Preventing Your Toddler From Choking

Little ones often explore new discoveries by immediately popping them into their mouths.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children in every age group can be at risk for a choking accident. For example, around 17,500 children in the United States ages 14 and younger are taken to the emergency room each year for choking episodes. Because of their exploratory nature and limited ability to chew certain foods, toddlers are at an increased risk for choking.

*Keep small objects out of reach. Any item can pose a choking threat, coins, buttons and other small objects
*When in doubt, dice it up. Remember to cut all foods into tiny bites before serving.
*Make kids sit down. Make sure your child sits while eating meals, as well as snacks or treats such as candy or lollipops.
*Properly prepare fruits and vegetables. To prevent little ones from choking on raw fruits or vegetables, consider cooking them until soft or even mashing them up before serving them. Grapes, peanuts and popcorn are some of the most common foods that cause choking in children younger than 2 years old. Cut the grapes up and do not give peanuts and popcorn to young children.

If a Choking Accident Occurs
It’s important to know what to do in the case of an accident. Remember that a child whose airway is fully blocked won’t be able to speak or cough. If your child is coughing or gagging, his or her airway isn’t fully blocked. Encourage him or her to cough.

However, if your child cannot clear his or her airway by coughing or can’t speak or cough, call 911. Ask your pediatrician to show you appropriate methods to assist your toddler in clearing his or her airway in case of a choking accident.

Safe Splishin' and Splashin'

Warm temperatures, blue skies and sunny days make summer time the best time to enjoy outdoor activities. Swimming is by far the most popular summer activity and can provide fun for people of all ages. However, for young children, swimming can be dangerous, so proper safety precautions need to be taken.

Toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3 require constant supervision around water, and even shallow water can present a safety hazard for these youngsters.

* Use “touch supervision.” The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adults be within an arm’s length of their toddler at all times while the child is in the water. Inflatable flotation devices should not be used as a substitution for supervision, as the devices could deflate at any time, leaving your child in danger.

*Fence in backyard pools. If you have a pool at home, a fence needs to surround the perimeter of the pool. This fence should be at least 4 feet high and contain a self-closing and locking mechanism. Ensure the fence works properly to prevent your child from being able to open the gate to get to the pool. Also, the fence should be constructed out of wood instead of chain links, so the child cannot climb over the fence.

*Don’t think your child is safe in the water just because he or she has had swimming lessons. Until the age of 4, many pediatricians discourage formal swimming lessons because children younger than 4 are generally not developmentally ready to swim on their own. If your child has had swimming lessons, do not rely solely on the instruction provided to keep them safe. Even children who know how to swim can find themselves in dangerous situations.

*Remove toys from the swimming pool and empty wading pools after every use. By leaving water in a wading pool or toys in a swimming pool, you are increasing the temptation for little ones to jump in the water while mom and dad are not looking. By removing toys, curious toddlers will not be tempted to get back in the water to retrieve them.

By properly supervising your toddler during all water activities, you will ensure that your day at the pool will be filled with nothing but fun.

Credit goes to St. Vincent Children Hospital in Indianapolis. Reviewed by Ralph Reiff, director of Sports Medicine and Sports Performance at St.Vincent Sports Performance–Northwest.

About 35-40 children die each year from hypothermia.

With the hot summer season now upon is, remember to never leave your child in the car for any length of time unattended. About 35-40 children die each year from hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature rises, your car's internal temperature can raise over 35 degrees in just 30 minutes on a hot day. Leaving the windows open doesn't always help much depending on the temperature, humidity levels, and winds. A baby locked up in the back seat of a car can die in just 15 minutes on a 75-degree day.

Only 15 states have enacted laws prohibiting parents from leaving their children unattended in cars. But states do prosecute and sentence parents who leave their children inside a hot car.

The Golden Gate Weather Services has a lot of good factual information on this topic. This month's Parenting Magazine contains a powerful story about a family who inadvertently forgot their child in the car and the tragedy they've gone through.

Inadvertently leaving a child can happen to anyone. Experts suggest that moms and dads leave an item of importance on the floor of the car by the car seat so that they must open the back seat to get the item and remember baby is along for the ride. This could be a purse, briefcase, laptop, office keys, or other item.

Have a safe summer with your baby!!

Chickenpox, Colds and Flus...Oh My!

When your child is sick, it may be difficult for him or her to describe symptoms or describe the level of pain he or she is experiencing. This can make it hard to even know what condition your child has. However, there are five illnesses parents should know the signs and symptoms of by heart.

Chickenpox
The early signs of chickenpox are frequently small blisters or a rash that can closely resemble a series of bug bites. You’ll know the difference, however, when these symptoms are accompanied by a fever, irritability, headache or loss of appetite. While there’s no miracle fix for chickenpox, a physician can offer medications to reduce the disease’s severity.

Common Cold
If your child tells you his or her throat has a tickle or you observe sniffling and sneezing, these symptoms could be the beginnings of a common cold. It’s perfectly natural to wonder whether these symptoms are the signs of the flu (see number 4 for more information) or simply a cold. Two fairly simple ways to tell include if a child is running a fever or if your child’s illness extends beyond a week, both of which are symptoms more associated with the flu.

Pinkeye
Having an itchy, red or irritated eye are all signs of the highly contagious pinkeye condition. Also known as conjunctivitis, this condition may not always cause your child pain, but itching and swelling can occur. If your child experiences pinkeye, emphasize frequent hand washing. In most cases, pinkeye will go away after a week or less without prescription medication.

Flu
While many associate flu with the winter months, your child can get the flu year-round. For this reason, it’s important to closely observe your child for symptoms resembling the common cold, yet slightly more intense. These include chills, headache, muscles aches, cough, sore throat and stomach or ear pain.

Ear Infection
Children, especially those between the ages of 2 and 4, are more prone to experience an ear infection due to the structure of their eustachian tubes, which have not yet fully developed. These tubes connect the middle ear to the throat and can harbor bacteria and viruses, which result in an ear infection. If your child seems to be frequently tugging his or her ear, says you are talking too loudly or complains of having trouble going to sleep or lying down, he or she could be suffering from an ear infection.

Sources :kidshealth.org, webmd.com, Peyton Manning Children's Hospital

Happy Mother's Day

Treat your wife, daughter, daughter-in-law or sister to the perfect Mother’s Day Gift – diapers for a year!!! We are giving 10% off Paid in full diaper supply!! Save – Save – Save

What a great Mother’s Day gift!! Visit us at BabyShowersByMail.com

New Diaper Cake

We just introduced a new diaper cake and it is adorable. We call it the Puppy Diaper Cake and its made with a filing of soap, onesies, and a bath towel. The outside has receiving blankets, bibs, Gund Spunky Pup Teethers and Pacifier Clips and its topped with a Ty Pink Pup. The cake can be made to order in either blue or pink and it is so cute. Perfect for your next baby shower. A diaper cake serves as both a decoration and a gift!

Visit our website to order.

Marin Abused Women's Services Luncheon

Marin Abused Women's Services 7th Annual Luncheon: "In Celebration of Mother’s”
Friday, May 7, 2010

Embassy Suites, San Rafael

11am - 2pm

If you live in the Marin County area check out the Marin Abused Women's Services 7th Anuual Luncheon, Marin Abused Women's Services provides intervention services that enhance the safety of domestic violence victims and engages diverse communities in domestic violence prevention. They will be holding a silent auction and we, http://www.babyshowersbymail.com/ , will be donating 6 months of diapers.

Visit http://incelebrationofmothers.blogspot.com/ for more details. Also visit http://www.maws.org/ for more information about domestic violence.