Each year, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), together with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), publishes new recommendations for immunizations for children and teens.

While there were some changes in the 2010 childhood immunization schedule, these changes likely won't mean any extra shots for most kids. Review the latest immunization schedule and make sure your kids' shots are up-to-date.

Related:
Combination Vaccines
Cervarix
Vaccine Preventable Illnesses

About 55,000 children's metal necklaces have been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and FAF Inc. because they contain high levels of cadmium, which "is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects."

The recalled necklaces were made in China and sold at Walmart from November 2009 through January 2010 for $5 and include Disney "The Princess and the Frog" crown and frog pendants. The recalled necklaces can be returned to Walmart for a refund or replacement.

Keep in mind that this type of inexpensive children's jewelry has long been a safety hazard to kids -- first from a risk of lead poisoning and now because of other toxic metals, including cadmium, antimony and barium.

To keep kids safe, parents should avoid buying new cheap metal jewelry for your kids, check older jewelry to make sure it hasn't been recalled, and encourage kids who do play with cheap metal jewelry to avoid putting the jewelry in their mouths, since chewing, sucking on, or swallowing a piece of children's jewelry is the main way that your child will be harmed by any hazardous metals that they may have been made with.

Related:
CPSC Alert - FAF Inc. Recalls Children's Necklaces Sold Exclusively at Walmart Stores
Metals in Children's Jewelry - Hidden Dangers
Hidden Dangers

A report by the Kaiser Family Foundation has found that the average child in the United States between the ages of 8 and 18 years old spends just over 10 1/2 hours a day (10:45) using some type of entertainment media (screen time), including watching TV, listening to music, playing video games, and surfing the internet, etc.

Although that clearly sounds like too much time using these devices, that is even easier to see when you consider that kids who are heavy users of these types of entertainment media are more likely to get poor grades, less likely to get along well with their parents, and are more likely to report being sad or unhappy.

Learn what your kids should be doing instead of spending all of their time doing and how to start limiting screen time.

Related:
Free Play
Exercise and Fitness
Kids and Cell Phones
Youth Sports

About 1.5 million Graco strollers have been recalled because the "hinges on the stroller's canopy pose a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is opening or closing the canopy."

There have been at least seven reports of injuries with these Graco strollers, including five fingertip amputations and two fingertip lacerations. Parents who have one of the recalled Graco strollers, which include certain models of their Graco Passage, Alano and Spree Strollers and Travel Systems, should stop using it until they can get a free protective cover repair kit from Graco.

Related:
CPSC Recall Alert: Graco Recalls Strollers
Baby Products Safety - Strollers
Recalls and Alerts