Be Child Safe

Author: Marianne Halterman

  • Garden of Life LLC Recalls Baby Organic Liquid Formula

    Today, Garden of Life, LLC, is issuing a voluntary precautionary recall of its new supplement for infants, Baby Organic Liquid, because the product, as labeled, includes directions for use that may be misinterpreted. The company is concerned that if not administered precisely following the labeled instructions, the product may present difficulties in swallowing and potentially pose a choking hazard due to the thickness of the liquid.

    Baby Organic Liquid is a liquid supplement packaged in a blue carton that includes a measuring syringe. The label currently instructs parents, “Do not insert syringe directly in mouth. Dispense liquid slowly into the mouth, toward the inner cheek. May be mixed with breast milk or formula.” The company is recalling the product in order to relabel it with new instructions, advising parents to only administer the product by mixing in either breast milk or formula and not to administer directly into the infant’s mouth.

    Garden of Life launched the product as part of its Dr. Formulated line within the last two weeks with limited distribution to date.

    The ingredients in Baby Organic Liquid are safe for infants. The company’s concern leading to this recall arose after learning that a parent had difficulties with the safe administration of the product into a newborn’s mouth. While no hospitalizations or similar injuries have occurred, the company is taking this issue very seriously and taking all necessary precautions in an abundance of caution.

    Garden of Life is asking any customers who purchased Baby Organic Liquid to return the product to their store of purchase for a full refund.

    ABOUT BABY ORGANIC LIQUID: Baby Organic Liquid is only sold in the USA at a limited number of natural grocers, health food stores and online. If any consumer wishes to return the product, they should return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund.

    This precautionary recall affects all lots of Organic Baby Liquid, which includes:

    [ultimatetables 14 /]

    No other Garden of Life products are affected by this recall.

    Questions may be directed Monday-Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT to GOL Product Support at the below e-mail and phone number.
    HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO HURRICANE IRMA OUR OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 8, 2017, AND ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REOPEN UNTIL TUESDAY, SEPT. 12, 2017. DURING THIS TIME ALL CURRENT INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE AT OUR BLOG: https://www.gardenoflife.com/babyorganics.

  • Join CDC’s Upcoming Child Passenger Safety Thunderclap

    Join us as we prepare to celebrate Child Passenger Safety Week 2017! Child Passenger Safety Week occurs on September 17-23 and helps raise awareness about the correct use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts to reduce serious injuries and death among children.

    Car Seat Thunderclap

    Parents want to keep their children safe, but did you know that almost half of car seats and booster seats (46%) are used incorrectly? It is essential that car seats, booster seats and seat belts are installed and used properly, and kids are buckled on every trip.

    Get involved and help us spread the word:

    • Sign up on Thunderclap to share graphics and messages on Facebook or Twitter. By selecting “Support with Facebook” or “Support with Twitter” your account will post this one-time message on September 18th at 12:00 p.m. EST to spread the word about buckling kids the right way in the right seat!
    • Join us all week on social media @CDCInjury to get general tips.
    • Visit CDC’s Child Passenger Safety Website (English and Spanish)
    • Read CDC feature story.
    • Need help? Find a car seat inspection station near you.

    Remember, always properly buckle children aged 12 and under in the back seat!

  • Is Your Child In The Right Car Seat?

    Is your child in the right seat?

    Every 33 seconds, one child under the age of 13 is involved in a crash. Many times deaths and injuries can be prevented by proper use of car seats, boosters, and seat belts.

    Child Passenger Safety Week: September 17-23, 2017
    National Seat Check Saturday: September 23, 2017

  • Water Safety Now! Part I

    In Virginia, drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional deaths.

    Some horrific statistics released this week noted that failing to observe water safety has cost the lives of 10 children at New Jersey beaches, lakes and pools already this summer. These are terrible tragedies and our hearts go out to the families of the children who drowned.

    The latter is especially tragic as in almost every case, accidental drownings are preventable. While swimming can be fun, swimming alone is dangerous. Children need watching, children around water need buddies and watching! Beach swimmers need to observe the rules of the beach, especially if there is no lifeguard present. No lifeguard, no swimming!

    It’s pretty simple. Swimming in the ocean where people may be unaware of rip currents or strong waves is dangerous. People, especially children, need to be taught to avoid water where there are rip currents, and if caught unawares, how to react to and survive them.

    Running and jumping or diving in a pool with a hard or cement bottom–especially if you don’t know the depth of the pool–can make swimming dangerous and unsafe. Children need to be taught NOT to run and dive or jump at a public or backyard pool or to jump in pools where other children are already swimming.

    Accidents around water happen fast!

    Leaving children alone in bathtubs, spas, hot tubs or pools is a mistake that parents and caregivers should not make. It can and has cost children their lives. Never leave kids alone in or near water, no matter how shallow! A child can drown in water 3 inches deep.

    Swimming in lakes, rivers or ponds where people are unaware of  possible covered physical barriers under the water, the depths of the water, strong currents, the proximity of dams, bridge supports, drains, rocks, boat docking equipment or pipes under the water, can be very dangerous. More than two years ago 6 year old Asa Gayle from Richmond, Virginia, drowned at Lake Anna, Virginia, after falling from the dam while fishing with her grandparents and sister. The suction from the dam pulled her under and she drowned despite multiple attempts by family and rescuers to help her. Swimming, jumping or fishing where signs say “No SWIMMING, JUMPING or FISHING” is a bad, unsafe idea. Around the water, signs and rules must be obeyed, because accidents happen fast–and often there is no time for more explanation!

    Knowing the type of river, lake or pond bottom (weeds, sand, rocks, etc.) or whether there are wildlife in the area are also important in order to avoid accidents. So there are things, which, depending upon the area and the type of water your child is swimming in, that can make swimming a potentially dangerous sport. There are not only live critters like fish, eels, beavers, snakes, turtles and more in lakes, rivers and ponds…there are miniscule critters called bacteria, mildew and pollen floating in so-called “fresh” water. And there is “poop” from fish, birds and waterfowl. If the lake, river or pond borders farmland, you may even see excrement from farm animals floating–not a pleasant site and best left alone. And there is also Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba found in swamps, ditches, ponds, lakes and rivers. So if you don’t know what’s in the water, it’s best NOT to take in water by swallowing it, or allowing it go up your nose. (In our family, we always followed the don’t-get-your-head-wet rule, if it were possible.) by using nose plugs, the finger-pinch method or goggles that cover your face/nose. Discourage children from “ducking” swimming pals! This, too, can have disastrous results.

    There is another danger that previously I did not know existed and this is why I am sharing it with parents and caregivers now–because it is scary! There can be at marinas, docks and boatyards on freshwater lakes and rivers, danger from leaking electrical current if ground faults have not been properly installed or maintained. There have been a number of drowning deaths at marinas where electrical shock has caused swimmers to drown. The first rule is DON’T SWIM AT MARINAS where electrical current has been run to docks for the purpose of boat repair, etc. Respect the signs  at marinas that say either “NO SWIMMING” or “DANGER! No Swimming, No diving!” etc. Those signs are there for a reason! So Never Swim at Marinas, Docks or Boatyards!

    If parents have a pool in their backyard, supervise your child while swimming!–you might want to even invest in a ShockAlarm which gives a warning sound when electrical current has entered your pool area! And there is a pool alarm which lets you know that a child or person is in your pool! Good investments in safety, like wearing life jackets, using proper flotation devices and installing pool and shock alarms–always pay off!

  • It’s So Hot… Please help prevent HOT CAR DEATHS!

    July 31 is National Heat Stroke Prevention Day!

    The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and SafeKids are teaming up to get the word out about heat stroke this season. As the temperatures rise, so do the number of hot car
    injuries and deaths. Children, the elderly and the infirm are of primary importance and at great risk. Temperatures in parked cars with the windows up rise in seconds! You need to know
    the following in order to help:

    “A child dies from heatstroke about once every 10 days from being unattended in a hot vehicle. In fact, heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle fatality for kids 14 and younger. In more than half of these deaths, the caregiver forgot the child was in the car or the child climbed into an unlocked car to play and couldn’t get themselves out. These tragedies are 100-percent
    preventable!”

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Safe Kids Worldwide are asking people to help raise awareness about the danger of heatstroke to kids in cars through social media conversation this summer. We are reaching out to the community to get the conversation started and keep the momentum going on Twitter on July 31, every 30 minutes starting at 7 a.m. EDT – @NHTSAgov will be using the hashtags #heatstrokekills and #checkforbaby on all of its social media posts (including Instagram and Facebook) and asks you to help us take action.

    Please pass on to friends with children to place a reminder in the front seat if they are driving with a child in the back seat…that a child is there. Whether it’s a child’s toy or a sign on the dashboard… or put your purse or a needed briefcase in the backseat too, so you have to look in the back before you leave the car and remember your child is there. Don’t be a distracted driver, don’t use your cell phone while driving and DO one last backseat check after you park to make sure there is no child in that vehicle.

    Others… if you see a child in a backseat with the windows rolled up (a.c. or no, car running or not), call 911. Children are not to be left alone in parked cars…for any reason!

  • Flu Deaths in Children Exceed 100 for 2016-2017

    This is not a statistic I like to relate to readers of this blog: 101 deaths in children from flu-related causes have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 2016-2017–and these are the deaths which have been reported.

    There may have been some deaths where causes were not readily discernible or were more complicated, or possibly not diagnosed and not reported as flu-related deaths. Flu shots, according to a recent study, are still the best deterrent to kids getting the flu and bringing it to school or bringing it home from school and spreading the flu. We are now less than two months away from the new school year’s start, and while we don’t offer medical advice in this blog, we encourage parents to get the facts on the flu and consider having their children receive whatever current flu vaccine shots are available when the time comes to help retard the spread of the flu and keep kids and families safe. “CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. Influenza vaccination rates among children (6 months to 17 years) have been around 60% for the past several seasons.” 1

    According to the CDC, during the 2012-2013 and 2014-2015 flu seasons, the Influenza A (H3N2) virus predominated. That strain of the virus is generally associated with more difficult outcomes in children and the elderly. A recent CDC study (published in Pediatrics) has confirmed that flu vaccine can prevent flu-related deaths in children and “can reduce the risk…by 51%” 2

    This is impressive and makes it a no-brainer for me that it’s important to get a shot and be protected.

    ___________________

    1 https://www.CDC.gov/flu/news/reported-flu-deaths-children.htm,
    June 23, 2017, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD),
    1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA
    30329-4027 USA

    2 Ibid.

  • If A Child Is Missing, What Should You Do?

    Children playing hide and seek is nothing new, but when your child disappears whether it’s from your home, your yard, their school, or in a store or a public place, like a park or shopping center, then it’s an urgent concern. The first thing to do if you are sure your child is missing–and it’s difficult for any parent or responsible person caring for a child when you become aware your child is actually missing–is to KEEP CALM! But you can’t think in a turmoil and you must think, about where and when you saw your child last. The next thing is ASK FOR HELP, from a neighbor, close friend, store manager or other authority present, and CALL 911.

    If you are at home, check areas of greatest concern first, areas where a child could run into big trouble: closets, old appliances such as a basement refrigerator or freezer, under beds, in an automobile trunk or down in the seat well or backseat of a car. Check bathtubs, “hot” tubs, shower stalls, hampers, blanket boxes–anywhere your young child could fit or climb in to hide. Check the attic and/or the basement, if you have one, garage and storage areas as well.

    If your child is missing from out of doors, after checking around the outside of the home, including shrubbery, outbuildings if any, and the street, call any possible playmates’ parents or babysitter(s) immediately. If you come up empty after a few minutes’ initial checks, then contact your local police department immediately: CALL 911.
    Don’t wait. Minutes matter! Finding your child is often best left to professionals, they are trained to know where to look.

    When reporting your child missing, provide a recent photo of your child to the authorities, so they know what the child they are looking for looks like. Make sure to provide them your child’s gender, height, weight, hair color and age on their last birthday and what your child was wearing when you saw them last, and if he or she has any particular noticeable physical traits or birthmarks or missing teeth. Provide any important information about health conditions, such as autism, Down syndrome, ADHD, or any current health issues. Provide the police with names of playmates, favorite outdoor play areas and your child’s habits and hobbies. If they ride their bikes, skateboards or scooters, where? Do they play in a wooded area or a school or community playground, or a vacant building lot? Are there ponds or swimming pools, rivers, lakes or any other bodies of water nearby, where they might go? It is very important that areas that could create extreme danger for a child be checked immediately. If you live in the city, nearby busy streets, abandoned buildings or vacant lots, public parks, school yards in or close to your neighborhood are such areas.

    In a store or shopping center if your child is missing, immediately contact the store’s manager, inform them where you saw your child last and provide vital information and a recent photo of your child. The store manager will initiate a check of the immediate area and contact the police if the child is not found within a few minutes. With many people having cell phones and taking photos, it’s good to keep that recent photo of your child on your cell phone so you can download and send it easily to security and police personnel looking for your child.

  • Toddler suffers serious burns to his feet at splash pad

    On a very hot day in a Greenwood, IN, public park, a young toddler walked away from his mother onto the “splashpad” made of an asphalt like material.  The child began screaming and the mother ultimately put his shoes back on and took him to the doctor’s. He suffered 2nd Degree burns on the bottoms of his feet.​  Park officials are now warning parents that on hot days, ground surfaces will heat up!

    Read the article at AOL News

  • Police warn that drugs that look like candy may be present

    NEW YORK (FOX5NY) –

    Authorities in a city in upstate New York are concerned that drugs that look like candy may soon hit the community.

    Police in Elmira, a city in the Southern Tier, issued a press release with the subject line “Candy warning- Danger to children” about a narcotic trend that “may be present in the area.”

    Read the details at http://www.fox5ny.com/news/256481631-story

  • Are We Becoming Careless When It Comes to Pedestrian Safety?

    In the past week, three accidents involving pedestrians have come to light via the U.S. newfeeds: A young girl, 10 years old, was hit by a car when she left the sidewalk and tried crossing a busy thoroughfare in Bergen County, NJ; she will live.  A 15-year old in a group of teens was killed trying to cross a busy four-lane expressway, where I-84 meets Route 17 in Wallkill, New York. And a 2-year old toddler in Orlando, Florida, was run over and killed by his 12-year old sister who was starting her parents’ sport utility vehicle in their driveway.  While each of these is a tragic accident, one can recover from the first. But for the other two victims, there is no recovery.  And it points once again to the leading cause of death in kids is unintentional–often preventable–injury.  None of those children should have been where they were, period.

    As parents, role models, family members and caregivers, ought we to sound off longer and louder about kids’ safe travel on foot and about everyone who gets behind the wheel watching out not only for what’s in the traffic lanes ahead, but for pedestrians on the sidewalks, and people, animals and obstacles in our peripheral vision? I am reminded of slogans and parental commands uttered when I was growing up:  Don’t jay-walk, go to the corner, look both ways, cross at the light, stay in the crosswalk, don’t step off the curb until you know the way is completely clear! These instructions would not have helped the toddler, but had the parents of the toddler not allowed their young daughter to start a car for them… who is to say what may not have happened? Yes, it’s tragic and our hearts go out to those parents. We don’t wish these things on anyone.

    It’s up to those of us who drive to pay attention to what’s going on in front of us–and to check back-up cameras and rearview and side mirrors religiously when we back-up our vehicles. We cannot depend on a vehicle’s “system” to do it for us despite the fact that we depend on technology for almost everything else!  We cannot be lackadaisical about safety. It simply doesn’t work in this fast-paced world we live in, accidents happen. But we can avoid many accidents by simply paying attention and being diligent in our driving habits.

    Pedestrians are people–not possums. We have to be careful of people–who are not moving at the speed of light, children and the elderly, especially.  We must not exceed roadway speed limits so we can stop for pedestrians if necessary.  In a perfect world, distracted driving and driving under the influence would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law every time the infractions occur and are cited to deter others from bad behavior that affects the wellbeing–and ultimately the lives– of our children. But as you can see from the numbers of people who use cell phones while driving, bad actors don’t always get caught!

    So today, we ask that you try to remember to be cautious and careful of pedestrians who may enter your roadway unexpectedly, especially if you are driving in neighborhoods where there are children, by schools, busstops, churches, and gathering places, or on narrow streets where there are shops and people like to walk.  It’s springtime and children are out in greater numbers walking and playing out of doors. Be mindful of them and aware of your own ability to react–don’t cloud that ability by eating, smoking, drinking or gabbing on the phone while you are driving!  The life of some child in the cross-walk, on your street or highway, or even in your driveway may depend upon your ability to react to the fact they are there–and you need to stop quickly. Please observe speed limits and drive safely, for kids’ sake!