Posts Tagged ‘Safety’

If “new phone” is on your gift list for a child this holiday season, SafetyWeb might be a good add-on. For $10 a month (or $100 a year), SafetyWeb riffles through publicly posted information on your kid(s): profiles on Facebook or other social networking sites, Tweets, game portals, and other places associated with his aliases and email addresses. If SafetyWeb sees anything that might be problematic, it’s immediately noted in the personalized report available on your child.

What kinds of things are problematic? Oh, angry words, racist words, anything associated with sex, drugs, or alcohol. SafetyWeb also notes who your child befriends, so if a 45-year-old man suddenly befriends your 13-year-old girl, you’ll know about it. SafetyWeb also finds and displays all publicly available photos of your child, just in case there’s one or two floating around out there you won’t like.

For users with family plan phones, SafetyWeb even includes phone usage in the report. You’ll know the top five numbers your child called, and how many text she sent. Darned useful information if you’re trying to monitor what your child’s up to in that big digital world.

Parents are starting to rev up for their holiday travel, and if you have a toddler or infant, one indisputably useful piece of equipment you’ll want to pack is the Dream Baby No Tools-No Screws Safety Kit. Quickly and easily, and without installing any hardware or getting out the toolbox, parents can cover outlets, secure doors, drawers, and appliances (no more weird stuff in the dishwasher!), cushion corners of tables, and prevent doors from slamming or pinching little fingers.

Nothing will damage the objects they secure, and everything installs in just a few minutes and can be taken off just as quickly. Renters can leave them in place for months or years at a time, removing them when they’re packing up to leave. Or those who travel frequently can take the locks and latches with them in a suitcase. When you arrive at the hotel or at Aunt Margie’s, spend 20 minutes scouting for and fixing up safety issues. Whew, now you can relax and enjoy your vacation.

Dream Baby No Tools No Screws Safety Kit, $17.50

Every parent worries about who can find their kid online. But Geoffrey Arone, co-founder and co-CEO of Internet monitoring service SafetyWeb, says that what can be an even bigger concern in the fullness of time is not who can get to your kid, but the traces of himself he leaves behind.

“This is the first generation of kids growing up with a log file,” says Arone. “You wouldn’t believe the things you can find about kids, just doing a Google search. If they won the spelling bee, if they played on a sports team, it’s out there. And so are networking profiles from years ago that they set up and forgot about.”

It’s a parent’s nightmare: what if on these old profiles, something your kid said or did comes back to haunt her later?

With such concerns in mind, Arone and company set up SafetyWeb to chaperone kids in a unique way. When parents visit SafetyWeb, they type in their kid’s email address. SafetyWeb then searches social networking sites for your kid’s profile, and for activity. If your kid uploaded a photo to Flickr, you’ll know. If your child made a new friend on Facebook, you’ll see it. Parents who decide to join SafetyWeb ($10 a month, $100 a year), get regular reports on what their kids have said and done online. Everything that’s in the public domain (not hidden away behind some kind of password), is visible, and anything that might concern parents, such as text containing curses, or Facebook friends whose profile reveals them to be much older than your child, is flagged in the reports sent to parents.

It’s not an invasion of privacy: The only things parents can see are what’s public. SafetyWeb won’t capture texts sent from your tween’s phone, and you won’t be able to see her email. SafetyWeb is about giving parents the knowledge they need to guide their kids through the Internet’s wilds.

“We can’t guarantee your kids won’t make mistakes, but if it’s in the pubic domain, we’ll find anything risky to your child’s safety, privacy, or reputation,” says Arone.

A report recently released by the consumer advocacy watchdog Environmental Working Group, Sunscreens Exposed: 9 surprising truths, is an eye-opener for parents who slather their kids with ’screen every day before school. The first sentence sums it up chillingly: “Sunscreens prevent sunburns, but beyond that simple fact surprisingly little is known about the safety and efficacy of these ubiquitous creams and sprays.”

Let’s go through some of the creepier points, shall we? Not only are scientists not sure if sunscreens prevent skin cancer, there’s some evidence that melanomas, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, are more common amongst sunscreen users. True, this could be because sunscreen users typically sit in the sun longer, feeling that they’re protected, but it certainly gives one pause.

More damning facts: super-high SPFs (50 and over) are not only meaningless, they may actually be harmful in that they encourage users to stay out in the sun longer. Vitamin D deficiency, caused by staying out of the sun and screening what sun you get, is rampant: seven out of ten kids in America have low Vitamin D levels. Enjoy your rickets!

The Environmental Working Group stresses shade, protective clothing, and keeping out of the noontime sun, but still recommends the use of sunscreen. What type? EWG warns against “chemical” sunscreens that “have inferior stability, penetrate the skin and may disrupt the body’s hormone systems.” Instead, choose “mineral” screens that contain micronized or nano-scale particles of zinc or titanium.

So what sunscreen should you use? EWG has your back there too, with a database of more than a thousand brands. Each listing contains information about the item’s potential health effects and ingredients. Parents can search by brand or search for brands by criteria, like those that contain no oxybenzone, a potent hormone disrupter.

Let me paint a picture for you. You’re at an amusement park with the kids. One of them falls and hurts his knee, and in all the fuss over finding a bandage and kissing it, kid #2 wanders off. What do you do?

If you’ve applied Safety Tat, you rest just a little bit easier. The temporary tattoos are a unique and easy way to help keep kids safe. Put one on the kids’ arms when you’re on the way to a park, the grocery store, or another crowded venue; with your mobile phone number plastered to his arm, anyone who finds your wandering child will know how to return him.

Safety Tats can be ordered already-printed, or in write-on versions for the school field trip. They come in different versions too, including Safety Tats that warn strangers “I have autism,” “I have a peanut allergy,” or just the classic “If lost, please call.” For kids who are too young or otherwise unable to remember phone numbers, Safety Tats could prevent a whole lot of stress.

Safety Tats, from $19.95 for a pack of 30

Memorial Day kicks off the summer travel season — and those who find a good deal will be hitting road or taking to the friendly skies. But what to pack in baby’s suitcase? Below, the expert physicians at MommyDocs share their must-haves to avoid a vacation-induced flu:

Nasal aspirator: Babies haven’t quite figured out how to clear their own tiny nostrils and will need help from Mom. A nasal bulb syringe can help remove bothersome boogies from the nose.

Medicine: Talk to your doctor about what is best to have on hand for your child. These may include items such as nasal saline drops, fever reducing medications, and drinks to rehydrate and replace electrolytes. You’ll also want to make sure that any medicine you carry has not expired, and that you’re aware of the appropriate dosages based on your child’s weight. Never give medication to an infant, especially under the age of 3 months, without first consulting your physician. And always contact the doctor for a fever (100.4 F or greater) in an infant under 3 months of age or for any medical concerns in a child of any age.

Thermometer: Make sure you have a good thermometer and know how to use it. For infants, especially under 3 months of age, temperatures should always be taken rectally with a digital thermometer, like a Vicks digital thermometer. A great option once children have graduated from rectal temps is the Braun ThermoScan ear thermometer.

Your doctor’s phone number: Always have your doctor’s number on speed dial or somewhere very easy to find, such as in your wallet or glove compartment.

Hand sanitizer: Limit your child’s germ-spreading and germ-getting by enforcing a strict hand-washing policy. If available, use water and soap, scrubbing for at least 20 seconds. Another great option is an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Just be sure it is completely rubbed in and kept out of reach of children.

Tissues: Teach children to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible since germs can spread this way. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and remember to throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Also, encourage everyone to direct coughs and sneezes into their elbows, not their hands.

Visit mommydocs.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.

You’ve taken childproofing to whole new level (locks and latches and labels, oh my!) which is why September’s Baby Safety Month is worth a glance. This year, the Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association (JPMA) is focusing on the safe selection and use of child restraint seats.

FYI: All 50 states require a car seat, beginning the moment a baby comes home from the hospital. What’s more, all car seats must meet the rigorous standards set by the federal government. And make sure to restrain children properly according to their size, weight and age.

In honor of September safety, tomorrow is National Seat Check Saturday, which kicks off National Child Passenger Safety Week. Since installation can be tricky even for the most tech-savvy parent, visit the NHTSA’s website to locate a car seat inspection station in your area.

And drive safely.

Visit nhtsa.dot.gov.