Brain Injury Awareness Month and National Poison Prevention Week 2021

 

Important Dates

Brain Injury Awareness Month
3/14 National Pi Day
3/15 National Napping Day
3/17  St. Patrick's Day
3/21 - 3/27 National Poison Prevention Week
3/19 National Certified Nurses Day
3/21 World Down Syndrome Day

We hope the month of March is filled with good luck, great fortune, and ZERO pinches for you and your families! However, when it comes to safety we can't depend on luck. So, this month's safety blog will focus on ways to keep your little ones safe from potential hazards that may lead to brain injury, such as falls, vehicle accidents and furniture tip-overs, as well as poison prevention safety tips.

Brain Injury Awareness Month

"Brain injury is the leading cause of disability and death in children and adolescents in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the two age groups at greatest risk for brain injury are age 0-4 and 15-19... In its 2004 Report to Congress, Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States: Emergency Department Visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes falls are the leading cause of TBI for children age 0-4." - Brain Injury Association of America

Traumatic Brain Injury Prevention

• CHILDPROOFING FOR FALLS
  • Install window guards/locks to keep children from falling out and getting injured. 
  • Install/use safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs to prevent small children from accessing the stairs and falling down them. Do NOT use pressure gates at the top of the stairs as they can shift out of place over time and become unstable.
  • Cover large railing gaps using plexiglass or mesh guards.
  • Make sure playgrounds have soft material under it, such as hardwood mulch or sand

• CAR SEAT SAFETY
  • Always secure your child in a car seat when traveling in a vehicle.
  • Buckle children in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height limit of their car seat. Keep children rear-facing for as long as possible. Do not worry too much about if their legs are looking curled or uncomfortable as long as they fit their car seat and their head is safe.
  • When children outgrow their rear-facing car seat, they should be buckled into a forward-facing car seat until they reach the maximum height and weight limit of their car seat. DO not use/attach any accessories with the car seat that were not crash tested with that car seat. Accessories such as mirrors, play toys, etc. can become projectiles in an accident and cause injury to children in a car seat. 
  • When children outgrow their forward-facing car seat, they should be buckled into a booster seat until the vehicle's seat belt fits properly.

• FURNITURE ANCHORING
  • Anchor all large pieces of furniture with a heavy duty anchor. Avoid using the cheap, plastic latches that often come with the furniture.
  • Mount/ anchor all TVs. 
  • If the furniture is taller than it is deep, anchor it.
  • Not sure if your dresser need to be anchored? Pull out the drawers and apply 60 lbs. of pressure. If it moves at all, anchor it.

For more information visit anchorit.gov

Poison Prevention Tips

Keep your littles safe from poisons with this information from HRSA:

MEDICINES

• Keep all medicines, and potentially poisonous substances, in locked cabinets or out of the reach of children.
• Keep medicines in their original containers, properly labeled, and store them appropriately.
• Never share prescription medicines. If you are taking more than one drug at a time, check with your health care provider, pharmacist, or call the toll-free Poison Help line (1-800-222-1222), which connects you to your local poison center, to find out more about possible drug interactions.

CARBON MONOXIDE (CO)

• Have a working carbon monoxide detector in your home. The best places for a CO detector are near bedrooms and close to furnaces.

HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

• Keep all household cleaners and potentially poisonous substances in locked cabinets or out of the reach of children.
• Keep products in their original containers. 
• Do not use food containers (such as cups or bottles) to store household cleaners and other chemicals or products.
• Keep all laundry products locked up, high, and out of the reach of children.

CHEMICALS

• Keep all chemicals and potentially poisonous substances in locked cabinets or out of the reach of children.
• Keep antifreeze and all chemicals and household products in their original containers.
• Never mix household or chemical products together. Doing so can create a dangerous gas.

BACK TO SCHOOL AND ART SUPPLIES

• Some art products are mixtures of chemicals. They can be dangerous if not used correctly. Make sure children use art products safely by reading and following directions.
• Do not eat or drink while using art products.
• Wash skin after contact with art products. 
• Clean equipment. Wipe tables, desks, and counters.
• Keep art products in their original containers.

FOOD

• Wash hands and counters before preparing all food.
• Store food at the proper temperatures. Refrigerated foods should not be left out at temperatures above 40 degrees F (5 degrees C).
• Use clean utensils for cooking and serving.

ANIMALS AND INSECTS

• Know what poisonous snakes live in your area and wear proper attire (boots, etc.) when hiking outdoors.
• Check the label on any insect repellent. Be aware that most contain DEET, which can be poisonous in large quantities.

PLANTS, MUSHROOMS, AND BERRIES

• Be sure that everyone in your family can identify poisonous mushrooms and plants.
• Remember when it comes to poison ivy, "leaves of three, let it be."

RECALLS:

February 25, 2021 CPSC; Dr. Reddy’s Recalls Prescription Drug Blister Packages Due to Risk of Poisoning

February 25, 2021 CPSC; MTIG Productions Recalls deSensua Wintergreen, Birch and Pain Soother Essential Oils Due to Failure to Meet Child Resistant Packaging Requirement; Risk of Poisoning (Recall Alert)

February 25, 2021 CPSC; Home Depot Recalls Wood Windsor Dining Chair Sets Due to Fall Hazard (Recall Alert)

February 24, 2021 CPSC; SmartPool Recalls Children’s Multi-Purpose Helmets Due to Risk of Head Injury

February 17, 2021 CPSC; Anker Play Products Recalls 10-in-1 Incredible Inventions Science Kit Due to Violation of the Federal Lead Paint Ban

January 27, 2021 CPSC; CB2 Recalls Junction Tall Chests and Low Dressers Due to Tip-Over and Entrapment Hazards

* information from Consumer Product Safety Commission