• The caretaker unknowingly leaves the child behind (e.g., parent forgets to bring the child to child care and the child is left in the car while the parent works or the child is left in the vehicle after a field trip) and dies of heat stroke;
• The child is intentionally left alone in the car while the caretaker engages in another activity (e.g., runs an errand, drops a child off at school) and is abducted, strangled by a power window or sets the vehicle in motion; or
• The child is behind the car when the car is backing out of the driveway and, because they cannot be seen, the child is run over.

To avoid this from happening you can:

• Tell parents about the dangers of leaving children alone in or around vehicles.
• Post a KIDS AND CARS poster ( HYPERLINK www.KidsAndCars.org)
• Keep car keys out of reach of children and keep vehicles locked, even in the driveway and garage.
• Ask your child care provider to call you if your child, who is expected at child care is not dropped off within 1-2 hours of the expected arrival time. Be sure to let the child care provider know if your child will not be attending child care as normally scheduled.
• Ensure that children are not left unattended in vehicles.
• Be sure all children are accounted for before moving a vehicle or exiting a vehicle.

For more information about this issue contact KIDS AND CARS at www.KidsAndCars.org.

Safely on the Move (866)700-7686 www.safelyonthemove.sdsu.edu.

Sources:

1. CBS News, The Early Show, Consumer Watch New York, July 1st, 2005, “Never Leave Kids Alone in the Car” www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/21/earlyshow/living/ConsumerWatch/main710550.shtml

    

2. C. McLaren, J. Null, and J. Quinn Heat Stress from enclosed vehicles: Moderate Ambient Temperatures Cause Significant Temperature Rise in Enclosed Vehicles. Pediatrics 2005;116;109-112 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2004-2368 ggweather.com/heat/index.htm

    

3. Statistics, KidsAndCars.org

   About The Article
   This information provided by San Diego State University Foundation.

This year the National Child Passenger Safety week’s (February 12-18, 2006) focus was on booster seats. This reinforces the notion that even though booster seats are essential in protecting and saving children’s lives, they are still not used as long as they should. National Child Passenger Safety week emphasizes the importance of properly buckling up children. Traffic crashes remain a leading cause of injury and death to young children. In 2004, 1,638 children ages 14 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 214,000 were injured. That’s an average of 6 deaths and 673 injuries each day. Ensure that children in your care are riding in the safest possible way, while riding to and from school, on field trips, and at all times.

As children progress through different stages of growth and development, their child restraint needs change. Infants ride rear facing in an infant or convertible seat as long as possible but until they weigh AT LEAST 20 pounds AND are AT LEAST 1 year of age. For toddlers and preschoolers use a child restraint with a harness until the child outgrows it (Always check the instructions of each individual car seat to be sure of the age and weight specifications for that car seat) Next, the preschool or school age child moves to a belt-positioning booster to raise them up and improve the fit of the vehicle shoulder and lap belt. A shield booster, which has a bolster in front of the child and no back, is NOT certified for children over 40 pounds and not recommended for children under 40 pounds.

As of January 1, 2005, California law requires all children to ride properly restrained in the back seat of a vehicle in a child safety seat, or booster seat until they are at least 6 years old or weigh 60 pounds. Children prematurely riding in a seat belt can suffer life-threatening injuries, including injury to the spinal cord, the brain or the internal organs of the abdomen. Most children need to use a belt-positioning booster seat until they are at least 8-11 years old, depending on the child’s height and how the vehicle lap and shoulder belts fit. Safety belts don’t fit children until they can sit with their back straight against the vehicle seat back cushion and their knees bent over the seat edge for the entire trip. The lap belt should fit low and snug across the child’s upper thighs and the shoulder belt should cross the shoulder, not the throat or face, and be close to the child’s chest.

Contact Safely on the Move at (866) 700-7686 or (619) 594-0784 for a low-cost car seat

Sources:

1. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (n.d.) Traffic Safety Facts 2004: Children, DOT HS 809 906 Washington, DC: NHTSA.

    

2. “The Danger of Premature Graduation to Seat Belts for Young Children,” by FK Winston, DR Durbin, MJ Kallan, EK Moll. Pediatrics 105(6):1179-1183, June, 2000. pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/105/6/1179

    

3. Occurances, and Consequences. Child Passenger Safety: Fact Sheet. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

About The Article
This information provided by San Diego State University Foundation.

by Armin Brott

As hard as it may be to imagine, there exists a rather basic parenting issue that regularly generates even more controversy than circumcision or the disposable-versus-cloth diapers-debate: whether or not to have your child sleep in the same bed as you and your partner.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on where you stand on the issue), there’s absolutely no consensus on which views is the “right” one. And just to make sure that there’s no real way to decide this issue once and for all, there’s very little serious scientific data supporting either position.

Our older daughter slept in a bassinet in our room for a month or so until we moved her into her own room, and the middle one slept in bed with us for six months before being asked to leave. Personally, I kind of liked being able to snuggle up with a warm, smooth baby, but after being kicked in the head, stomach, back, face, and chest every night for six months I was glad to go back to an adults-only sleeping arrangement. My youngest also started off in our bed but moved to her own room after only 6 weeks or so.

Here are some of the most common issues that come up in discussions of the family bed:

• Independence. Proponents of co-sleeping or the family bed point to the fact those in most countries (comprising about 80 percent of the world’s population), parents and children sleep in the same bed. They claim that kids are being forced to be independent too early and that human evolution simply can’t keep pace with the new demands our culture is placing on its children. They maintain that before a child can become independent she must feel that the world is a safe place and that her needs will be met. Kids who sleep in a family bed turn out to be more independent, more confident, and more self-assured than those who don’t. Critics, however, say that what works in other countries doesn’t always work here. In America, early independence is critical, and babies should therefore quickly learn to be away from their parents, especially if both work and the children have to be in day care.
• Sleep: the baby’s. Despite what you might think, co-sleeping children tend to sleep more lightly than children who sleep alone (blankets rustling and parents turning over in bed wake them up). But light sleeping isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, there seems to be a correlation between lighter sleep and a lower incidence of SIDS.
• Sleep: yours. It’s perfectly normal for even the soundest-sleeping kids to wake up every three or four hours for a quick look around the room. The vast majority (about 70 percent) soothe themselves back to sleep after a minute or two. But about 30 percent will spot something they just have to play with (you or your partner, for example), and they’re up for hours.
• Safety. Many parents are afraid that they’ll accidentally roll over their sleeping child if the whole family is sharing the same bed. While this is a perfectly legitimate concern, most adults—even while asleep—have a highly developed sense of where they are. It’s probably been quite a while since you fell out of bed in the middle of the night.
• Sexual spontaneity. No kidding. But there are plenty of other places to make love besides your bed.
• Breastfeeding. There’s no question that it’s a lot easier for a nursing mother to reach across her bed for the baby than to get up and stagger down the hall. Some research indicates that this may encourage mothers to breastfeed longer. Problems arise, however, when fathers feel (and they often do) displaced by the nursing baby and decide that the only place to get a good night’s sleep is on the couch.

Things to Consider About Sharing Your Bed with Your Child

• Keep politics out of your decision-making. Sleep with your child because you and your partner want to, not because you feel you have to.
• Don’t be embarrassed. You’re not being soft, negligent, or overindulgent— it’s a choice made by millions of fine parents.
• Make sure your bed is large enough to accommodate everyone. (But no waterbeds—baby could roll between you and the mattress.) Put the bed against the wall and have the baby sleep on the wall side, or get a guard rail if she’s going to sleep on the outside edge. And remember, overly soft mattresses¸ comforters, and pillows may pose a risk of suffocation.
• Make sure everyone’s toenails are trimmed.
• Rethink your decision right now if you’re obese, you drink or take any medication that might make you hard to wake up, or if you’re generally such a sound sleeper that you’re worried you might roll on top of your baby without noticing.
• Think before you start. Once your baby has been sleeping in your bed for six to eight months, it’s going to be awfully hard to get her out if you change your mind.

Things to Consider About Not Sharing Your Bed with Your Child

• Don’t feel guilty. You’re not a bad or selfish parent for not doing it.
• There is absolutely no evidence that sleeping with your child will speed up the bonding/attachment process.
• It’s okay to make an occasional exception, such as when a child is ill or has had a frightening experience. If you’re making your decision because of safety issues, you may be able to compromise by setting up the baby’s crib in your bedroom or by getting a “sidecar”—basically a three-sided crib that attaches to the side of your bed.

About the Author:
Armin Brott, hailed by Time as “the superdad’s superdad,” has written or co-written six critically acclaimed books on fatherhood, including the newly released second edition of Fathering Your Toddler: A Dad’s Guide to the Second and Third Years. His articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, American Baby, Parenting, Child, Men’s Health, The Washington Post among others. Armin is an experienced radio and TV guest, and has appeared on Today, CBS Overnight, Fox News, and Politically Incorrect. He’s the host of “Positive Parenting,” a weekly radio program in the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit Armin at www.mrdad.com.

by Armin Brott

Dear Mr. Dad: What should we do to childproof our house?

Armin answers: Once your baby realizes that he’s able to move around by himself, his mission in life will be to locate–and race you to–the most dangerous, life-threatening things in your home. So if you haven’t already begun the never-ending process of child-proofing your house, better start now. The first thing to do is get down on your hands and knees and check things out from your baby’s perspective. Taking care of those pesky wires and covering up your outlets is only the beginning, so start with the basics:

Anywhere and Everywhere:

• Move anything valuable out of the baby’s reach.
• Bolt to the wall bookshelves and other free-standing cabinets (this goes double if you live in earthquake country); pulling things down on top of themselves is a favorite baby suicide attempt.
• Don’t hang heavy things on the stroller–it can tip over.
• Get special guards for your radiators and move your space heaters and electric fans off the floor.
• Install a safety gate at the bottom and top of every stairway.
• Adjust your water heater temperature to 120 degrees. This will reduce the likelihood that your baby will scald himself.
• Get a fire extinguisher and put smoke alarms in every bedroom.

Especially in the kitchen:

• Install safety locks on all but one of your low cabinets and drawers. Most of these locks allow the door to be opened slightly–just enough to accommodate a baby’s fingers–so make sure the kind you get also keep the door from closing completely as well.
• Stock the one unlocked cabinet with unbreakable pots and pans and encourage your baby to jump right in.
• Keep baby’s high chairs away from the walls. His strong little legs can push off and knock the chair over.
• Watch out for irons and ironing boards. The cords are a hazard and the boards themselves are easy to knock over.
• Get an oven lock and covers for your oven and stove knobs.
• Use the back burners on the stove whenever possible and keep the handles turned toward the back of the stove.
• Never hold your baby while you’re cooking. Teaching him what steam is or how water boils may seem like a good idea, but bubbling spaghetti sauce or hot oil hurts when it splashes.
• Put mouse- and insect traps in places where your baby can’t get to them.
• Use plastic dishes and serving bowls whenever you can–glass breaks and, at least in my house, the shards seem to show up for weeks, no matter how well I sweep.
• Post the phone numbers of the nearest poison control agency and your pediatrician near your phone.

Especially in the living room:

• Put decals–at baby height–on any sliding glass doors.
• Get your plants off the floor: over 700 species can cause illness or death if eaten, including such common ones as lily of the valley, iris, and poinsettia.
• Pad the corners of low tables, chairs, fireplace hearths.
• Make sure your fireplace screen and tools can’t be pulled over.
• Keep furniture away from windows. Babies will climb up whatever they can and may fall through the glass.

Especially in the bedroom/nursery:

• No homemade or antique cribs. They probably don’t conform to today’s safety standards.
• Remove from the crib all mobiles and hanging toys. By 5 months, most kids can push themselves up on their hands and knees and can get tangled up (and even choke on) strings.
• Keep the crib at least two feet away from blinds, drapes, hanging cords, or wall decorations with ribbons
• Check toys for missing parts.
• Toy chest lids should stay up when opened (so they doesn’t slam down on tiny fingers).
• Don’t leave dresser drawers open. From the baby’s perspective, they look an awful lot like stairs.
• Keep crib items to a minimum: a sheet, a blanket, bumpers, and a few soft toys. Babies don’t need pillows at this age and large toys or stuffed animals can be climbed on and used to escape the crib.
• Don’t leave your baby unattended on the changing table even for a second.

Especially in the bathroom:

• If possible, use a gate to keep access restricted to the adults in the house.
• Install a toilet guard.
• Keep bath and shower doors closed
• Never leave water standing in the bath, a sink, or even a bucket. Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental deaths of young children, and babies can drown in practically no water at all.
• Keep medication and cosmetics high up.
• Make sure there’s nothing your baby can climb up on to raid the medicine cabinet.
• Keep shavers and hair dryers unplugged and out of reach.
• No electrical appliances near bathtub.
• Use a bath mat or stick-on safety strips to reduce the risk of slipping in the bathtub.

About the Author:
Armin Brott, hailed by Time as “the superdad’s superdad,” has written or co-written six critically acclaimed books on fatherhood, including the newly released second edition of Fathering Your Toddler: A Dad’s Guide to the Second and Third Years. His articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, American Baby, Parenting, Child, Men’s Health, The Washington Post among others. Armin is an experienced radio and TV guest, and has appeared on Today, CBS Overnight, Fox News, and Politically Incorrect. He’s the host of “Positive Parenting,” a weekly radio program in the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit Armin at www.mrdad.com.

Halloween is that time of year when your creative juices can begin to flow. It’s a fun time for the family and if you have a baby or toddler, and it is the first Halloween that they can actively participate in, then it can be even more exciting. Granted if your little one is too young to comprehend anything much past when the next meal or sleep is going to be, then your Halloween efforts may not amount to much. But if they are coming to the age when they can express their joy and delight then you are ready to create a bit of Halloween fun.
The key with toddlers is that you don’t want to scare them. A scary Halloween at this age is likely to scar them for life so keep it simple, lighthearted and fun. Here are some tips to help you prepare for the big day.

Trick or Treating

1. Keep it Simple – At this age your toddler won’t appreciate much of what is going on around them so you don’t want to spend a fortune nor a lot of your time in preparing for the day. Of course this won’t apply if you have older children in the house.
2. Create a Fun, Happy Theme – You don’t want to traumatize your baby with scary witches, dark costumes or blood and guts. Create a happy theme that is bright and cheery. For example, ensure that the jack-o-lanterns have happy smiley faces and the costumes you choose are more in line with fairies or princesses rather than scary witches or ghosts and ghouls.
3. Costumes – If you want to dress up your baby or toddler in a Halloween costume then look for something that is easy to put on and take off. Look for costumes with zips, velcro or buttons that are easily undone and of course a costume that allows for easy diaper changes. The costume also needs to be soft and flexible so that your baby isn’t uncomfortable. Avoid costumes with masks. This may restrict their view and cause them to topple over.
4. Keep it Safe – Be aware that most candies at this stage will probably be a choking hazard for your baby or toddler so be careful in your choice of sweets. Ensure that the costume you choose for your baby is flame retardant as you may be around real candles during this time. You should also ensure that the costume does not have too any dangly bits that your infant could place into his or her mouth.
5. Trick or Treating – If you are going to be trick or treating then follow these few tips:
   • Carry a torch and if your toddler is old enough, allow them to carry one too. Attach the torch to your child’s costume to ensure it doesn’t get lost.
   • Glow in the dark neck or wristbands are another way of keeping track of your toddler.
   • If you are taking a stroller then attach some reflective tape so it can be easily seen in the dark.
   • If you are worried about losing your toddler then buy one of those cords that attaches your wrist to your toddlers wrist. This allows your toddler a little freedom as they don’t have to constantly hold onto your hand and it means that you can feel secure that they are close by.

Your first Halloween with your toddler is likely to be a fun time that will be remembered forever. As a memento of the experience purchase a gift box and place in it your baby’s first Halloween costume, their first Halloween gift and any other little item that will serve as a memory in years to come.

About the Article
Article provided courtesy of Only Cookware – a resource for cookware sets, stainless cookware and enamel cast iron cookware.

During the 4th of July, and Labor Day weekend, there will be a lot more people on the road, and likely a lot more drunk drivers. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of injury and death to children and adults. A large number of traffic crashes occur when alcohol consumption is combined with driving.

It is astonishing to think that every 31 minutes someone is killed in an alcohol-related crash. At holiday times, the number of crashes due to drunk drivers can increase by 10% or more. In 2003, 40% of all fatal traffic crashes involved alcohol, but during the Labor Day Holiday approximately 51% of the crashes involved alcohol, killing a total of 505 people.

Children are too frequently the victims in alcohol-related car crashes. Tragically, from 1997-2002, 1,588 (68%) of the 2,335 children killed in an alcohol-related crash were passengers in the car with a drunk driver at the wheel. In 2000 it was reported that nearly 2400 (67% of 3556) drinking drivers were old enough to be the child’s parent or caretaker. Drinking alcohol before driving is often coupled with other risk-taking behaviors. Drunk drivers are less likely to use a seat belt themselves or buckle up their child passengers. Not surprisingly, the likelihood of driving with appropriate safety restraints decreases with the increase in alcohol consumed.

Safe Driving Tips

• Adopt a zero-alcohol-tolerance policy, especially when transporting children.

• Always buckle-up and teach children to buckle-up.

• Secure your child in the appropriate car seat or safety belt every time they ride.

• Check the car seat instructions to be sure about the correct age and weight limits of the car seat.

• Be sure infants ride facing the back of the car until they are at least 1 year old.

• Keep children in a safety seat with a harness as long as possible (per the seat weight and height limits).

• Use a booster seat for children who have outgrown their safety seat, typically around age 4. Many children need to ride in a booster seat until they are age 8-11 years.

• Keep children in the back seat properly buckled up until they are at least 12 years old; recent research suggests they ride in the back seat until age 15.

Sources:

1. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (n.d.) Traffic Safety Facts 2003: Alcohol, DOT HS 809 761 Washington, DC: NHTSA.

2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (n.d.) Traffic Safety Facts 2003: A Compilation of Motor Vehicle Crash Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the General Estimates System, Alcohol, DOT HS 809 775 Washington, DC: NHTSA.

3. RA Shults, PhD. (February, 2004) Child Passenger Deaths Involving Drinking Drivers –
4. United States, 1997—2002. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 53(04);77-79

5. Quinlan KP, Brewer RD, Sleet DA, Dellinger AM. (May, 2000) Characteristics of child passenger deaths and injuries involving drinking drivers. Journal of the American Medical Association 283(17):2249-2252.

This information provided by the San Diego State University Foundation.

The celebrations of the holiday season (beginning with Thanksgiving and continuing through New Year’s Day) typically include more time on the road – shopping, traveling and attending holiday get-togethers. Still, other upcoming holidays such as the 4th of July and Labor Day celebrations also increase the amount of people on the road, as well as the amount of drunk drivers. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of injury and death to children and adults.

It is astonishing to think that every 31 minutes someone is killed in an alcohol-related crash. At holiday times, the number of crashes due to drunk drivers can increase by 10% or more. In 2003, 40% of all fatal traffic crashes involved alcohol, but during the holiday’s the numbers where much higher. During the 2003 Christmas holiday approximately 48% of the crashes involved alcohol, during the Labor Day Holiday it was approximately 51%, for the 4th of July Holiday approximately 55%, and during the New Year’s holiday an astonishing 61% of the crashes involved alcohol. Added together, a total of 1,751 people were killed during those 4 holidays alone.

Children are too frequently the victims in alcohol-related car crashes. Tragically, from 1997-2002, 1,588 (68%) of the 2,335 children killed in an alcohol-related crash were passengers in the car with a drunk driver at the wheel. In 2000 it was reported that nearly 2400 (67% of 3556) drinking drivers were old enough to be the child’s parent or caretaker.

In 2003, drivers 21 to 24 years old were the most likely to be intoxicated (BAC of 0.08 g/dl or greater) in fatal crashes. Thirty-two percent of drivers 21 to 24 years old involved in fatal crashes were intoxicated, followed by ages 25 to 34 (27 percent) and 35 to 44 (24 percent).

Drinking alcohol before driving is often coupled with other risk-taking behaviors. Drunk drivers are less likely to use a seat belt themselves or buckle up their child passengers. Not surprisingly, the likelihood of driving with appropriate safety restraints decreases with the increase in alcohol consumed.

Safe Driving Tips

• Adopt a zero-alcohol-tolerance policy, especially when transporting children.

• Always buckle-up and teach children to buckle-up.

• Secure your child in the appropriate car seat or safety belt every time they ride.

• Check the car seat instructions to be sure about the correct age and weight limits of the car seat.

• Be sure infants ride facing the back of the car until they are at least 1 year old.

• Keep children in a safety seat with a harness as long as possible (per the seat weight and height limits).

• Use a booster seat for children who have outgrown their safety seat, typically around age 4. Many children need to ride in a booster seat until they are age 8-11 years.

• Keep children in the back seat properly buckled up until they are at least 12 years old; recent research suggests they ride in the back seat until age 15.

Sources:

1. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (n.d.) Traffic Safety Facts 2003: Alcohol, DOT HS 809 761 Washington, DC: NHTSA.

2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (n.d.) Traffic Safety Facts 2003: A Compilation of Motor Vehicle Crash Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the General Estimates System, Alcohol, DOT HS 809 775 Washington, DC: NHTSA.

3. RA Shults, PhD. (February, 2004) Child Passenger Deaths Involving Drinking Drivers –
4. United States, 1997—2002. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 53(04);77-79

5. Quinlan KP, Brewer RD, Sleet DA, Dellinger AM. (May, 2000) Characteristics of child passenger deaths and injuries involving drinking drivers. Journal of the American Medical Association 283(17):2249-2252.

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About This Article:
This information provided by the San Diego State University Foundation.

There she was in all her glory. Long white lab coat, frizzy hair, safety goggles — and a face smeared with the black ash of an experiment gone terrifically wrong. She was, at least on this Halloween night, Dr. Abby Normal. But for most of her life I had known her as Abigail, my daughter, and I had just taken some of the most legendary photos of her life. I honestly think it is possible that Halloween is more fun for parents than it is for the kids, especially when the kids are little and parents are able to dress them up. There are so many options for cute Halloween costumes for little kids, it might be hard for a parent to choose.

For a young baby there are all kinds of “Baby’s First Halloween” outfits, bibs, socks and other items to help celebrate the baby’s first trick or treat. Depending on how old your baby is you may want to stick with one of these outfits, especially if he is a newborn, or still very small. It can be difficult to find cute, ultra little outfits for little babies. If your baby is close to his first birthday, you may be able to find a cute costume in a size 12-18 months that will fit your baby well.

For older babies and toddlers there are a wide range of costumes that can be bought. At this time of year you can find costumes in just about every store and at every price. Wal-mart, Target, Kmart and other stores like them often have less expensive versions of the costumes that stores like Disney and Spencer’s Gifts carry.

The most popular costumes for little girls are the Disney princesses, fairies and Barbie’s. A little girl loves to dress up as a princess for a day, with the tiara and pretty dress. She loves the attention it brings from the people who open the doors when they say, “Trick or treat”.

Little boys tend to gravitate to the super hero costumes. Superman, Spiderman, The Hulk, Batman, and whatever other popular hero is out there. You will also find a lot of police and firemen costumes, as well as sports stars that boys will like.

You can find branded costumes, like Winnie the Pooh, at all stores, however they will all be a little different. The more exact, more quality Disney costumes you will find at the Disney store even though you will still find an acceptable version at Wal-mart. While the costumes at the Disney store may be more quality, they will also be more expensive, normally costing at least 2-3 times as much as the version you will find other places.

For more unique costumes you can look at stores like Spencer’s Gifts which yearly has some favorites such as Spiders and Elephants. A popular baby and child clothing store have different themes for boys and girls as well, like Nascar, and Cowboy for boys, with matching Cowgirl outfits for girls.

Safety
When buying a Halloween costume for your baby or toddler, remember to think safety first. If your baby or toddler is walking chances are they are a bit clumsy and the added weight of the costume won’t help matters much. Make sure there is nothing dragging on the ground that your baby can trip on, and that their costume is light enough and reflects enough that cars and traffic can see them.

Weather
Before you buy a costume, consider what the weather will be like. Some costumes can be layered others aren’t. If you are in an area where it will likely be chilly or could possibly rain/snow on Halloween, look into a thicker costume that will help keep your child warm. If you are in an area where it will probably still be warm and maybe muggy, try to find a lighter costume, one that will allow your baby or toddler to stay cool. Your toddler will be running around, having fun and could quickly become overheated. You don’t want a sick child on your hands.

Saving Money
A great, money saving tip for Halloween costumes is to shop ahead for the next year. Hit the sales where you can get 50-75% off Halloween costumes to wear the following year, or even several years down the road. It is possible to hit up the Disney store a few days after Halloween, and buy some great costumes that are retailed at $35-$40 a piece, for less than $10 each. These costumes will last years and can be used by all your children at different times in their childhood.

Multi-use Costumes
Toddlers, boys and girls a like, like to play dress up, and pretend they are the characters they portray. The days following Halloween are a great time to scoop up deals on left over costumes that your children can use to play dress up with in the house. Imagination for children is not only educational, but can keep them occupied for a long time so that mom and dad can get things done.