In the realm of facts that are really hard to digest, we find that the number of deaths from children being left in cars and subsequently suffering and expiring from hyperthermia remains fairly constant, despite frequent warnings provided by the media.  

 

The University of San Francisco's Department of GeoSciences maintains a statistical chart of the number of deaths per month of young children left in cars due to hyperthermia (heat stroke). Demonstrations by various SafeKids USA (national organization whose mission is to reduce and prevent childhood injuries and deaths) chapters have shown cookies can be baked on a dashboard and a child can expire in less than 15 minutes from having been left in a hot car!

 

A study published in the medical journal, Pediatrics, illustrates the statistics below:

 

"To date there have been twenty-eight deaths in 2010 of children due to hyperthermia (heat stroke) from being in hot vehicles.  Last year there were a total of at least 33 such fatalities in the United States due to hyperthermia after they were left in hot cars, trucks, vans and SUV's.  Since 1998 there have been at least a total of 473 of these needless tragedies.  This study shows that these incidents can occur on days with relatively mild (i.e., ~ 70 degrees F) temperatures and that vehicles can reach life-threatening temperatures very rapidly."

 

This morning, we learned from viewing an NBC news clip featuring safety expert Janette Fennel that sensor technology has been developed to alert parent and caregiver drivers that there is still a child or children in the car seat(s) in the car after the driver (parent or caregiver) has shut the car doors and walked away from the car.  If the driver bearing that sensor (which can be toted like a key fob) proceeds approximately 30-40 feet from the car, the sensor causes the key fob to beep loudly to warn the driver that there is still a child or children in the booster seat in the car.   

 

According to NBC News Channel 29 (Charlottesville, Va.), General Motors Corporation and Volvo are more than aware of the sensor technology, but have not been successful gaining approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to market the car seat sensor, and apparently the technology is so developed that even National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) is involved in helping to improve the technology.  NHTSA, however, believes that the technology is not ready and its Administrator, David Strickland, has stated that parents must continue to "remain vigilant." 

 

Childsafetyblog.org is aghast: The NHTSA's response is not responsive or adequate.  Could the 28 children who died in hot cars this year have been saved? 

Just when we think perhaps accidental death in children may be on the wane and products, such as drop-side cribs, which have been determined to be less than safe for infants and toddlers have been removed from the marketplace, another less-than-safe product pops up! Baby Matters' (Berwyn, PA.) Nap Nanny, appeared on the oscilloscope of unsafe for baby in a big way earlier this week when 30,000 of them were voluntarily recalled from the child product marketplace.  The Nap Nanny is sort of like a "recliner" for baby and was developed to provide a hedge against "acid reflux" in children.

 

Consumers with questions should contact Baby Matters, LLC,  Box 811, Devon, PA 19333, 866-664-4008,  info@napnanny.com. Also you may contact the CPSC's  toll-free Consumer Hotline at 800-638-2772  for product safety and to report unsafe children's products.

 

One child's death has occurred which has been determined to have been directly related to the use of the Nap Nanny.  We feel for the parents.  There but for the grace of God go we. 

 

We do not understand how an idea for a child product could go so incredibly wrong--aren't there engineers who-- before patenting and manufacturing-- determine the safety and efficacy of these products for a child's use?  Don't children's products, furniture and toys have to go through a process of approval by some higher authority than a company president to meet standards of excellence?  Is it because babies can't "talk back" or stand up for themselves that they and their parents become the perfect targets for child product manufacturers out for the almighty dollar?  The question is rhetorical, but it should give us all food for thought. 

 

Certainly, moms and dads want to provide the best products for their children's use that they can.  The child product marketplace--even in this economy-- is gigantic.  Go to any Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and you see child products galore, from dolls to bicycles, to strollers and baby furniture, child medicines, infant seats, gates, swings and slings!  If you have any doubt that toy and child furniture manufacturers make money, look up the parent companies' standings on the various stock exchanges.  Look at the retailers' standings in today's marketplace and examine the marketshare these retailers have.  So, it would seem to this blogger that as purchasers, buyers, parents, family members, caregivers and protectors of children... that we have the right to expect the safe and healthy use of child products by our children.  And nothing less.

 

You may wish to check the CPSC recall notice for the Nap Nanny in July Recalls at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10309.html

 

It's summer time and the heat is on.  A lot of children are going to the local pool with their parents.  Some are swimming in lakes, wading in ponds, or playing in the sand.  There's lots of pollen from grass, trees, summer weeds, and flowers in the air, whether your children are at the lake, beach, pond, camping in the woods or backyard, or visiting down on the farm. If children have been playing outside a good bit of the day and they have difficulty breathing through their nose at night, should we be concerned? Although we know it's not winter and they may not have caught cold, why all the congestion, watery eyes, stuffy noses, and sneezing? 

 

The answer is yes, we should be concerned; and to be more informed we need to know the symptoms of nasal allergies in kids.  The symptoms are very similar to those of the common cold--and may or may not be accompanied by a sore or itchy throat:

 

• Congestion
• Sneezing
• Runny or itchy nose, often accompanied by watery eyes.

 

According to scientists, nasal allergies affect an estimated 40 million Americans, and 40 percent of the American child population.  Nasal allergies are believed to be the most prevalent cause of nasal congestion in children.

 

When a child experiences the symptoms of a nasal allergy, their immune system reacts often quickly by manufacturing an antibody in the child's system to fight the allergen's challenge.  The antibody sends a message to the brain causing a histamine to be released into the bloodstream--which causes nasal inflammation and its symptoms, such as nasal congestion, sneezing, and that itchy or runny nose, watery eyes, and possibly a scratchy throat.

 

Nasal allergic reactions in children frequently occur when a child is exposed to things in the air--allergic challenges--such as pollens (from grass, weeds, trees, flowers), mold, mildew, house dust, and even, sadly, good old Spot or Kitty and their pet dander.

 

Nasal allergies are particularly prevalent in the summer because children are more exposed to allergic challenges in the air.  They play out of doors more in the warm weather.  They may go to other areas of the country to visit relatives or go on family trips to very different surroundings, where they experience the pollens of different plants, trees, flowers, the dander of different pets, and even different house dust.  Swimming in a favorite lake that was surrounded by farm fields as a child, I frequently came out of the lake with a stuffed up nose and itchy eyes and spent the rest of the afternoon sniffing and sneezing, not playing!  Not fun for anyone!

 

If your child begins to experience nasal allergy symptoms this summer, it's a good idea before you medicate to consult your pediatrician.  You do want to make sure this is either an allergy or something else like a sinus infection.  Medicines, such as antihistamines, are available, both over-the-counter and by prescription from your physician, but you need to find the right medicine for your child.  You need to observe what causes the inflammation to occur and learn how your child reacts to allergy medicines.  There are allergy tests your physician may want your child to have, to be more certain about what kind of allergic reaction your child may be experiencing.  It's always a good idea to check with your doctor before you give your child any medicine! And don't forget that other safety tip, keep all medicines away from children when the medicines are not in use. Locking your medicine cabinet is being pro-active with regard to child safety.

 

In the meantime, childsafetyblog.org is wishing you a safe and happy summer!

We have recently witnessed a terrible scenario in Haiti, when disaster in the form of a massive earthquake struck. Many children, as well as adults, instantaneously became injured and/or homeless. Children lost parents, parents lost children of every age.

This was certainly a frightening time for many Haitian families, and a time when many Americans felt helpless just watching the crisis unfold on television. The level of volunteer participation and donations to charitable organizations focused on relief to Haiti during the aftermath of the disaster was amazing! Yet how well we know, there aren't enough volunteers, charitable organizations, or governmental/non-governmental organizations focused on Haiti presently to completely resolve Haiti's mounting child safety issues--and it comes down to the fact that donations alone don't keep kids safe in times of disaster--honest, conscientious and caring people do.

We hope we never need to use certain of these recommendations, but they are good to bear in mind to make sure there's a fallback position, in case parents are unavailable during a crisis for whatever reason.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children advocates that we each do the following for our children's sake vis-à-vis natural disasters. In recent weeks, several different states have experienced tornados and flooding.

Simple rules come in handy in a time of chaos and crisis as families can be separated in moments, especially when evacuation is required. Here are NCMEC's important tips for parents, family members, babysitters, and childcare providers:

Know where your kids are at all times.

Stay together, if at all possible.

Take photos of your children, have them with you when evacuated.

Give children identification information to carry with them, including the child's name, date of birth, address, phone numbers, etc. If a child is too young or otherwise unable to speak for him- or herself, consider writing his/her name, date of birth, parents' names, home address, and telephone/cell numbers somewhere on the child's body in indelible marker.

E-mail current digital photos of all family members to extended relatives and/or friends.

Photocopy important documents and mail to a friend/relative to be kept in a safe location.

Make a plan with your children, so they know what to do if your family becomes separated during an evacuation.

Summer is almost here and there's more daylight for children to play out of doors. Children are happy and excited to be out and about after this very long winter! As parents, family members, babysitters, and caregivers, we need to remind ourselves that even though the roads are clear of ice and snow, we need to be cautious with children walking near and around vehicle traffic--even in our own neighborhoods, parking lots, and school crossings. We need to be vigilant about how and where our kids are walking with or without us!

So, "Stop, Look and Listen!" as you approach a curb or street crossing with your child. Stop and look to make sure a car, bus, truck, or other vehicle is not coming before crossing the street. Often, we hear motorized vehicles before we see them! Listen for the sounds of an approaching vehicle; and wait until the street is clear before you cross.

Parents, please use and teach children the following basic pedestrian safety rules:

       Do not allow children under age 10 to cross the street alone.

• Never allow children to play in the street or road. 
• Always try to walk with children on paths or sidewalks. If there are no sidewalks or paths, walk facing road traffic as you walk on the street-side and your child walks on the "curb-side."
• Hold your child's hand!
• Look both ways for danger before and while crossing the street.
• Walk-- do not run-- across the street!
• If you walk with your child, dress yourself, as well as your child, in light, bright colors or retro-reflective materials, so drivers can easily spot you and your child.
• Follow directions of police and school crossing guards--they are there to help.

 

I want to introduce Marianne Frederick to you.  Marianne is a guest blogger for the child safety site.

Marianne, owner of Expert Technical Communications, specializes in children's safety and health issues.  She is a native of BalaCynwyd, Pa., and she attended schools in New Jersey, New York, and Washington, D.C.  Marianne earned an associate's degree from Northern Virginia Community College and a B.S. from Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va.  She worked in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill and for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services before moving to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to work as a technical writer.

 

 

I'm not sure how it's the holiday season again, because it seems like it just ended yesterday.  I am particularly distressed about how Christmas continues to invade  November - this year, here in Charlottesville, the town lit its Christmas tree before Thanksgiving.  Despite all we are hearing about the economy, the retail chaos has started.  Money is tight for a lot of people, and this naturally leads people to purchase less expensive toys for their kids.  Unfortunately, it is usually the cheaper toys that are poorly designed and poorly made.  Parents should be vigilant in inspecting all toys bought for or given to their children. 

 

But it's important that parents know what to look for.  In that vein, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG) has recently released their 24^th annual report on toy safety entitled "Trouble in Toyland" which draws attention to toys which might present a danger to children.  USPIRG's report divides "dangerous" toys into 16 different categories, including toys that are too noisy and may endanger children's hearing, toys with small or detachable parts that could be accidentally swallowed, and toys that may contain potentially toxic chemicals (lead and phthalates), to name only a few.   

 

And a really cool feature - they also has an interactive smart phone website: http://www.toysafety.mobi to aid shoppers in avoiding already-known toy hazards and to report potential dangers.  So, if you have a question about a toy while your shopping, you can access this site and get an immediate answer.

 

 A recent CNN "American Morning" show examined several toys which were identified in the USPIRG report as containing potential hazards to children, such as the "Real Wood Shape Sorter Barn" made by P&C, which had a toy part on the side of the barn that could be a choking hazard to a child.  Also, Kota and Pals Stompers Triceratops made by Playskool was identified as a toy potentially too noisy for children's ears.  Hasbro, the parent company of Playskool, indicated, however, that this particular "toy complies with all sound requirements" answering USPIRG's concern. A toy identified as potentially toxic to children is "The Elmo Lunch Bag" made by Fast Forward, New York.

Check out toy safety tips after the jump.

In the broken record category, we had another major crib recall last week.  A company called Stork Craft Manufacturing, Inc. has recalled 2.1 million cribs.  The cribs were manufactured beginning in 1993, and have been sold by retailers such as Wal-Mart, BabiesRUs, K-Mart and Sears (among others).  Some of these cribs have the Fischer Price brand on them, and come in many different styles and finishes. For more information, go to the CPSC page on the recall, or go to the Stork Craft site via the link above.
 
This is not one of those recalls where a potential safety problem was discovered, and the recall occurred before anyone was hurt.  Here, four infants died, including a six month old in West Virginia.  These deaths are absolutely senseless.  First, it appears that this company has had hundreds of complaints about these cribs - why did it take so long for this recall to occur?  Second, why is it so hard to design a safe crib?  The hardware used to assemble these cribs is cheaply made, and therefore breaks easily.  This permits the drop side component of the crib to become loose, and enables a child to become entrapped between the drop-side and the mattress.  Once that happens, a baby can suffocate.  There are numerous crib designs that address this potential hazard, and in my opinion this company decided to cut corners to increase the profitability of the cribs.

As an aside, I have raised four babies, and each had a crib with a drop-side.  I don't think I ever actually used this feature, and my wife has only done so a couple of times.  If I were purchasing a crib now, I would consider buying one without a drop-side - it introduces a movable part into the crib, and as a result there is an increased opportunity for malfunction.

Couldn't resist the pun in the title.  So we're talking again about child safety seats.  Why? Because they're really important.  There are few things that a parent or caregiver can do to keep a child safe that are more effective than placing that child in a properly installed child safety seat.  For earlier posts about child seats and how they work, you can go here and here. 

A lot of progress has been made in reducing deaths and injuries to children by publicizing the correct use of child safety seats, booster seats and safety belts.  But we can do more.  We appreciate the time and attention the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and others advocating for child passenger safety have devoted to this important cause, but more work needs to be done to protect children who ride in cars in safety seats.

 

The NHTSA says 3 out of 4 car seats are not properly used or installed and that 3 out of every 4 children in child safety seats are not properly secured, or are not restrained at all. 

 

As a parent, do you know how to use the Safety Seat correctly?  Some parents are not sure how to install their child's safety seat properly. It's important for parents to know that not every seat fits every car.  Also, some parents don't know their vehicle (if manufactured after September 2002) is required to be equipped with the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system. 

 

NHTSA says, "LATCH makes it easier to get the child seat in right."  And NHTSA has several video demonstrations on their website (with instructions in both English and Spanish) which you can view!  Go here to view.

 

We know as a parent or caregiver, you want to protect your children the best way possible, and using the LATCH system is one way to help.

 

Another way is to learn which kind of seat is best and safest to use for your children: NHTSA says, "for infants (from birth to at least 1 year old or at least 20 pounds), the best possible protection is to place them in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats."

When children outgrow rear-facing seats (when they are older than one year old and weigh more than 20 pounds), they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, still in the back seat, until they reach an upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).

 

Always check the child safety seat instruction manual of the brand of child safety seat you have. Every safety seat manufacturer provides specific instructions to the proper installation and use of their brand of child safety seat.

 

Finally, if as a parent or caregiver you are still not sure whether your child safety seat is properly installed, you can take your vehicle to a Child Safety Seat Inspection Station.  If you need help locating a child safety seat inspection station near you, you can call the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 (Vehicle Safety Hotline) or you can jump to this link.  Enter your zip code or state, and a list of child safety seat inspection stations in your area or state will be displayed.  Some stations have bilingual speakers and some stations inspect by appointment only.  You may want to call ahead!

 

With grateful thanks to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

To write NHTSA and obtain more information on Child Safety Seats, please contact them at:

NHTSA Headquarters
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
West Building
Washington, DC 20590

Today's topic is preventing scald and burn injuries in children.  Most accidents occur in the home, and scalds and burns to children almost always occur in the kitchen or bathroom of the home.  For the most part, these are preventable injuries.  Burns, especially scalds from hot water and, cooking liquids, are some of the most commonly occurring accidents to children.  Babies and young children are most vulnerable because they're small and have sensitive skin that requires greater protection than adult skin.

While minor burns ("first-degree" burns) can often be safely treated at home, more serious burns (second- and third-degree burns) require immediate medical care. Most parents are aware that the causes of burns range from scalds, to contact with flames or hot objects, chemical burns (from chemical spills of home cleaning items like bleach, drain cleaner, dishwasher detergent, etc.), to electrical burns from hot appliances or frayed electrical cords, to burned skin from over-exposure to sun.  Medical professionals caution parents that all burns need to be treated as soon as possible to lower the temperature of the burned area and minimize damage to the skin and underlying tissues (in the case of severe burns).

Being Safe in the Kitchen

Finding Out About Fireworks Safety

How to Be Safe When You're in the Sun

Dealing With Burns

Fireworks Safety

Loma Linda Children's Hospital in Loma Linda, California, advises parents that toddlers are at greatest risk of scalds and burns as they begin to walk, climb, and reach, while children under age 5 are at greatest risk when fire strikes, as they may panic and hide in closets or under beds. Some children are needlessly burned because they think clothes protect them from flames. In children ages 3 to 8, curiosity about matches and lighters is normal. But, sadly, more than one-third of the burns to these children are the result of playing with matches.

Go to the jump for tips on how to prevent these dangerous and painful injuries.

 

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Halloween.  For safety tips while trick or treating, please see my post from last year.

Cold and flu season is upon us.  When we're unlucky enough to come down with something, it's almost second nature to reach a multi-symptom cold medicine.  New findings show that, when it comes to children, parents should think twice before giving such medications to their children.

Last year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced that eading manufacturers of pediatric cough and cold medicines are adding a warning to their products' labels, "Don't use over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold medicines in children younger than 4."  FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Janet Woodcock, MD, says FDA supports the label "change" and drug manufacturers are doing this voluntarily.

 

 The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends that over-the-counter cough and cold medications not be given to infants and children younger than 2 years because of the risk of life-threatening side effects. Also, several studies show that cold and cough products don't work in children younger than 6 years and can have potentially serious side effects.

 

The New York Times recently reported results of a new Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study on unintentional medication overdoses in children which "indicates 8 percent of emergency room visits and 14 percent of hospitalizations were caused by parents accidentally overdosing their children."

 

The study, which looks at causes for emergency room visits, estimates that 70,000 children under 18 years of age visit emergency rooms annually suffering from unintentional medication overdoses causing adverse drug events. More importantly, 75 percent of the overdoses occurred in children under age 5.

 

CDC's web page on child medication safety further indicates that the number one cause of emergency room visits due to adverse drug events in young children under the age of 5 is the unsupervised consumption of medicines.  CDC also notes, according to WebMD, that 7,000 children under 11 go to emergency rooms each year after taking cough and cold medicines. Roughly two-thirds of those adverse drug events occurred after children consumed medication while unsupervised.

There's nothing I find more senseless than children being seriously injured or dying as a result of a well known, and easily fixable, hazard.  Last year, I wrote about the strangulation danger posed by a common household item -- window blinds and shades.  Since then, three more kids have died, and there is another recall.  The recall covers 4.2 million roll-up blinds with plastic slats made by Lewis Hyman Inc.; 600,000 Woolrich Roman shades; blinds and shades made by Vertical Land Inc. of Panama City Beach, Fla.; Roman shades by Pottery Barn Kids/Williams-Sonoma Inc.; 245,000 Lutron Shading Solutions fabric roller shades; 163,000 Roman shades by Victoria Classics; and IKEA is recalling 120,000 MELINA Roman Blinds.  The LA Times has a good article about the problem and the recall.

This is so infuriating.  This problem has been recognized for decades, yet shades and blinds are still being produced with this dangerous problem.  A group called Parents for Window Blind Safety has an informative website that focuses on correcting the danger.  It also brings the tragedy home as it shows the many children who have died as a result of these products.

The best solution for parents is to purchase cordless blinds.  Go here for available types, or ask for them at your local home improvement center.  If you have purchased these blinds, go to the CPSC to find out what to do.  At the very least, parents should cut cord loops of existing blinds in half, never leave your children unattended in a room with these blinds, and NEVER put a crib or play yard in the vicinity of a blind. 

Durel Juvenile Group and the CPSC is announcing a recall of approximately 31,000  Safety 1st stair gates.  Apparently, the hinges can break and give way, which creates a fall hazard if the gate is placed at the top of the stairs.  Here's what the gates look like:



This gate has a motion sensor which lights up when someone approaches.  The model number for the gate is 42111, and the number is printed on a sticker under the handle panel.  This gate was manufactured between January 2005 and  July 2009, and was sold in many big box stores, including Toys R Us, WalMart, and other retailers.  Shockingly, the gate was made in China.

Consumers should stop using the gate immediately and contact Dorel Juvenile Group (the importer) at (866) 690-2540 or to their website.  While there, check out the company's numerous other recalls, including the 100,000 of these gates that have previously been recalled.  

We know child seats are important, but do we know why?  How do they work to keep our children safer in a car accident, and why is it so vitally important that they be installed correctly?

It helps to first examine how seat belts work.  There's an old saying in injury analysis -- "it's not how fast you're going, but how fast you stop,"  meaning injuries occur not because you are traveling fast, but because you stop incredibly quickly (like under a tenth of a second).  To give an obvious example of this, a passenger jet lands at something like 150 mph, and everyone is fine because it comes to a stop over a relatively long period of time.  If that same jet crashes into the ground at the same speed, everyone dies instantly. The difference is the time period over which the plane stops.

So let's apply this to seat belts and child safety seats.  Let's say John runs his car into a wall at 50 mph, and is stupid enough to not be wearing a seat belt.  John's car stops in the blink of an eye, but poor John keeps moving at 50 mph . . . until he hits the windshield with his head (for all of you smart alecks out there - his car didn't have an airbag).  John has bought himself a ticket to the morgue, because his skull couldn't withstand those forces.

One of the best ways to protect your young child is to CORRECTLY put them in an appropriate child safety seat.  I emphasize correctly because the statistics show that only 72% of child restraints are properly used.  Here are the most common ways that restraints are improperly used:

• Inappropriate age and weight for child restraints
• Wrong direction for the child restraint
• Child restraint improperly placed relative to vehicle's airbags
• Improperly placed or secured child restraints (vehicle's belt or straps not tight enough)
• Crotch strap or harness strap of child restraint secure or tight enough
• Use of a locking clip for certain safety belts
• Improper vehicle belt fit across child in a booster seat
• Child restraints with broken parts.

It's amazing to me that these misuse statistics are so high when we know that proper use of child restraints is one of the most effective ways to protect children against serious injury.  Personally, I personally believe this is a combined failure of government regulation/education and a failure to focus on or address the problem by our vehicle manufacturers.

So, this month will be dedicated to the proper use of child safety restraints.  If there are any particular issues you want me to address, please let me know.

It's the holiday season, and families are coming together from near and far.  Almost without fail, we all tend to congregate in the kitchen.   Certainly people are attracted to the wonderful smells and holiday treats, but it's more than that - the kitchen table instinctively seems to be a gathering place for friends and family. 

It's also a fun place for kids.  Sweets are often there for the taking, and it's fun for children to help out with cooking and baking projects.  Cooking with Jane and Libby is one of my favorite activities to do together, and they are having fun learning a skill that they can enjoy for a lifetime (and they also get to taste the sugar).  In addition to making our time in the kitchen fun, there are a few simple precautions that can keep them safe, as well.  Go to the next page for a few tips on how to keep kids safe while they're in the kitchen.

Just in time for Christmas, an organization called W.A.T.C.H. (World Against Toys Causing Harm) has released its annual list of the top 10 worst toys.  What amazes me is that all of the hazards here have long been established -- choking hazards, projectiles that can damage eyes, etc - yet these dangerous toys still reach the market.  There is no approval or evaluation process by any government agency for toys - the CPSC only steps in when a problem is identified.  Please go to the next page for the list. 

Click here for a list of the worst toys of all time (complete with Lawn Darts).  These would be funny if not for the fact that each of these put thousands of kids needlessly at risk.

Some hazards are obviously dangerous to kids - the Drano under the sink, a pot of boiling water on the stove, or a car backing out of the driveway.  Those are things we as parents intuitively know can be dangerous to our kids, so we take precautions such as cabinet locks and stove guards to protect them. 

Not all hazards are so obvious, but they can be just as dangerous.  Window blinds are a great example.  They seem innocent enough, and it certainly doesn't seem like a child could hurt himself (or herself) if left alone with one.  Yet, the cords on certain window blinds can present a serious strangulation hazard to young children.  Over the years, hundreds of boys and girls have been seriously injured and even killed by becoming entangled and then strangled by window blind cords.

On Thursday, the CPSC issued two recall alerts.  Popular furniture maker IKEA is recalling its IRIS and ALVINE Roman Blinds, and Green Mountain Vista Inc of Williston, Vt. is recalling its Insulated Black-Out Roller Shades and Insulated Roman Shades. This past April, a one year old girl in Greenwich, Ct.tragically died as a result of strangulation by the cord of an IKEA blind.  She was found in her playpen with the cord from a nearby fully lowered blind wrapped twice around her neck.  This past June, a two year old girl from Bristol, Ct, was nearly strangled by a Green Mountain Vista blind when she placed a cord loop around her neck and then fell.  Luckily, she was saved by her brother.

No matter how much we try to educate ourselves and our kids about health and safety, it's a sad fact of life that serious illnesses and accidents are going to happen.  When they do, we can only hope that a child gets the best health care possible.  One institution that has been singularly dedicated to children for more than 80 years is the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

I'm writing about the Shriners because I had occasion to speak with one of their doctors last week -- one of the preeminent pediatric burn doctors in the nation.  I can only imagine what this doctor sees on a day-to-day basis, and it brings up the larger point about what Shriners does and how they do it.  Shriners has 22 hospitals, all dedicated to taking care of children.  They treat children up to age 18 for serious orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries (SCI) and cleft palate and lip conditions.  And the amazing thing -- they do this all at no charge and without regard to financial need.