Category: Child Safety

Maybe I’m naive but I keep hoping that people who are informed and trained about safety measures and are knowledgeable in the use and care of firearms will always keep their weapon(s) with safety on and locked up high when not in use. It is beyond sad to think that one more child, an eight-year old girl in New Jersey, has died because her parent, a police person, neglected to put the safety on their weapon and lock it up. I don’t condemn the parents, but feel terribly sorry for them and for her siblings. They will never know what Sailor Righter, their daughter and sister, might have become one day– a mother, a teacher, an olympic athlete–no one will know because her short life was ended tragically by accident. Our hearts go out to this family in their grief.

The most basic of requirements in the care and handling of a firearm advises gun owners to keep weapons locked and up high when not in use. This time the weapon was loaded, not locked, and placed on a shelf within reach of three children. Now, there is one more statistic to add to the total of unintentional injuries causing the death of those less than 10 years old.

There are a host of smart gun technologies that preclude the use of a gun by a child. Why are they not in use? Where weapons are kept in the home, any home, they should be. And if the technology isn’t sufficiently developed to be 100% child-proof, why isn’t it?

I write this with a very heavy heart. It has just come over the newsfeed that the body of a child missing child from his home in Aurora, CO, over New Year’s, David Puckett, age 6, may have been found in a pond not far from his home. His mother was worried about the falling temperatures. A specialty dog pointed the rescue team to the pond. If it is confirmed that it is this child, his family will have the beginning of closure and heartache beyond belief, all at once. BeChildSafe.org sends prayers.

Not far from my home this week two young boys, brothers, died in a house fire in Mt. Crawford, Virginia. It was an older rental home, a space heater may have been involved. I know members of this family and how they loved all their children. They are devastated. There may have been faulty wiring, the investigation continues. The “family night” was New Year’s Eve. The family now has the terrible job of dealing with their grief.

And everyone has seen, I assume, the video of the two toddler twin brothers in Utah, when a dresser from Ikea fell over on the one little boy, the other baby figured out how to push the dresser off of his brother. It was filmed on their “Nanny” camera. This was a happy ending. But now there is talk about “maybe there should be charges of neglect filed” against the parents. No, I don’t think so. We should rejoice here that nothing worse happened to the child trapped beneath the dresser… and that his quick-thinking toddler brother was capable and cognizant — instinctively — of what to do to save his brother’s life.

So, comes the question: Where were the parents? Why didn’t they start searching immediately when they were aware David left the house, why didn’t the parents involved in the house fire make sure that any appliance they used was certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL)…and that no space heater was used in a confined space where people (children) were sleeping? And about that Nanny Cam, no, one would make sure that their very own eyes were the on their toddlers… and not leave watching young children… to a camera… that cannot think. The parents of the toddlers have another chance. I hope they “get” that, and never, ever put off stabilizing a piece of furniture when they have the chance, again. I know how badly they must have felt–they seem conscientious…they learned a major lesson, and I am sure they are so grateful. Frequently, more frequently than people realize, parents don’t get do-overs.

In any case, BeChildSafe.org wishes everyone a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

Accidents happen, we know this. But beyond noting that unintentional injury is still a major contributing factor in early childhood death in this Country, we need to do everything we possibly can to make parents, family members and caregivers aware of child safety measures and information available about dangerous products and toys on the market.

It’s nearly Christmas. Holiday shopping is upon us along with gatherings of family and friends–it is not the most serene of seasons we wish for, but often the most chaotic and confusing. On highways and in stores, people are rushing trying to find the one last stocking-stuffer or that one final gift and just the right tree. It’s very easy to be distracted in traffic and by all that we think needs to be done before we are permitted to relax into a peaceful holiday season.

In Saddle Brook, New Jersey, a family member holding a child accidentally allowed a 3-month old child to fall to the floor, the child hit its head and is in critical condition in a New Jersey hospital. Prayers are requested. Accidents occur. On December 8, a New Jersey woman accidentally backed over her toddler nephew, in Ocean County; sadly, this child has died from injuries he received. As reviewed and amended October 6, 2016, the most recent data available on Child Mortality (2014)¹ according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicate 3,830 children between the ages of 1 and 4 in the United States had died that year. Accidents were one of three of the leading causes of death. In the same year, children ages 5 to 14, over 5,000 children in the U.S. had died, and again, accidents were one of the leading causes of death.

We know that not all childhood injuries can be prevented, but there is much free, good information available to parents, family members and caregivers to help prevent accidents. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website, www.cpsc.gov posts recall announcements of defective or dangerous products that have been marketed and may have been sold to parents and family members of young children. Other agencies, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), www.nhtsa.gov, have websites which advise of unsafe products used for and by children, such as defective seat belts, booster seats and strollers.

Parents, family members and caregivers need to pay attention, this time of year more than ever, because there is so much going on, so many products on the market, people are purchasing and giving gifts that they may not have thought to safety check. Items that come to mind which have been problematic in the past, this time of year, are painted candles, holiday decorations, combustible children’s pajamas, space heaters, children’s bicycles with sharp toys on the handlebars, “Bucky balls”, button batteries and more. BeChildSafe.org’s mission is to share child safety information and make it available to parents, family members and caregivers of young children in the hopes that all of our holidays this year may be safer than ever!
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¹Summary Health Statistics Tables for U.S. Children, National Health Interview Survey (2014), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/child-health.htm

As an adult you may not have problems sleeping safely, but babies need our help when it comes to safe sleep and sweet dreams!  Many of our nation’s hospitals will attest to the need to create safe sleep spaces for babies. Unintentional injury is still a leading cause of infant death.  So there are things parents and caregivers can do to assure babies sleep safely. A recent public service advertisement by Dayton Public Health, Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, caught our eye. We thank them for posting their PDF, and we synopsize it below:

• Baby should sleep on his or her back, alone, in a crib. Baby’s caregiver should be nearby, but not in the same bed.
• Baby’s room should be between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit, not too warm, not too cold.
• Baby will sleep best in a one-piece sleeper or sleep “sack”. No blanket required.
• Baby’s room should be smoke free (absolutely!).
• It is not safe for baby to sleep in an adult bed, on a couch or futon, in a chair or beanbag chair, or on a waterbed.
• A safe crib should have a firm mattress and fit the crib with no gaps.
• There should be no missing slats in the crib and the slats should not be more than 2 ⅜” apart.
• There should be no corner posts or cut-outs in the headboard or footboard of the crib.
• There should be no pillows, bumper pads, stuffed toys, quilts, blankets, or lamb skins in the crib with the baby.

You may think that these tips go “without saying”, but statistics unfortunately show these recommendations need to be out front so young parents and caregivers–and their infants– can benefit from them.

We, at BeChildSafe.org, hope your Thanksgiving was a happy, blessed and bountiful one! Be sure to check in to our website through the run-up to the holidays as we will post any important recalls.

Halloween is over and the holiday magazines touting children’s toys are arriving in mailboxes and online. There is an incredible variety of children’s toys on the market, and parents of young children have the daunting task of evaluating toys in the best interest of their children’s safe play.  Sometimes it’s difficult when the hype over a toy gets kids happily excited and encourages them to want a particular toy–remember “Bucky Balls”–and you as a parent learn that the toy is not safe–and you are momentarily heartsick about disappointing your child for safety’s sake and saying, nope, not this time.  Well, there is help! Nemours has a very good website called “Kids Health” and they have it down to a science (which is their specialty) about what toys kids should have and how parents can evaluate certain toys.  Here is the link and I urge parents to check it out, this particular link is about evaluating toys for toddlers: http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/safetoys-young.html?WT.ac=p-ra# ¹

One point KidsHealth makes that is extremely important is the size of the toy, that it cannot be swallowed and block a child’s airway.  Toys for infants and toddlers need to be “at least 1¼ inches (3 centimeters) in diameter and 2¼ inches (6 centimeters) in length — so that they can’t be swallowed or lodged in the windpipe. A small-parts tester, or choke tube, can determine if a toy is too small.”  If you don’t have access to one of those, you might use the toilet tissue roll (insert) and measure by that size.  Can it be swallowed?  Toys with small or detachable parts, or that have sharp edges are also ill-advised.

Painted toys can be a problem, parents need to make sure that whatever paint was used on a toy, it is lead-free.  Parents should check age-appropriateness for children and whether a toy may be too loud to be used by a young child. We don’t want a toy’s noise to contribute to hearing loss.

A few years ago, there were troubles with stuffed animals manufactured overseas, which were contaminated with cadmium. Cadmium, lead, and other toxic chemicals have been found in imported children’s toys which makes the toys toxic to children.  In 2010, the CPSC noted that children’s jewelry items (manufactured overseas) frequently contained cadmium, an alloy used to strengthen metal.

Fabric toys should have labels noting whether they are flame resistant or flame retardant.  Stuffed toys need to be washable. Older and hand-me-down toys, while they come with sentiment, can also be a problem because they may have breakable parts, lead paint, or other contaminants, and because they were made before stricter rules about children’s toys were in place.

So choosing a toddler’s toy is more difficult than perhaps we give parents, family members and caregivers credit for doing!  Be safe, and if you have questions, ask AND check out KidsHealth’s safe toys website.

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¹  KidsHealth, Nemours, http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/safetoys-young.html?WT.ac=p-ra#

Over the weekend, a man holding his two children, ages 1 and 3, jumped off a highway overpass in New Jersey and into the Wanaque River. He died–but thankfully, the children survived this terrifying experience.  Who knows what the rest of their lives will be like?
I cannot guess whether the domestic dispute this dad had just experienced, perhaps caused by a fear of his children being taken away in a custody battle, could have prompted the man’s behavior, but I know one thing:  An atmosphere of heated domestic disputes is not healthy for children.  It is, in an old fashioned word, selfish, for parents to use their children against each other.  Whatever the parents’ troubles are, be they legal problems, relationship, health or financial issues–the problems can be worked out and overcome, with help and patience.

When my parents, who were both educated people, had a problem with one another, they took it behind closed doors–out of earshot of the rest of the family.  Not only out of respect for each other and their family, but to protect their young children from hearing things they might not understand in the heat of an argument or discussion–and I don’t care how good your marriage is, “air clearings” or misunderstandings happen and are often necessary and are ultimately good agents for change that help marriages grow–provided the fighting is fair, done with care and respect for the person-hood of those involved.

But how often these days are we seeing parents who take a selfless approach when it comes to their children?  How many parents stay in stale marriages for the sake of their kids? How many parents try to work it out for the sake of their kids?  Important words like duty, responsibility and accountability all come to mind.

In addition, when substances enter into the equation, there are added problems and disputes.  Parents who are deeply involved in drugs and alcohol cannot be good partners to each other or good parents to their children–however kind they are when they are sober.  Children should not have to be afraid of their parents’ behavior, ever. And bizarre behavior coupled with drug or alcohol abuse is not uncommon.

Last winter, a man in Florida flung his young child over a bridge, to her death, because he was mentally unstable and could not cope with his life situation. In this instance, his little daughter became a hostage. If he had taken himself out of that situation, gotten some help in some manner, the outcome would have been better, for himself, for his wife and their child.  Aberrant behavior, whether it is caused by stress, mental illness or is drug-or-alcohol abuse-related, children in a family suffer for it. And when an erring parent sobers up or “comes to” and realizes what they have done in the heat of argument or the depths of despair– they must live with the result and society’s punishment which will undoubtedly follow. Still, it is the children who live in emotional chaos who suffer the most.

If you as a parent, caregiver or family member are aware that there is a situation in your family, in your neighborhood; if you suspect drug or alcohol abuse is taking its toll on a child or children involved, it’s no shame to get that family some help through some type of intervention. You may save their lives, their children’s lives, you might even save a marriage.  If you see something, say something, talk to a pastor or trusted family friend, contact the authorities. Children’s safety and perhaps even their very lives hang in the balance.  Do you want to be the person who says, “I saw, but I did nothing.”?

Child abuse and parental drug use are very much connected, according to reports by the National Council on Child Abuse & Family Violence. A current report in one of the Child Welfare League of America’s new booklets states, “More than 8 million children live with parents who are substance abusers.”¹ “Substance abuse exists in 40-80 percent of families where there is child abuse.”² “Children whose parents use alcohol and other drugs are three times more likely to be abused and more than four times more likely to be neglected than children from non [substance] abusing families.”³

If the above-mentioned quotes don’t shake you to your very soul, then it’s possible you may be a robot! We have programs to help children in this Country, “No Child Left Behind”, “No Kid Hungry”… Why not “No Kid Abused…Ever!” ? And why not more efforts directed toward prevention, intervention and if abuse is found, stiffer penalties for abusers?

Summing up their August 1-3, 2016, California conference, the CWLA noted on their website: “ Substance use has a significant impact on all child welfare practice areas, and is a major reason that children come into the child welfare system and have trouble returning home.”⁴ (www.cwla.org/2016-post-conference/) But still it frequently seems that law enforcement and public health and welfare agencies are aware of but seem powerless to make the connection between drug use (and abuse) and child abuse and to act and to do what is needed, before the damage to children is done.

Children whose homes are meth labs are in constant danger–you have only to pick up your daily newspaper to see the results in bold headlines. Yesterday, in New Mexico, a 10-year old girl named Victoria was killed… by her mother, and her mother’s boyfriend on meth. They injected the child with meth and committed unspeakable crimes.⁵ Two days before, a 5-year old girl in Minnesota was kidnapped, assaulted and murdered, her body dumped in a field by a “family friend”.⁶ I am listing only two sad examples of what are thought to be drug-related crimes–and there are many, many more.

Children should not have to fear their parents or the quality of their homelife.

This is what Arizona’s Attorney General has posted on the Attorney General’s website, “About Meth”:

“Exposure to meth manufacturing can harm anyone, but it is particularly dangerous to children. Once a meth lab is discovered, children who live in meth labs need special and immediate attention from a variety of professionals, including medical, legal and child welfare. The dangers faced by children who live in and near meth labs include contamination, fire and explosion, child abuse and neglect, hazardous living conditions and other social problems.”⁷ (www.azag.gov/meth#how_meth_endangers)

The longer people keep silent about neighbors they believe are making and/or using and abusing drugs, like methamphetamine, the more children will be abused, injured and worse. Frequently children who come from drug-using and abusive homes are placed, sometimes repeatedly, by the courts in foster care–and in some cases, possibly most cases, they are the lucky ones.
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¹National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence, www.nccafv.org/parentalsubstanceabuse.htm
²Op. Cit.
³Ibid.
⁴Child Welfare League of America, “Advancing Excellence in Practice and Policy, August 1-3, 2016: What Works for Families Affected by Substance Abuse”, Orange, California, website: www.cwla.org/2016-post-conference
⁵“Girl’s Brutal Killing in N.M. Detailed By Police”, Daily News Record, Associated Press, 8/26/16, p. A2.
⁶“Man Jailed in Girl’s Murder”, Daily News Record, Associated Press, 8/23/16, p. A9.
⁷Website of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, 2016, www.azag.gov/meth#how_meth_endangers

With gratitude to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

It’s back-to-school time again, and parents, family members and caregivers who have young children in their charge are thinking about how they can keep their young kids safe. Here are some tips the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) have shared in a publication called “Personal Safety For Children – A Guide for Parents and Guardians”.¹ We hope it’s useful to you as your young ones head to school:

What Your Child Can Do: The Rules for Younger Children:

Young children should be taught:

1. To know their name, address, telephone number and their parents’ or guardians’ names.
2. To check first with parents, guardians or the person in charge, and to tell them before going anywhere or getting into a vehicle, even with someone the child knows.
3. To check first with their parents, guardians, or another trusted adult before accepting anything from anyone, even from someone the child knows.
4. To take a friend along when the child goes places or plays outside.
5. To say “No!” if someone tries to touch or treat the child in a way that makes him or her feel scared, uncomfortable or confused.
6. To know that it’s okay to say “No!” and to keep asking until a child gets the help he or she needs.
7. To know that he or she can tell his or her parents, guardians, or another trusted adult if he or she feels scared, uncomfortable or confused.
8. A child should believe they are strong, smart and have the right to be SAFE.

There are too many tragedies in our world today and the effects of a society in flux spill over onto vulnerable young children. We have only to look at the evening news one night a week to know this. As a parent, family member, caregiver or guardian, please bear in mind the incredible gift of responsibility that has been placed on your shoulders, to protect, guide and keep your children safe. It’s not enough to give birth, feed, clothe, house, educate and love them. If you love them, you want them to be safe and to grow up in as safe and healthy a world as possible. Be with them, listen to them, watch over them. They are the most precious gift of all.

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¹“Personal Safety for Children, A Guide for Parents and Guardians”, c. 1998, 2002, 2005, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Alexandria, VA.

Caleb Schwab was only 10, and, no doubt, he and his family were looking forward to a great time for him at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas. So it is a terrible shock for the family and for the other passengers on the Verruckt water slide when this fun day somehow turned into a tragedy, one that possibly could have been avoided.

At some point in the ride, Caleb was ejected from the raft he was in and he hit the safety netting. There have been mentions about velcro straps that were not working and an inspection that may not have not occurred since 2014. It’s all hearsay at this point. There will be an investigation into this child’s death and the safety of this particular ride. American news and Kansas City police both said, Caleb died of a “neck injury”. (ABC, Associated Press, August 9, 2016 abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-boys-death-water-park-prompts-gofundme-page-41207846). Witnesses on the ride, (according to the UK’s Daily Mail) say this child was “decapitated” and that his body fell 50’ before it landed in the pool at the base of the water slide below. (UK Daily Mail, Tuesday, August 9, 2016 www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3730558/Witnesses-day-ten-year-old-boy-DECAPITATED-flew-world-s-tallest-waterslide-fell-safety-net.html) This is very hard for anyone, much less a parent, grand-parent, family member or friend to accept. The agony of losing a beautiful child compounded by the horrific manner of that loss. There are no words–and our hearts go out over and over again to his family.

This terrible event brings it home to the public, to families with young children, to parents and grandparents, caregivers and friends, that perhaps carnival, fair and amusement park rides may not be as safe as people assume they are. Almost immediately following Caleb’s death, there was a bulletin on our local news station about three children who fell from a ferris wheel at a county fair in Greeneville, Tennessee; the youngest child is in serious condition with a possible brain injury (CBS News, August 9, 11:07 a.m., www.cbsnews.com/news/child-serious-condition-ferris-wheel-accident-tennessee/)

For now, public attention is drawn to these terrible tragedies–which should not have taken place–and the families’ grief shared by the public in the aftermath. One can only hope that what has happened will spur the regulatory agencies which promulgate the safety standards for entertainment rides to be more stringent and diligent in their regulation; and for those organizations which inspect these rides to be more alert to regular inspections and safety requirements of the rides, as well as significant attention paid to maintenance by the owners and providers of those rides.

In these tragedies, there are no do-overs. It should be noted that the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) says, “No federal oversight is needed” of an industry with such an excellent safety record, on their website. “Safety is the foundation of our profession and a top priority.” ASTM International writes the guidelines for Amusement Park Safety, and F-24 Amusement Park Standards are set by the ASTM International Committee on Amusement Rides and Devices. The current standards have been adopted by 32 states and some foreign countries; and 44 of 50 states regulate amusement parks.

To family members, parents and grand-parents who enjoy attending carnivals, fairs, and are users of amusement and entertainment park rides, please be vigilant about what rides you consider to be safe for your children. Ask questions, do your homework. If a ride is too old or appears rickety or looks unsafe, it probably is. I don’t care if it’s a see-saw or a merry-go-round! If you, the parent, spends literally years making sure your kids are safely strapped in booster seats properly fixed in your car, then do you want to risk their safety on these kinds of “terrifying” rides? Think about it: You can say, “No!” I am sure Caleb’s parents wish they had the opportunity to do just that.

Recently, I’ve read several blog posts by parents about the results of other parents not watching their young children in public places, especially in restaurants and stores and where children are likely to play and get into trouble.  I read that it has become a pet peeve of other young parents (that is good!), because it certainly is an important theme of mine when a parent does not watch their young child.  It makes me want to take them, like the ghost in a Christmas Carol, and show them what can happen if they are not carefully watching, whether in a public place or a private home!

I continue to write this blog, because I have seen things happen when a parent was not present, physically or mentally–and often what happens to children, especially young children, happens very fast. And damage–that could have been prevented by simply watching–and watching out for–a child is frequently irreparable and long-lasting. I often think about a childhood friend, who while playing on the swings in her backyard fell and hit her head on a rock. She lived her entire life with severe brain damage. A little boy of five, whose mother was tired, found his way out of their lake home, onto their boat dock, fell in the water and was drowned as his mother slept quietly in the house. Things happen but do not have to happen if parents are awake and watching.

Less than ten days ago, a local child, age 8, riding his bicycle was hit by a car on his street in front of his home on a Friday evening. He “pulled out in front of a car” and the driver didn’t have time to stop.  The child was helicoptered to Charlottesville’s UVA Hospital with fairly significant injuries.  The boy was not wearing a helmet.  Where were his parents?

What about the parent who unknowingly placed their child in a recalled baby swing, the Century L’il Napper? The swing had been recalled but the news of the recall hadn’t reached the provider. The child probably fell asleep, slouched and was strangled accidentally. But this may not have happened had the parents been watching. This happened to four children in 1997 and happened to a little child in Indiana in 2002. Yet, I still see those recalled baby swings in trees in front yards and at homes… and I still don’t get it. Portable crib rails collapse, window blind pulls still exist and strangle. Children pick up button batteries or grandpa’s medicine and swallow them like candy. One’s home can be a dangerous place to a child, and parents need to make the time to watch.

But there is no rhyme nor reason for making our homes more dangerous than they already are. The Washington Post’s Peter Holley reported June 26 that on June 25, 2016, a New Jersey boy, age 6, shot his 4-year old brother while playing with his mother’s gun.  What does this say to you?  On beyond whether the mother was watching (which I seriously doubt), why was there a weapon accessible to two young children? Now a child is dead and the family is badly broken.  This type of heart-rending, totally preventable incident is more common than most people realize…  The International Business Times’ Adam Lidgett reported in January 2016 in the U.S. that 265 people were shot in 2015 by children wielding firearms. Eighty-three of those deaths were fatal.  Was anyone watching, the child who found the shotgun in his father’s out-building and shot his childhood friend in the face.  Thankfully, that child survived! But why wasn’t the gun locked up, high where a child could not reach it? “I forgot,” is not acceptable. Please!!!

Often, I feel as though what I re-report falls on deaf ears.  But, Parents, IF you watch your children, you are way ahead of the game most of the time and these life-long heart-aches will not be a part of your life. If you cannot watch your kids because you work or are ill or tired, make sure you entrust your children’s care to a trusted family member, caregiver or baby-sitter who WILL watch them for you.  No one can ever fault you for watching over your children!