I listen to news on the radio and TV for hours each day, it’s my background noise while driving or working at home, and I like to stay up to date on current events, local and national news stories and hear the weather forecasts. In the past week or so, it seemed that there were so many stories in the news that tweaked my “Isis” radar. I jotted down some of the stories I recall from the past week, with a few thoughts and resources related to the stories.
Both West Nile Virus and Triple E (Eastern Equine Encephalitis) were found in mosquitoes in the Boston area this week. It’s time to use mosquito netting, avoid dusk walks in buggy areas and around water, and protect yourself and children from bites. Read Bug Off: Protecting your tender baby from mosquitoes .
Flying? Parents worry about everything from planes crashing, terrorists and getting through airport lines where even 9 month olds must have their soft sneakers removed for security screenings, but really, the biggest risk when flying is simple turbulence.
Passengers on a flight from Washington D.C. to Los Angelis encountered sudden and severe turbulence over Kansas last week, injuring 22. “People were tossed through the air like dolls”, a passenger stated. Those injured were not wearing seatbelts when the plane suddenly lurched and dropped rapidly (and yes, the fasten seatbelts warning was lit). An infant or toddler in arms would become a moving projectile in those circumstances. Solution? Keep your child buckled in an FAA-approved infant or toddler seat, or use the CARES travel restraint and follow “return to your seat” instructions of the flight crew.
Be safe at home. The twin toddler tragedy in Lynnfield is too horrible to even mention in detail here. Maybe you heard about it. If you didn’t, that’s okay. Just, please, childproof your home, but know that gates and latches cannot replace supervision. Enlist friends, family or helpers when you really need a break. Learn Child CPR. Have you been meaning to take that class? Just do it.
Life’s a Beach. Maybe. High bacteria counts closed several local South Shore beaches to swimming over this past week. Yuck. Here are some Isis family favorite picnic sites and alternate beaches to consider if you’re planning a local outing and need a fresh venue to visit.
More recalls! All Pottery Barn Kids drop-side cribs were recalled last week, and the Nap Nanny baby lounger was recalled yesterday. It seems the baby-product recalls are endless. Common sense goes a long way, though. Use products as they are intended, follow age and weight guidelines and inspect products for safety, missing parts and wear. Fill out and return your product registration cards to the manufacturer: companies will contact you if there are recalls or repairs needed in the future. Subscribe to the CPSC safety alert emails and be notified of infant/child product recalls automatically.
Today, some good news! The Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Report was released today. This report features national and state-by-state data and rankings on 10 key indicators of child well-being. Massachusetts ranked 5th nationally overall, and ranked 2nd nationally on two critical indicators: the infant mortality rate and the teen birth rate.