More kids getting drunk on hand sanitizer - CNN.com

Read the full article: More kids getting drunk on hand sanitizer - CNN.com:

"Since 2010, poison control center hotlines across the United States have seen a nearly 400% increase in calls related to children younger than 12 ingesting hand sanitizer, according to new analysis by the Georgia Poison Center.

"Kids are getting into these products more frequently, and unfortunately, there's a percentage of them going to the emergency room," said Dr. Gaylord Lopez, the center's director."

'via Blog this'

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Spoonfuls can lead to medicine errors, study finds - US News

Read the full article: Spoonfuls can lead to medicine errors, study finds - US News:

"Parents who used spoonfuls "were 50% more likely to give their children incorrect doses than those who measured in more precise milliliter units," said Dr. Alan Mendelsohn, a co-author and associate professor at New York University's medical school.

Incorrect doses included giving too much and too little, which can both be dangerous, he said. Underdosing may not adequately treat an illness and can lead to medication-resistant infections, while overdoses may cause illness or side effects that can be life-threatening. The study doesn't include information on any ill effects from dosing mistakes."

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Warning - What Is Secondary Drowning of Kids?

Updated February 9, 2017 (the original video disappeared):

I've never heard of "Secondary Drowning" until now.  Now that school is out for Summer, be on the lookout.


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Why a Safety Device That Can Stop Overdoses by Kids Isn’t Widely Used - ProPublica

The Fix Isn’t In: Why a Safety Device That Can Stop Overdoses by Kids Isn’t Widely Used - ProPublica:

""If flow restrictors work, they should be placed on all liquid products," said Dr. G. Randall Bond, a pediatrician and poison expert who has consulted with drug makers. “We need a technological change to get us to the next level of safety.”"

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Kids Getting Into Medicines At Alarming Rate (video)

500,000 Times Each Year a Child gets into Medicine or gets the Wrong Dose:

"Safe Kids Worldwide released a new research report that found kids are getting into medicine at an alarming rate. Every minute of every day, a poison control center receives a call about a potential medicine poisoning for a child age five and under. And 67,000 times each year, or every eight minutes, a young child goes to the emergency room for medicine poisoning. This is a 30 percent increase over the past ten years."

'via Blog this'

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New Recommendations - Child Food Allergy Prevention

A committee from the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology (AAAAI) published new recommendations for parents aimed at helping prevent food allergies in young children.

Primary Prevention of Allergic Disease Through Nutritional Interventions. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. Volume 1, Issue 1 , Pages 29-36, January 2013

The journal article above, is pretty detailed and isn't a casual quick read.  The following might be a better quick introductory article:

• New Thinking On Preventing Food Allergies (Parade Magazine)

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Drug Poisoning Increase In Children

Pharmaceutical drug poisonings rise in children - latimes.com:  'via Blog this'

The LA Times article gives a nice highlight and summary of the much longer research article published in the Journal of Pediatrics, The Growing Impact of Pediatric Pharmaceutical Poisoning.

To give you an idea of what they found,  I'm sharing just a portion of their conclusion:

"We conclude that the problem of pediatric medication poisoning is getting worse, not better. Past preventive efforts have proved to be inadequate. More children are exposed, more are seen in an ED, more are admitted, and more are injured each year."

Not surprisingly, there are mentions that medical bottles and packages may need to be redesigned to limit how fast a child can consume medication, and that drugs should be stored in locked cabinets, and unused medications need to removed from the home.

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Portable Swimming Pools Pose A Danger

Summer started and I'm sweltering.  I work in Pleasanton, CA, and the last two days there have baked as high or near 100 degrees.  ... wishing I had that in-ground or portable swimming pool to cool down.

My mind wanders, as I also have family in New Mexico, and they have an above ground pool with a little one running around.

In the heat of Summer, and in pursuit of watery cool, the danger of portable swimming pool lurks, reports this Pediatrics journal article, Pediatric Submersion Events in Portable - Above-Ground Pools in the United States, 2001–2009.

In a nutshell, the authors conclude that there's a risk:

". . .especially in the under 5-year-old age group. No single strategy will prevent all submersion deaths and injuries; therefore, layers of protection are recommended. Industry is advised to engage in development of protective devices that are effective and affordable for portable pools, including isolation fencing, pool alarms, and safety covers"

Please folks, be thoughtful, wary, and careful this Summer.

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FDA Restricts Cigarette and Tobacco Sales and Distribution

I don't smoke, so I'm happy to see this action coming from the FDA, FDA Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco. The new rule becomes effective June 22, 2010, and has the force and effect of law.

Here are the highlights:

New Requirements Relating to Sale and Distribution

• Prohibits the sale of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco to people younger than 18.
• Prohibits the sale of cigarette packages with fewer than 20 cigarettes.
• Prohibits the sale of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in vending machines, self-service displays, or other impersonal modes of sales, except in very limited situations.
• Prohibits free samples of cigarettes and limits distribution of smokeless tobacco products.

New Requirements Relating to Marketing (Labeling, Advertising, and Promotion)

• Prohibits tobacco brand name sponsorship of any athletic, musical, or other social or cultural event, or any team or entry in those events.
• Prohibits gifts or other items in exchange for buying cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products.
• Requires that audio ads use only words with no music or sound effects.
• Prohibits the sale or distribution of items, such as hats and tee shirts, with tobacco brands or logos.

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Warning - Protect Your Children From Choking On Killer Hot Dogs

Image via Wikipedia

It sounds funny. Unfortunately, this is serious business.  Read this US New and World Report news article, Kids and Killer Hot Dogs? 3 Tips to Prevent Choking on Food.

In a nutshell, here are three practical ways to reduce choking risk for children:

1. Re-engineer children's food yourself to reduce choking hazards. 
2. Cook foods intended for small children until soft.
3. Keep high-risk foods like peanuts, peanut butter, marshmallows, chewing gum, meat sticks, and round candy away from children.

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Free Tips To Keep Your Kids Safe From Top 6 Summer Dangers

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Updated March 2, 2021

The link in the original post broke.

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Top Six Summer Dangers: ER Doctor Offers Tips for Keeping Kids Safe - Health.am

---   original post follows below  ---

It's summer now, and there's a much higher incidence of injuries caused by accidents and sports, reports this Medical News Today article, Top Six Summer Dangers: ER Doctor Offers Tips For Keeping Kids Safe. In a nutshell, watch out for these 6 Summer dangers:

1. All-Terrain Vehicles
2. Trampolines
3. Bikes, Inline Skates and Skateboards
4. Drowning
5. Car Accidents
6. Heat and Dehydration

According to the article:

As the temperatures rise, so do trips to pediatric emergency rooms. Severe cuts, broken bones and head injuries are the most common causes for trips to the emergency room during the summer

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FDA Reports Latest List of Potentially Risky Drugs

The FDA has just released its quarterly Potential Signals of Serious Risks/New Safety Information Identified from the Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) between July - September 2008. The FDA has identified potential safety issues, but this does not mean that FDA has identified a causal relationship between the drug and the listed risk. I've listed the July - Sept '08 list of affected drugs here . . . Product Name: Active Ingredient (Trade) or Product Class (Potential Signal of Serious Risk/New Safety Information)

1. Codeine-containing cough medicine (Adverse events in children)
2. Oral bisphosphonates (Esophageal cancer)
3. Mefloquine HCl (Lariam)(Psychiatric events)
4. Minocycline (Thyroid disorders)
5. Bupivicaine intraarticular injection given by infusion pump (Chondrolysis)
6. Selective serotonin and selective norepinephrine reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI and SNRI) antidepressants (Birth defects)
7. Propylthiouracil and Methimazole (Hepatotoxicity)
8. Phenytoin injection (Cardiac arrest due to rapid injectionK)
9. Terbinafine (Lamisil) oral use (Psychiatric events)

For more complete FDA information: Potential Signals of Serious Risks/New Safety Information Identified from the Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) Quarterly Reports 2008 January to March 2008 April to June 2008 July to September

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Eccch - Read This Before Touching That Grocery Cart

Ever wonder what's on that grocery store cart? . . . how about zillions of bacteria! Read this scary article by KSWO, and see why you should care, "Special Report: "Clean Those Carts"." Some take-home messages . . .

1. Think about the health of your children
2. Wipe the cart down with sanitary wipes
3. Wash your hands ASAP

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Opiates Can Kill Kids!

Nobody wants to see kids hurt! So it's important that you read this NBC News article to avoid such a situation, "Prescription opiates and kids: One pill can kill - Glut of drugs fuels reports of poisonings among very young children." Oxycontin and other opiates can poison your kids. Here are some things you need to do . . .

1. Don't spill or drop pills, and if you do, it's critical that you pick them all up, so that they're not eaten by your children.
2. Be sure your painkillers are secure, because one pill is enough to harm or kill.

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Cold Meds For Kids - The FDA Weighs In Again

This is probably my last post on this subject, yet a worthy close to this thread. If you've been following this issue you'll want to read this FDA statement, "FDA Statement Following CHPA's Announcement on Nonprescription Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Medicines in Children."

In a nutshell, there are still a lot of issues that need to get resolved. In the meantime, here's the abbreviated version of what the FDA recommends:

• Do not give children medications labeled only for adults.
• Talk to your healthcare professional if you have any questions about using cough or cold medicines in children.
• Choose OTC cough and cold medicines with child-resistant safety caps, when available.
• Check the "active ingredients" section of the DRUG FACTS label of the medicines that you choose.
• Be very careful if you are giving more than one medicine to a child.
• Carefully follow the directions for how to use the medicine in the DRUG FACTS part of the label.
• Only use measuring devices that come with the medicine or those specially made for measuring drugs.
• Understand that using OTC cough and cold medicines does not cure the cold or cough.

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Cold Meds For Kids - Part 2

Looks like the pharmaceutical industry is coming out with some strong recommendations. Read this MSNBC news article, "Drug companies: No cold meds for kids under 4."

They recommend . . .

• Parents should never:
  Give adult medicines to a child.
  Give two or more medicines with the same ingredients at the same time.
  Give antihistamines to make a child sleepy.
• Parents should:
  Give the exact recommended dose, using the measuring device that comes with the medicine.
  Keep OTC medicines out of sight and out of reach.
  Consult their doctor if they have any questions.

These suggestions seem pretty reasonable, all things considered.

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The Health, Drug, Prescription, and GMP Supersite: The FDA And Cold Meds For Children (video)

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The FDA And Cold Meds For Children (video)

Updated May 24, 2025

The video link broke.

You can still read the story, in text, here:

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-rejects-ban-child-cold-medicines-flna1c9444259

---  the original post follows below  ===

The FDA stance is interesting. Instead of banning kids' cold medicines, they've chosen the "lesser of two evils" position. That is, the FDA fears that if they ban cold meds for kids (which are believed to be ineffective), parents will give adult-strength cold meds to children making the whole situation worse.

Check out this MSNBC news video to get the quick story about this, "FDA Rejects Ban On Kids' Cold Meds. "

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Back-To-School Anxiety - tips for parents and their kids under 8

Updated February 5, 2022

The original link broke.

You can still read about the topic here:

Young Kids and Back-to-School Anxiety: How to Shrink it Down to Size - EmpoweringParents.com

---  the original post follows below  ---

Summer is coming to an end, and it will soon be time to go back to school. It's time to pay attention to back to school mental health. There's an excellent Minti post on this topic, "Young Kids and Back to School Anxiety: How to Shrink it Down to Size." The main point is take away as many unknowns as possible (e.g., preview the playground), and address concerns how certain social situations might he handled (e.g., who to eat lunch with). Amazingly, there are back-to-school anxiety books for children ages 4-8. This Amazon.com carousel contains titles from a list I saw published in the San Francisco Examiner (8/20/08):  

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