Back to School Safety

As summer draws to a close, back-to-school season is in full effect. Safety should be a priority for every family as children return to classrooms this fall. It is important for parents to stay up-to-date on the proper safety precautions and share this information with their children to keep them safe throughout the school year. Even though we homeschool here at our house, we live very close to an elementary school and see school buses traveling daily with children.

Back-to-School Safety Checklist – Use this checklist to review important safety procedures to make sure your children are fully prepared for the school year.

Teen Driving Safety – The back-to-school season is a great time to learn about Graduated Driver Licensing and what practices will work best for your family. Parents can also find more information to help their teen drivers at driveithome.org.

Safety while riding the school bus is very important. Have the discussion before school starts about how to wait for the bus and how to get on and off the bus. Go with your child the first week to make sure they are understanding the concept. Many young children will be scared at first, but catch on soon enough. 

As a driver, the school bus's should be a high priority for paying attention and not being distracted while driving! 

School Bus Safety: Back-to-School Tips for Parents – Teach your children how to stay safe on and around school buses.

School Safety from National Safety Council 

Playground Safety – Every year more than 200,000 children visit hospital emergency rooms because of playground injuries, many of which could have been prevented.

Backpack Safety – Overloaded backpacks continue to cause injuries, including bruises, sprains and strains to the back and shoulder and fractures.

Preventing Bullying – Every adult plays an important role in addressing bullying and making schools a safe and respectful place for all children.

Drive Safely with School Buses – Safety tips for motorists to share the road safely with school buses during back-to-school season and throughout the year.




Stop Bullying: What Parents Can Do – Educate your children on the signs of bullying and learn what to do if your child is bullied. Next week we will talk more about bullying and what to do if you think your child is being bullied at school or online.

Thank you to the National Safety Council for much of this information, visit their website for much more information.

New Years Celebrations: Choose Your Ride Wisely

The picture says it....Drink, Drive...............Go To Jail! We all know this is true, so why do you still do it?
With the popularity of Uber, Lyft and other ride sharing services, plus the fact that nearly everyone has a smart phone now with social media access.............Get a ride home!! Driving buzzed, drunk or even high on prescription medications is not the right answer! Save a life this New Years, it might be your own!

Don't let me see you in the ER this weekend, I am working and you will get a lecture......just sayin! 

Thank you!

Zika Virus: What Do You Know About It #ZikaVirus

Just what do you know about the "Zika Virus", that mosquito- borne illness that is in the news all the time now it seems? Did you know that it has actually been around since 1947? Yep that's right, it started in Africa and spread to Asia and the Pacific islands, then to Latin American and the Caribbean where it is rapidly spreading now.

So what are the symptoms of Zika? 

• Most people don't know they have been affected with the virus at all, they will have no symptoms
• The most common symptoms can be fever, rash, joint pains, conjunctivitis (redness of the eyes) , muscle pain and/ or headaches possibly. 
• The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week.
• It is best to see your doctor or healthcare provider if you are pregnant and develop any of the symptoms above within 2 weeks of traveling to any of the affected countries/areas.
• Zika virus is usually a mild illness with symptoms lasting only a short time after being bit by an infected mosquito. 
• People infected with the Zika virus do not usually need any kind of hospitalization and very rarely are ill enough to die from the virus. Please to not present to the Emergency room in a panic because you think you have symptoms of the Zika virus. 
• There is no cure and no vaccine available yet, although they are working towards the vaccine. 

Prevention:  "Education is the key to prevention"

• There is no cure and no vaccine for Zika, so prevention is the best cure we have right now.
• Avoiding mosquito bites especially in areas that are know for outbreaks of the Zika virus.
• Prevent sexual transmission of the virus by using condoms or abstaining from sexual contact. 
• Wear long sleeve protective clothing and pants to keep bare skin covered, be aware that mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus usually bite more in the day-time hours. 
• Stay indoors in air conditioned rooms or keep screened doors closed to limit exposure
• Sleep under a mosquito net if you are in a heavily infested Zika area
• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or para-menthane-diol. Choosing an EPA-registered repellent ensures the EPA has evaluated the product for effectiveness. When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breast-feeding women.
Always follow the product label instructions.
Reapply insect repellent as directed.
Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.

• If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen before applying insect repellent.
• Protect children from mosquito bites (they need special care with chemical bug repellents)
• Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old.
• Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children younger than 3 years old.
• Dress your child in clothing that covers arms and legs.
• Cover crib, stroller, and baby carrier with mosquito netting.
• Do not apply insect repellent onto a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, and cut or irritated skin.
• Adults: Spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child’s face.
• Be sure to check your yard often, daily even for standing water and keep it dumped out. Mosquito's can breed in a tiny little bit of water, like the size of a bottle cap (sneaky little boogers), so be a detective and get rid of them.
• Protect your family and your community, it's just the right thing to do!
• Be smart about planning a pregnancy if you are going to travel to South America or the Caribbean , talk to your doctor first. It might be a better option to wait or delay your travel plans.

Below is a great infographic I found that explains the Zika virus in detail (with a timeline) , symptoms, treatments and preventative measures.

Do you want more information about the Zika Virus? Here are a few links to visit and learn more. 

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/fs-posters/index.html

http://www.who.int/emergencies/zika-virus/en/

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/zika/en/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zika_virus

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/13/health/cdc-zika-virus-microcephaly/index.html

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/zika-virus-symptoms-prevention

Please educate yourself and be smart this summer about mosquitos, they can carry numerous virus's and diseases. With some prevention and a dose of smartness we can be smarter. 

Have a great and safe weekend

Fireworks Safety :Enjoy Your Holiday Safely #safety #fireworks

Happy Fourth of July week! lets enjoy the holiday and be safe with some very simple tips for staying safe at home and while out watching fireworks. Proceed with caution and leave the fireworks for trained professionals. Sparklers are not to be given to children, notice the temperature at which a sparkler burns --1200 degrees F !! Sparklers are fun and pretty, but oh so dangerous.

How To Avoid Falling, Slipping and Tripping #safetymonth

Have you yourself fallen, tripped or slipped lately? It is a scary feeling that I myself experienced just this last April. I fell in the parking lot at the grocery store, simply because I was busy talking and did not pay attention to where I was walking. My left leg was black and blue for weeks, the pain was aggravating to say the least. I was very lucky and did not break anything, but my pride that day.

Many of us are living with or caring for our parents or grandparents as we journey into another realm of our busy lives. Grandparents are such precious treasures to us , not to mention the bonds they create with our children. Keeping them safe, just as they did for us, must be a priority.
Did you know that falls are the second-leading cause of unintentional death? Not many people do. Since June is National Safety Month, our friends at the Recall Center have made it their mission to educate and encourage safe behavior with hopes to help prevent slips, trips, and falls.

http://www.recallcenter.com/prevent-slips-trips-falls/

UNDERSTAND THE CAUSES

The first step toward preventing falls is understanding what causes them.

• Spills are a significant hazard, particularly in places like kitchens or bathrooms with tile floors that become slick when wet. Spills can also be difficult to see.
• Weather hazards such as snow and ice, or even just rainwater, create slippery surfaces and uncertain footing. Snow or ice falling from a rooftop can hit or startle someone, potentially causing a fall.
• Wet or oily floors, whether due to a spill, water from the tub, snow or rain tracked into the house, or something else, can be dangerously slippery.
• Loose or uneven flooring, including loose tile or the unsecured edge of a carpet or area rug, can catch a foot and cause someone to stumble.
• Dim lighting makes it difficult to see objects to avoid, particular for individuals with declining eyesight.
• Clutter places hazards in the way of people who may be at risk of falling. Shoes, pet toys, or virtually anything else can cause someone to trip, and even a small stumble is enough to cause a fall, especially in someone whose mobility and reflexes are limited by age.

KNOW WHERE TO LOOK

The next step is knowing places where hazards most often occur, and where seniors are most likely to encounter them.

• Living spaces, because they are heavily trafficked, carry a variety of risks. Bedrooms and hallways may be prone to clutter or loose carpets, while bathrooms and kitchens often have spills or other liquids on the floor. Pay special attention to stairs, as they can be difficult for seniors to navigate even under ideal conditions and can also lead to the most damaging falls.
• Outdoor walkways can be especially hazardous. They are prone to buildups of ice and snow and may become slick with rain. Heavily trafficked routes pose even more of a risk–not only will seniors encounter potential hazards more often, familiarity can lead to carelessness.
• Garages, often used as a catch-all storage space, are often cluttered and badly lit, a dangerous combination.

Gardens and yards, while an excellent source of exercise and fresh air, can be risky too. Grass and mud can conceal uneven ground, tree roots, garden implements left outside, or other potential causes of a fall. And while a fall on grass may not seem as bad as one on asphalt, it can still cause serious injury.

 Please be safe and keep your loved ones safe......

Slavery today? Sex Trafficking, your child is at risk!

                       Source: mackenziechild.org via Sarah on Pinterest

Summer time injuries and the ER

             
Summer time injuries that come into the Emergency Department can vary from very minor to horrible and traumatic. A mixture of the heat, late nights, holiday parties, alcohol, summer sports and the water/water sports can cause many different injuries in ages from very young all the way up to our elderly seniors. As an ER nurse I am amazed each summer with the trouble people can get themselves into. The poor choices they can make, the stupidness they can exhibit and how selfish parents can be sometimes when they choose to not watch their children. For pete's sake people use your brain some time, you do have one you know.

According to Colin Dircks, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at Piedmont Hospital in Georgia, three of the most common summer injuries are heat-related illness, head injuries and fireworks-related injuries.
“Heat cramps are common in the summer months and are caused by loss of sodium and other electrolytes. We see heat exhaustion and as heat illness progresses, you can develop nausea, headaches and even heat stroke,” says Dr. Dircks. With heat stroke, “the body core temperature elevates significantly – oftentimes more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit.”
To avoid heat-related illnesses, Dr. Dircks recommends “staying hydrated and replacing lost sodium by drinking sports drinks.”
In addition to heat-related illness, head injuries also increase in warm weather months. “The most common activity during the summer months responsible for head injuries is bicycle accidents,” he says. “Water sports-related injuries are also very common and are responsible for almost 30,000 ER visits annually. It is very important if you have a pool that children are under supervision at all times. Be sure to minimize horse play in and around the pool.”
When it comes to fireworks-related injuries, “these are commonly burns, foreign bodies, or lacerations, predominately in the hands, fingers and eyes,” says Dr. Dircks.
And be cautious with so-called “safe” fireworks, especially around children. “People think of sparklers as ‘safe’ fireworks and often give them to kids,” says Dr. Dircks. “They burn at about 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and we see a lot of burns associated with them. They are responsible for as many ER visits as firecrackers.”

Stay tuned tomorrow for those dangers of fireworks

Texting while Driving (very graphic video)

As the parent of a teen this video upsets me greatly, as an ER nurse I know the importance of sharing this with others. I read that texting while driving can increase your chances of a crash 23 times more! so why do it? Watch this with your teens after you watch it yourself and talk to them honestly about the consequences of making poor choices. If you are a parent make sure that your choices are good ones, you are always being watched. At my house we always say 'monkey see monkey do" and that is so true for little eyes that watch what we do and do the same thing. Stay safe and keep your kids safe ;)
~~Leslie~~

***I will warn you, this is graphic and might not be suitable for some****

Smoke Alarms and your child

Raising Safe Kids: One Stage at a Time
Does Your Child Know the Sound of a Smoke Alarm?
Children younger than age 7 are more vulnerable to smoke and flames in a fire, less likely to wake up if a smoke alarm sounds while they’re sleeping and have a hard time escaping a burning home by themselves.
When children see smoke or fire, they may try to hide in a closet or under a bed. So, as soon as your children are old enough to understand, make sure they know the sound of the smoke alarm and what to do when they hear it.
Remember to make and practice a fire escape plan with your entire family. Find at least two ways out of every room and have a plan to help young children escape your home.
Q&A of the Week
Q: My children sleep very deeply. Will they wake up to the smoke alarm?
A: Sometimes children will sleep through a smoke alarm. Test your alarms at night to see if your child will wake up and respond to the alarm. If you child doesn’t wake up to the alarm, try a talking alarm that says “Fire! Fire!”
Some smoke alarms also use a recordable voice message to wake children up, instead of a traditional alarm. These devices let a parent record a personal message like, “Suzie, wake up and get out of the house right now!”
Tip of the Week
Preschool-aged children (3 years and older) can begin to learn what to do in case of a fire. Teach your little ones that the sound of a smoke alarm means go outside immediately, meet at a designated place and don’t hide from firefighters.

These are great tips from the website http://www.safekids.org/stages/index.html on smoke alarms and your children. Such a great idea to introduce your kids of all ages to what a smoke alarm is and what it sounds like. At our house we regularly change the batteries and test the smoke alarms both upstairs and down in our basement. I let the kids help me and explain to them what I am doing and why. We have a plan for fire or smoke that involves a central location that we will all meet in the front yard in case the smoke alarm sounds. My husband and I also role played with our younger kids about what the fireman would look like and sound like if he came into there room at night. It would be scary to anybody to see all that gear and air packs on some stranger in a dark smoke filled room. A trip to your local fire station helps , we went with a group on a tour and one of the firemen put on all his gear and let the kids touch and look closer at him, he explained how he was not a monster, but a community helper that was going to help them in the event their mommy or daddy could not get them out of the house.

Please talk to your kids about these very important tips and maybe it could save a life.

~~Once upon a Booster Seat~~

I am alive today because I wear by seat belt!! My 5th birthday party
The Little Princess age 3

Once upon a time,
there lived a little Princess that had outgrown her little girl car safety seat, with the 5 point harness, and was ready to move into a "big girl" booster seat just like her big Princess sister. The little Princess and her Royal Mommy set out on a journey to the booster seat store and picked out the perfect one, a pretty pink high back booster with little royal fairies on it. The new booster seat was installed into the Royal mini-van by the Royal Mommy who just happened to be a certified car seat safety technician and off they drove to the Royal kingdom. The little Princess soon learned that all she had to do was push a button and "click" she was able to get out of the seat belt. Much to the Royal Mommy's dismay she was able to get up and wave out the window at all her royal subjects so much easier while standing up unbuckled. The Royal Mommy was most upset with this behavior and decided to sternly and swiftly warm the little bottom of the little Princess every time she decided to get out of her new booster seat. This went on for a week until the little Princess decided it would be better to stay in her new pink booster seat, buckled up safe and sound, than to have her bottom warmed up by the hand of the Royal Mommy. Her little royal tooshie was starting to get a might bit sore, and the Royal Mommy was getting very grouchy. The Royal Mommy also explained to her how much safer she was in her seat, belted in correctly.

That following Monday afternoon, not even a mile from the castle, a terrible thing happened. A very large bus/RV made a poor choice and pulled out directly in front of the Royal mini-van causing a crash. The Royal Mommy was kept safely in her seat by the seat belt she was wearing. The airbags kept her from hitting the steering wheel or dashboard of the Royal mini-van. The little Princess was also kept safely in her little pink booster seat by the seat belt since she had decided to be safe and keep in on correctly. Both the Royal Mommy and the little Princess had many bumps and bruises, but both are alive today. The seat belts and airbags in the Royal mini-van did their jobs working together to keep the Royal driver and passenger safe to live another day in the kingdom. The poor Royal mini-van did not survive and the Royal daddy was most upset, but glad his family is still here today. The moral of this story: Little Princess's should always ride in their car seats or booster seats, installed correctly with seat belts on, so that one day they can meet Prince Charming and live happily ever after.

True story: by Leslie Block RN(the Royal Mommy of the Little Princess);)