Dates on Formula and Baby Food
"Federal regulations require a "use-by" date on the product label of infant formula and the varieties of baby food under FDA inspection. If consumed by that date, the formula or food must contain not less than the quantity of each nutrient as described on the label. Formula must maintain an acceptable quality to pass through an ordinary bottle nipple. If stored too long, formula can separate and clog the nipple."

"Dating of baby food is for quality as well as for nutrient retention. Just as you might not want to eat stale potato chips, you wouldn't want to feed your baby meat or other foods that have an off flavor or texture."

"The "use-by" date is selected by the manufacturer, packer, or distributor of the product on the basis of product analysis throughout its shelf life; tests; or other information. It is also based on the conditions of handling, storage, preparation, and use printed on the label. Do not buy or use baby formula or baby food after its 'use-by' date."

Preventing Foodborne Illness

Another food preparation rule we always need to keep in mind when preparing formula or baby foods for consumption by infants and toddlers is that cleanliness in the kitchen and safe food handling can prevent foodborne illness.  Just as washing our hands is important in preventing the spread of colds and flu--it's also extremely important in preparing and handling food for our family, especially for our children. 

Mishandled food can lead to foodborne illness, it's just that simple.  The Partnership for Food Safety Education developed the "FightBac"® campaign which advised 4 simple ways to help eliminate the possibility of bacteria getting into food. In the kitchen, make sure you:

·        Clean: Wash hands with warm, soapy water and wash surfaces often;

·        Separate:  Don't cross-contaminate!  Keep meat, fish, and poultry away from other food.  Utensils that have touched them should be washed immediately.

·        Cook: Heat food to proper safe, minimum, internal temperatures.

·        Chill: Refrigerate food promptly.

Making sure hands are clean before we handle our children's foods sounds like a fairly simple matter, until we list all the ways we can contaminate food.  Always wash hands before handling food; after handling food; after using the bathroom; after changing a diaper; after tending to a sick child; after blowing nose, coughing or sneezing; and after handling pets. In addition to making sure that when we handle food, our hands are clean, everything that touches food must be clean.  If you use a thermometer to test the temperature of baby's food or milk, it must be washed and dried after using, each and every time.  Using a dishwasher helps to sterilize dishes, bottles, containers, and utensils.                                                     ##

Naturally, traveling with infants and toddlers places a heightened burden of responsibility on parents, both in preparing for and taking the planned trip.  The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has recently updated recommendations of things you as a parent can do to make the trip safer, easier and less stressful. The TSA website http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm has several short videos for parents and caregivers of infants, toddlers and school-aged children to view to help simplify the process of proceeding through the checkpoint.

First and foremost, planning ahead for the trip never hurts. To ease stress when traveling with infants and toddlers and provide for a safer trip, TSA recommends learning before the trip what you can and cannot bring with you as both carry-on and checked baggage.  Check TSA's website for prohibited items:  http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm  Mothers, TSA makes special provisions for bringing breast milk and baby formula and other medically necessary items on board the airplane in larger than 3.4 ounce specified quantities provided they are declared at the checkpoint and presented to a Transportation Security Officer (TSO).

If your child is still a lap child, you may want to learn about in-flight child restraints before traveling. As we continue to hear in the news, seatbelts save lives, and the FAA strongly recommends child restraint systems (appropriate for children's weight) be used for children under 40 pounds (18.1 kilos). There are other options:  buying a ticket for a seat for the child (if under 2 and over 40 pounds) and using the appropriate restraint system for that seat.  For safety, you will want to seat your child away from an aisle where little arms, hands and feet, could get pinched or bumped; ideally, the child could be seated between two responsible adults.

When going through the checkpoint, it's a good idea to leave the items you will have to take out of your carry-on bag at the checkpoint on top in your carry-on things. Large items, such as diaper bags, blankets, toys, strollers, car and booster seats, baby carriers, infant seats, backpacks and baby slings, all must go through the metal detector at the checkpoint and can be checked in on the jet way before you get on the plane.  Frequently, TSA has an extra lane called the Family & Medical Liquid Lane for passengers who need assistance or who need a little more time may use. If you have questions, ask the TSO--or their supervisor if necessary.

Preparing for emergencies is always advised. Pay attention to the preflight emergency briefing. Ask if there are flotation devices on board for children. Make the counter agent, flight and gate attendant(s) aware if your child has any medical condition that could become an issue during the flight.  Bring along safe, softer toys if possible. 

And enjoy your family airplane trip!

The FDA also advises manufacturers of liquid Vitamin D supplements that droppers accompanying  liquid Vitamin products should be clearly and accurately marked for 400 international units (IU). "In addition, for products intended for infants, FDA recommends that the dropper hold no more than 400 IU." (FDA, June 15, 2010) 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says the easiest way for parents and caregivers to avoid giving too much liquid vitamin is to use a medicine dropper that only allows 400 IU/dose to pass through to the infant.  The AAP also "recommended a dose of 400 IU of Vitamin D Supplement per day to breast-fed and partially breast-fed infants." (AAP Pediatric Nutrition Handbook, 6th edition, p.466).  The concern is that too much Vitamin D given at a time during infancy can ultimately cause kidney damage.  "Excessive amounts of Vitamin D can be harmful to infants, and may be characterized by nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, frequent urination, constipation, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, muscle and joint aches, confusion, and fatigue, as well as more serious consequences such as kidney damage." (AAP, June 15, 2010)

Healthcare professionals, parents and caregivers are urged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicine to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program and this can be done by going to the website:

www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm or calling: 1-800-332-1088.

Toy/Jewelry Recalls To Note:

Rhino Toys Inc. recalls Beado Hand-held Bead Playtoys.  About 5,500 of the Beado Hand-held Bead Playtoys have been sold between March and May 2010 for about $12 each. The toy is a colorful playtoy for young children with model number 1501 and date code 02910 04323A.  It was manufactured in China and sold to specialty toy retailers throughout the U.S.  The  toys' plastic wires can detach from the hubs due to insufficient adhesive, allowing the beads to slide off. The loose beads pose a choking hazard to young children

Approximately 66,000+ pieces of Cadmium Coated Beaded Jewelry made by "SmileMakers" has been recalled by the CPSC. Manufactured in China, the metal substrate in the jewelry contains high levels of Cadmium, which can cause health issues, especially in children.  If you have these beads (bracelets/necklaces), return or dump them! For additional information, contact SmileMakers toll-free at (877) 390-5470 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.  (I'm not Smiling!)

Perhaps the most significant thing that happened this week in Washington, is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted (5 to 0) July 14, 2010, to approve proposed new mandatory standards to address the hazards posed by full-size and non-full-size cribs.   We have been monitoring the safety hazards with these cribs which range from drop-side hardware or other drop-side entrapment issues to failures of the mattress support and detachment or breakage of the crib slats. All of these defects can create hazardous gaps allowing a baby to become entrapped and suffocate or fall out of the crib.        

Childsafetyblog.org is smiling.

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!

Recently, autism and developmental disabilities in children have been in the forefront of the news. Parents of children afflicted with autism agonize over how best to care for an autistic child and wonder what may have caused autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in their children. Learning the signs of what your children should be doing at certain milestone ages is key to the knowledge that your baby is developing safely and healthfully. Making sure you check with your pediatrician regularly is important to getting the kind of help your child may need to assure safe and healthful development.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that "an average of 1 in every 110 children in certain parts of the United States has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)." There are data which indicate that the average age at which children　are diagnosed with an ASD is 4-1/2 years, but CDC says an early diagnosis when possible is more helpful in managing the care of children with autism.　So it is extremely important for parents to be aware of how their child is developing.

CDC says that there are common milestone indicators in a child's development which let you as a parent know your child's development is on track. To make sure you know the signs of healthy child development, you can check with your pediatrician, and at the same time, you may want to check the CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

Here are some handy tips to keep food safe in hot weather:

1)         If you are traveling and taking food along, take 2 coolers, one for beverages (which may be opened and shut intermittently as people withdraw bottled water or canned or bottled drinks) and at least one more cooler for foods that must remain cold until the food it contains is prepared to be cooked or is eaten.  Make sure cooler # 2 contains ample ice packs and ice along with the food.  A thin layer of aluminum foil on top of the frozen and/or cold food in the cooler placed beneath the cooler top is an added protection to keep food colder longer--or you can wrap each food separately, first in plastic or wax paper and then in aluminum foil.

2)         If the ice melts in your food cooler or the cold food in it becomes warm for any reason or length of time, do not prepare or eat the food!  We realize food is expensive, but so are doctor bills. Throwing out food that has gone bad--although regrettable for the family's budget--is much easier and safer than combating salmonella or E.coli or another stomach-unfriendly bacteria.  Also do NOT re-freeze meat, poultry or fish that has thawed.  Never leave thawed meat at room temperature for more than 15 minutes without cooking it--including hot dogs! 

3)         Bring wrapped, "dry" snacks along on a car trip.  These are not as perishable as some fruits and vegetables.  Puffed rice crackers, healthy veggie chips, apples, oranges, and "trail mix" (if you or your child are not allergic to nuts or seeds) are an alternative to some of the more perishable snacks.  (Note: If you bring bananas along, make sure they are in a separate bag, don't put them in the cooler... if you do, everything will smell like banana.  I learned the hard way.)

4)         Make sure to wash your hands and your children's hands, especially before eating or handling food.  Washing hands often helps to retard the transmission of bacteria.

5)         There may be chemical residue on food--so make sure to wash all raw meat, poultry, fruits, or vegetables separately and thoroughly before preparing and eating them!

6)         There's no other way to say this: "Cook food to the desired temperature and then some!" Invest in a food thermometer and use it!  At http://www.FoodSafety.gov, you can

 check the safe minimum temperature at which most meats, fish, poultry, and egg dishes are truly at the optimum temperature for consumption.

I hate to say this to parents, but, for the most part, WE are the "last location" before most food is consumed by our kids (especially when we are talking about babies and toddlers). We are the ones who make sure what they eat is safe and healthful. Either we have chosen their food in the food store, brought it home and prepared it for them ourselves, or our children have consumed it at someone else's home in their kitchen or while sitting at a table in a fast food, or other restaurant, with us, a babysitter, or family member.

As our kids grow older, they will consume more food at school and outside the home. But, whatever the case, their eating patterns are established usually by us, and early in life. And while we may not have to worry about what they eat at every single meal, perhaps we should seriously consider what they are eating in total, and how it is building their bodies so they can experience a healthier and safer tomorrow.

One question we need to ask ourselves is: Are we buying nutritious foods for our children to eat or are we giving in to food choices that are not as healthy but are easy to fix and are pre-prepared (food that might contain more preservatives and fat), things that save us time?

Looking at the new food pyramid can give us some safe guidelines how to feed our little ones. Is the new food pyramid even in our vocabulary? If not, there are several places we can find it, such as the USDA's website www.MyPyramid.gov

Wherever you go boating with your children, whether it is on the ocean, in a lake, canal, river, or pond, boating with children means fun.  Let's look at some important things for parents and guardians to consider and remember when taking children in a boat:

Make sure the boat you are getting in and placing your children in, is SAFE.  Never place your children in or on a boat you think (just from observing it) may not be safe, whether it is your neighbor's speedboat, the tourist ferry boat or a simple canoe.

Never place or allow your children (under 12) to go out in a boat alone without an adult who can swim. 

Never place your children in a boat with an inexperienced captain, i.e., someone who has never run a speed boat or paddled a canoe.  Whether it's a fishing boat, a sail boat, ski boat, or canoe, it takes a certain amount of knowledge and experience to run a particular boat.  Make sure the captain is knowledgeable, not a first-timer.

How can you, as a parent, tell that a boat may be safe and water-worthy? The boat should be in good physical condition--with no leaks and dry floorboards. It should be obvious that the boat has been well cared for. A boat should have a license in the state in which it is housed.  A boat's registration should be up-to-date, with registration numbers and decal displayed on the outside hull or aft of the boat, and a current registration card must be carried by the person who owns and is running the boat at all times.  While a license doesn't guarantee a boat is completely safe, boat owners who keep their boat registration current and carry their registration card are somewhat conscientious. 

Conscientious boat owners also may have their boats inspected (often free) annually by the local Coast Guard Auxiliary Chapter or the local law enforcement agency specializing in boat safety. You can ask the boat's owner, "Has this boat been inspected recently?" Good captains will want you to know!

Every water-worthy craft (boat) should contain equipment that represents safe boating. If it's a boat with gas-powered engine(s), such as a speed boat, fishing boat, deck, or pontoon boat, look for a fire extinguisher visible on board the boat and a certain number of flotation devices in the boat. At the minimum, a boat should carry an extra paddle, a rope, an anchor, and a map of the body of water, especially if it is many miles around or long.  If you are boating at night, the boat should have lights, red/green in the front and white in the aft and a horn to alert other boaters.

Every person in the boat, especially children, should wear a Coast Guard- approved flotation device, often called a life jacket or sometimes a "May West." The Coast Guard approved-flotation device may be bright orange in color--or it might be brightly colored, fashion designer wear. Whatever the case, in 90% of boating accidents, a life jacket will keep your child's head above the water in case of a boating emergency. 

Just having life jackets on board is not enough, make sure your child wears a life jacket and make sure its straps are securely fastened.  Don't just put it around you or your child and say, "Oh, (I or) he can swim."  Unfortunately, a person can't swim if they've been knocked unconscious by a bad spill, crash, or explosion.

Make sure your children stay seated when the boat is in operation.  It's not a good idea to be walking around causing a shift in the boat's weight distribution while it's in operation. Also, a boat in motion is just that--walking can be a tremulous thing on a boat--your child can fall. Pay attention to your captain, if he/she tells you to move or change seats or sides, do it!

Make sure the boat isn't overloaded with people. If it is, don't get in it! What's the boat's capacity--Ask--Don't be shy!

All of the tips we have previously mentioned about safety in the heat, safety around water--all of those cautions apply when you take children in a boat out on the water--make sure to stay hydrated in the heat, absolutely use sunscreen and cover-ups.  Tee-shirts or beach towels help to cover exposed skin.  It's easy to get sunburned and/or wind-burned while out on the water!

One final caution for boating safety with children applies more to parents and guardians and is a watchword of extreme caution to be taken to heart:

Boats, water, and alcoholic beverages do NOT mix.

If the person running the watercraft you plan to ride in--whether it's a family member, a neighbor or an old friend-- is or has been drinking, please don't get on the  boat--and don't place your children on that boat.  If there would be an emergency or an accident--someone whose reaction time has been impaired by consumption of alcohol may not be able to save you or your children or even themselves. If they are or have been drinking--any amount--they are liable to cause a boating accident and even if there is no accident or emergency, you can be sure they are operating the boat in contravention of the local laws, placing you and your children in jeopardy.

The goal of boating safely with children is to ENJOY boating and your children. Safe boating makes for good memories and fun that will be repeated now and in years to come. So, come aboard for a safe 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.

A shocking number of children drown each year--approximately 11,000 children in the U.S. die due to drowning. At least 1,000 of those deaths occur to little ones between infancy and 5.

Water safety practitioners encourage parents to:

This doesn't just mean when they are in a boat, by the lake, at the fish pond, by a brook or creek, at the beach or at poolside, it means any time. Any time there is standing water in a bathtub, in a wading pool, in a bucket or a 1" deep puddle, there is the danger of drowning. Little ones especially are attracted to water and are not able to judge its depth, nor do they always have the physical ability to extricate themselves, once in it.

In my youth, we spent time at a lake in the summer. I got in trouble more than once--thankfully, I survived. Once, however, I dove into the water from an unsteady canoe, came up and hit my head on the bottom of the canoe. Yes, I could swim, but because I was almost knocked out, I drank a lot of the lake! If my older sibling hadn't been along for the trip, I could have been a drowning statistic, which brings up another tip:

Administering CPR to an infant or a child is different than administering CPR to an adult, so it's important to know the difference. You can check with your local rescue squad, fire department or your local chapter of the American Red Cross to learn if they are offering a CPR course near you this summer. The courses are not expensive; some are free providing they have attendees.

If supervision of children were more thorough and parents, family members, caregivers and babysitters knew how to administer CPR, there would be more hopeful statistics to post here. There is nothing worse than watching a capable EMT administer CPR to a child who has fallen in the water and cannot respond.

All of us at ChildSafetyBlog.org are wishing you a safe and enjoyable summer!

Parents say, "I want to keep my kids safe on the Internet. I'm not that savvy about it--where do I begin? I don't want my child to become a victim."

It seems that younger and younger children are using computers these days. My seven-year-old niece knows how to clean up my PC, and I worry that once she becomes even more savvy, she, too, could be a target for cyber bullying and other cyber crimes. So with this in mind, I looked around the Internet to see where smart parents, family members, and caregivers are going for advice, and what I have found are some regularly updated links which provide solid safety information for parents of young children who are becoming computer-savvy.

You may want to check these websites for cyber safety resources as well:

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:

• 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.

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.

Summer is almost here--and while the presence of warm sunshine and longer daylight hours makes us smile, we also need to be reminded it's especially important this time of year to protect babies' and young children's skin (as well as our own) from the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun.  Using sunscreen can help to ward off not only sunburn in the immediate sense, but wrinkling, age spots, and skin cancer in later years.

Did you know that over 1 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States every year? Repeated sun burning of the skin makes a person's skin more susceptible to skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatologists recommends, therefore, that everyone should be aware of what damage exposure to the sun can do.  We are never too old or too young to begin to use sunscreen!

Exposure to the sun's rays can occur when children are playing in the sun, even through window glass and sheer fabrics, so putting a brimmed hat or ball cap on your child's head and sunscreen on areas not covered by hair or clothing, such as tops of ears, nose, back of neck, arms, hands, tops of feet, etc., is a very good way to protect your child from the damage sun can do now and in later years. 

Sunscreen (also known as sunblock and sunblocker) may be purchased as an ointment, cream, lotion, gel, spray, or wax stick at your local pharmacy, grocery, or department store.  Ask your pharmacist for the best one for your child's particular kind of skin.  A baby's skin definitely requires protection.  An older child with skin that tans easily may require less protection than a baby, but sunscreen is important, nevertheless.  When placed on the skin, sunscreen helps screen out ultraviolet rays of the sun.  Sunscreen comes in a variety of protection levels called "SPF" for Sun Protection Factor. The higher the SPF number, the greater the protection from the sun's ultraviolet rays. 

Sunscreen should be placed on a child's skin at least 15 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun.  The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that everyone use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, which screens out most of the sun's UVB rays.

If you take your child to the beach, be aware that there is a double threat from the sun's reflection off the water and the sand--in much the same way that snow reflects the sun's rays.  So it's important to be very careful with your child's skin, use sunscreen, dress them in protective clothing, make sure they have water to drink, take a sun umbrella, and make sure to include time playing or resting in the shade. 

The sun's rays are the most powerful (and damaging to skin) from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.  Even on a cloudy day, a child can get a bad sunburn, so make sure to use sunscreen every day!  If a child gets a bad sunburn--or there is redness, pain, swelling, or blistering of the skin and/or fever, call your doctor or take your child to the emergency room as soon as possible. 

Learn and know the symptoms of heat cramps, heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. If, after an extended time in the sun, your child feels weak, is disoriented or is experiencing nausea, cramps, dizziness, vomiting, or fainting, take your child to the emergency room immediately!  In the meantime, enjoy the sunshine safely and in measured quantities.

Spring is here - and Summer is not far behind! For families with young children, camping can provide a fun and economical vacation or getaway weekend. It's never too early to instill a love of nature in children, and camping also provides an opportunity to teach kids about environmental responsibility. There are so many new things for children to explore outdoors, including plants, trees, flowers and critters. Simply sleeping out in the "wilderness," in a sleeping bag in a tent or cabin can be a wonderful new experience. But the newness of camping can also be a fearful thing for young children too. One good thing parents, family members, caregivers and babysitters can do is to preview the camping experience with a child before the family camping trip.

Talking to children, even toddlers, about what they can expect while camping--hearing different noises in the night, seeing different animals and birds, sleeping in a sleeping bag instead of on a bed, explaining to them why not to touch poison ivy and especially why not to wander away from the campsite-- can make the experience a little more familiar, easier and safer for all concerned.

When planning your family camping trip, it is very helpful to have a checklist to make sure you're not stuck in the woods without necessary equipment or provisions, such as sunscreen, sunglasses, a cell phone, mosquito repellent, a map and comfortable shoes. Both Koa and Coleman have good checklists that can be printed out.

Just as there are a lot of things to remember to bring on the trip, there are a lot of things to remember as far as safety is concerned. Before your trip, make sure a trusted family member or friend knows where you and your children are going camping, how to reach you and which children are along for the trip. Make sure that you have a charged cell phone and, when traveling with young children, that it works where you are going. As parents, it's also good to know the details of your campsite and how far you are from the local hospital.

AmazingMoms.com advises that if you are bringing little ones who are first-time campers, you may want to keep the travel time to the camp to a minimum (stay close to home) and possibly camp at a State park where there are bathrooms with running water (for obvious reasons!) Also, bring healthy, easy-to-consume snacks and keep your menus simple.

Make sure to purchase and bring a first aid kit on the trip. The kit should include at a minimum: Sterile adhesive bandages in different sizes, gauze rolls and pads in different sizes, adhesive tape, safety pins, scissors, tweezers (for splinters and ticks), a needle (splinters, thorns, etc.), latex gloves, cotton swabs, and tongue depressors-- and don't forget to bring whatever prescription medications you or your child must have while on the trip. It's also a good idea to bring some type of ointment your family doctor advises you use if your child comes into contact with poison ivy or poison oak (i.e., calamine lotion, Caladryl, etc.) to minimize itching and encourage drying of poison ivy or other rash. Anti-bacterial spray and/or wipes are also handy to have along on the camping trip. Also, make sure to bring a flashlight for every family member and a battery-operated (no flame) lantern with batteries that work.

Camping outdoors presents endless opportunities for young children to discover and experience the world around them. We hope this post has given people ideas as to how to do it more safely.