Proper Sleep Positions for Infants
Most parents of infants are aware that they should place an infant on the back to sleep. In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended the supine (back) position as the preferred sleep position for healthy infants as a precaution to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby under 1 year of age. The highest incidence...
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Car Seat Safety
Rear-facing infant seat or rear-facing convertible seat:
- Birth to age 2 yrs OR once the height or weight exceed the convertible seat max
- Child’s height must be beneath at least one inch below top of seat back
- Feet can rest safely against back seat of car
Forward-facing car seat, convertible seat or combination seat:
- Age 2 yrs and up
- Continue until max height and weight are reached• 5-point harness...
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Playing It Safe
Playgrounds are a daily dose of fun for kids. And whether at school, a public park or at home, playgrounds deliver many benefits to children. Playgrounds promote health and fitness, build healthy bones and muscles, reduce the risk of developing obesity and can even improve a child’s concentration, memory and classroom behavior.
Playgrounds also present a number of visible and hidden risks,...
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What would you do if your infant is choking?
New Infant CPR and Safety class offered
Watching your child crawl around and play with their toys is an activity all parents enjoy. During play time there are many safety hazards which can enter your child’s path, such as: small toys, coins, bobby pins and essentially anything that your child can put in their mouth. If swallowed, those items can potentially obstruct your child’s airway. Not...
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Book of the Month: The Better Way to Care for Your Baby
by Ann Grauer, CD(DONA), IBCLC
The Better Way to Care for Your Baby: A Week-by-Week Illustrated Companion for Parenting and Protecting Your Child Using the Latest and Safest Techniques
by Robin Elise Weiss
(Reviewed by Columbia Center's Ann
Grauer)
Once again author Weiss has created a book that is fun to look at as well as learn from. Her positive voice in the book helps parents to stay calm as they move through that first year...
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The Doctor Is In: Original study linking autism to vaccines discredited
In 1998, Andrew Wakefield published a study that suggested a possible link between the MMR (measles / mumps / rubella) vaccine and autism. This week, in an unprecedented move, the British Medical Journal published data proving that Wakefield’s study was a fraud. They revealed that Wakefield had been paid over $1,000,000 by a group of lawyers to create this data and that the data he presented...
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How to stay informed on baby product recalls
Recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued recalls on several baby products including the Simmons’ Drop-Side Crib and Sprout Stuff’s Ring Slings. It can be unsettling when products you use for your baby are recalled; sometimes removing a defective part or ordering a repair kit easily fixes the problem. Websites like CPSC help parents become aware of most, if not all,...
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Outdoor safety for young children: Tips from a doctor
With the warmer weather here, outdoor activities soon will be in full swing. Whether it is hats and sunscreen to prevent sunburn or striving to prevent more serious injuries, parents of young children know that protecting their kids from outdoor injuries is an important responsibility. Here are some tips to help:
- Prevent motor vehicle or biking injuries.
Always use proper restraints in vehicles....
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The Doctor is In: Consider car seat laws a minimum
Today’s parents do an excellent job of following car seat laws. Almost all parents have infants and children buckled in to the required seats, and we are seeing fewer serious injuries and accident-related deaths as a result. Car seats make a big difference. But the laws provide a minimum requirement. For optimum safety, parents should go beyond what is required.
Most parents follow the...
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