Safety

Back in the 18th century, our relationship with the Brits wasn’t so hot - the whole American Revolution thing. But today we’ve got a lot to thank the UK for: Maclaren strollers, fax machines, penicillin, steel-ribbed umbrellas (a.k.a. bumbershoots), Burberry and Jude Law, to name a few. Now we’re getting some new hot wheels from across the pond.

Early Rider, already popular in Europe, is a light-weight, learner bike specifically geared toward toddlers and preschoolers. It’s got no pedals. Kids ride it Fred-Flintstone style, walking and jogging along, coasting when they feel like it. The point of the bike is to concentrate on learning to balance; kids can work on gross motor skills and gain self-confidence before throwing in pedaling. These British bikes weigh between seven and 11 pounds. All three versions of the Early Rider are made from Forest Stewardship Council sustainable birch, have an embossed flame and faux leather seat pad. Of course, with a bike this good-looking, Junior will need suitable headgear to match.

That’s when you turn to Nutcase, a Portland-based helmet company. They make a line for kids (toddlers to age 5) called Little Nutty. Each helmet is made from an ABS shell and with an EPS shock-absorbing liner. The helmets are one-size-fits-all and have a spin-dial fit system. One of the company’s co-founders was a creative director at Nike. No wonder these helmets have got such great visuals. The newest Little Nutties are Flower Power and Paint Fight (pictured), but you’ll also want to check out the 8 Ball, Dots and Urban Caution designs.

Ride, baby, ride.

Early Riders are available at earlyrider.com, and Little Nutty helmets at nutcasehelmets.com.

There’s a new version of the ABCs to learn these days, only it doesn’t have a catchy tune, is associated with plenty of health hazards and contains letter combos such as DEHP, BBP (phthalates) and PVC (vinyl). It’s hard enough keeping track of what these mean, let alone which products contain them.

Enter HealthyStuff.org, a new website from the Ecology Center, a Michigan-based, non-profit environmental organization. The site just released the biggest database ever of independent tests of toxic chemicals found in everyday products. It covers 5,000 consumer items, including toys from its two-year-old predecessor, HealthyToys.org. Car seats, cars, back-to-school products, pet accessories, even women’s handbags, were all put to the test. Researchers were looking for the presence of lead, cadmium, bromine, mercury and arsenic plus phthalates and PVCs. Each subject is rated - high, medium or low - according to the level of toxic chemicals found. Below are some highlights from the database:

*More than half of the car seats tested contained one or more hazardous chemicals.
*56% of back-to-school supplies contained PVCs and 22% contained detectable levels of lead.
*Lead was detected in 75% of the more than 100 plastic women’s handbags tested.

And don’t worry, for the non-chem majors, Healthystuff.org details the health risks posed by the various toxic chemicals for which it’s testing. One great feature of the site: You can nominate products you believe Healthystuff.org should evaluate.

Power to the people.

Take the word “air,” engage in a little free association, and phrases such as Air Jordans, Air Supply, air pollution (and, possibly even, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) may come to mind. Car seat’s not likely to make the list. Until now.

Safety 1st has just introduced the Complete Air Convertible car seat. It uses air to protect a baby’s head from a side impact crash. Not to be confused in any way with an airbag, the Air Protect system inside the seat’s side head flaps not only shields the head but also reduces crash forces. Side impact crashes have increased by 20% over the past two decades and are among the deadliest. One quarter of all crashes involving children are side impact crashes. Air Protect technology was developed in conjunction with Kettering University’s Crash Safety Center. The Complete Air Convertible car seat is for kids 5-50 pounds and has a five-position adjustable headrest.

Air you go.

Available at toysrus.com.

No matter how much we learn about an infant’s brain, no matter how expensive our strollers become, no matter how hi-tech the baby gear gets, science and technology seem to have no impact on one key aspect of parenting - the schlep factor. Traveling with baby is still one big exercise in inconvenience.

Short of hiring a staff to do your heavy lifting, your next best option is to rent baby gear at your destination (a good way to avoid all the airline baggage charges). The newly-formed Baby Travel Pros Association represents baby equipment rental companies across the country. Members must agree to adhere to various safety and cleanliness standards. The organization’s co-founder and president, Sarah Peters, outlines what you need to know and ask when renting gear on the go:

The real deal: Ask if the product you see pictured on the company’s website is what you’ll actually be getting. No bait and switch. Who wants a pack n’ play when you ordered a full-sized crib!

The recall loop: Ask point blank if the company regularly checks lists of recalled products. Also, inquire if they’re on the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) e-mail list for updates and recalls. Find out whether they register all their products.

Age: Inquire how old the equipment is and how often it’s replaced. Car seats should be no more than seven years old. No car seat should be expired.

Shape: Gear should be in “like-new” condition. It goes without saying that nothing should be broken or missing parts. Feel free to ask for the owner’s manual.

Specifics: Let the company know your child’s age, height and weight, and make sure that the equipment (in particular, car seats and strollers) is suitable.

Cleanliness: You may want to ask what kind of cleaning products they use on the rental items. Eco-friendly? Hypoallergenic?

A last word on car seats: All car seats manufactured after September 2002 should have the LATCH system and a five-point harness.

For more information, visit babytravelpros.com.

It’s long been theorized that breastfeeding an infant has a protective effect against autism, but 2007 work by neuroscientist Michael Merzenich casts doubt on that theory. In the study, published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Merzenich found that in rats, introducing environmental toxins at the same levels found in breastmilk contributed to a significant deterioration of the brain. Merzenich fears that the toxins already present in our environment are being delivered to babies via breastmilk, contributing to the precipitous rise of autism diagnoses.

Environmental toxins like PCBs, though they have been banned for decades, are found in high concentrations in the human bodies, and leach into breastmilk. PCBEs, a close cousin of PCBs, are still being produced and are also found in human tissues. Merzenich concludes that these toxins, along with other factors like a genetic predisposition for developmental disorders, should convince researchers to take a second look at breastfeeding.

Find more at ucsf.edu.

Before the family hits the beach this holiday weekend, make sure you’ve got all the right sun protection in place. Remember, everyone is at risk: Children especially should guard their sensitive skin, and learn the basics for a lifetime of sun safety. Below are a few expert tips.

Sunscreen basics: Look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB, with an SPF of at least 15. Apply as much sunscreen as you can — imagine the size a golf ball. Use it on any area that’s exposed to the sun, including chest, ears, hands and around eyes and mouth. Reapply every 90 minutes you’re outside, or after getting wet.

Stay in shade: Adhere to the “shadow rule” — if your shadow is shorter than you, that means the sun is directly overhead. Time to head indoors.

Dress for sun: Even SPF and a T-shirt don’t protect you from the rays. Wear sun-protective clothing, like long-sleeved shirts, pants and even swimsuits that are specially designed to minimize sun exposure. Pick up a sun guard detergent that coats clothing in a UPF protection of 30.

Top it off: Go for a broad-brimmed hat, preferably with a back flap, rather than a baseball cap, to protect the face, ears and neck. Complete the look with dark sunglasses with “Total UV” protection.

See a doctor: Visit a dermatologist for a yearly skin cancer screening. Get examined right away if you notice any moles that itch, bleed or change in size, shape or color, or any skin lesion that doesn’t heal.

Visit playsafeinthesun.org.

Technology plus baby equals an easier system for all those involved. Luckily, there are a slew of new parent-developed iPhone applications to simplify feedings, diaper changes and games. Give one a trial run and see if it’s a time saver.

Baby Brain: Time and log feedings (breast or bottle), diapers and sleep. Plus you can email reports to spouses, caregivers or a doctor, view daily, weekly and monthly stats and see the baby’s natural patterns.

Bobble Zoo: Designed for toddlers and preschool children, this interactive version of traditional bobbleheads combines educational tools with animal portraits, sounds and names of each animal spoken in a child’s voice they can relate to. Each animal sound is paired with a corresponding animal, teaching your toddler their favorite animal sounds and the pronunciation of the animal names.

iStoryTime: These stories, a series of illustrated and narrated children’s book applications, feature automatic navigation and narration that even a 2-year-old can use. Check out the roster of online children’s books, with more in the pipeline.

KinderStats: This application keeps your child’s vital information (DOB, height and weight, age, etc.) and photos handy in case of emergency. If you get separated from your child in a public place (mall, amusement park, etc.) you’ll have all the necessary information handy to help the authorities quickly locate and return your child.

This Earth Day, what can your family do to make a difference? Below, Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization, offers a few simple tips to preserve the planet this spring. Remember, every little bit counts.

1. April showers bring May flowers: Capture rain water and use it to water your garden.
2. Sort through old things to find out what can be recycled (everything from newspapers and cardboard to aluminum and electronics are recyclable). Donate usable items to local charities.
3. Go organic: Save money and go green by cultivating your own favorite vegetables and fruits. Even easier — buy local produce and support local farmers.
4. Do what you can to reduce litter on your local beaches — with summer coming, you’ll keep your favorite places to swim safe.
5. Walk to work, school or the store to save money, conserve energy and be more active.
6. Spend time outside. Take advantage of local parks and plan activities outside. Spending time outdoors is a great way to enjoy the weather and reduce energy consumption.
7. Teach children about how important our environment really is. Make sure they know to keep the tradition of Earth Day alive, not only on April 22nd, but every day.

Even if your entire neighborhood was vaccinated, you’re still afraid of that three-letter word that can wreak havoc on your household. Yes, it’s flu season.

The Say Boo to the Flu program offers prevention tips (from moms, teachers and microbiologists), as well as handy features including a hand-washing reward chart and cleaning recommendations. Their tips for scaring away germs includes:

Wash hands frequently. Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds.

Disinfect germ hot spots. Kids can touch up to 300 surfaces in 30 minutes, so disinfect the surfaces kids touch most frequently, like doorknobs, light switches, faucets or plastic toys.

Do the elbow cough. Cough and sneeze into your elbow instead of your hands to help prevent the spread of germs from touch.

Follow good health guidelines. Eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep to help boost your body’s ability to fight the effects of colds and the flu.

Visit sayboototheflu.com.

You often wonder, where does that bouncy ball or teething ring come from — and is it really OK that your toddler can’t keep it out of his mouth?

Before you hit the toy store, check out HealthyToys.org, a new site which lists a consumer guide to toxic chemicals in toys, as tested by nonprofit organization the Ecology Center. Researchers tested more than 1,500 popular playthings for harmful chemicals like lead, cadmium, arsenic and PVC.

A simple search function breaks items down by name, brand and type. For a safe birthday party gift, consult the winners of best toys — nearly 300 products with no detectable traces of harmful chemicals. Or nominate a toy (like that doll your kid won’t do without) to be tested by the Ecology Center staff.

This site’s got enough info to keep you clicking, but don’t obsess. Be vigilant, and take action.

Visit healthytoys.org.