National Preparedness Month 2012
Sunday September 30, 2012
National Preparedness Month, sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), ends today.
It is a great time to learn how to get your family prepared for emergencies, whether it is ... Read More
Saturday Safety Roundup
Saturday September 29, 2012
In this week's Saturday Safety Roundup, stories of:
a 7-year-old in Moreno Valley, California who is in critical condition with major head trauma after she slammed into the side of a ... Read More
We Are Hungry Video - Your Politics is Showing
Friday September 28, 2012
The "We Are Hungry" video out of Kansas has made the big time.
I'm not talking about the Today Show or Fox News, where it has been featured. No, it made ... Read More
West Nile Virus Update
Thursday September 27, 2012
The West Nile virus case count went up by 400 cases since last week.
People will be a little more concerned that the number of deaths increased too, from 134 a ... Read More
Update on the New Swine Flu Variant Viruses
Thursday September 27, 2012
When most people think about swine flu, they think of the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic. The H1N1 virus is thought to have come from a reassortment between influenza viruses in ... Read More
Did your doctor get a flu vaccine?
Thursday September 27, 2012
Most people are well aware of the latest guidelines that everyone who is at least 6 months of age should get a flu vaccine each year.
And many people get the ... Read More
Measles in New York
Thursday September 27, 2012
We aren't hearing much about measles this year, but it is important to remember that it hasn't gone away.
The new case of measles in New York is a good reminder.
The ... Read More
Hot Car Death in Florida
Wednesday September 26, 2012
There was another hot car death - a 6-month-old died in Doral, Florida in Miami-Dade County yesterday, after being left in a hot car for 9 hours.
The baby girl's father ... Read More
Kids in Kansas are Going Hungry
Tuesday September 25, 2012
Childhood hunger is a serious problem in America.
Although "most U.S. households have consistent, dependable access to enough food for active, healthy living," the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 14.9 ... Read More
Pit Bull Mauls 3-Month-Old Baby
Tuesday September 25, 2012
There have been a surprisingly high number of dog bite tragedies involving newborn babies and infants this year, including:
a 10-week-old in San Antonio, Texas who suffered internal bruising and bites ... Read More
Still Too Fat and Unfit in America
Tuesday September 25, 2012
Mission: Readiness is a nonpartisan organization of senior retired military leaders that has been calling for smart investments in America's children, and which most recently has been promoting a message ... Read More
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Peanut Butter
Monday September 24, 2012
Peanut butter is not a rare source for a Salmonella outbreak.
The latest outbreak, the third since 2007, is likely linked to Trader Joe's Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with ... Read More
Trampoline Safety Update
Monday September 24, 2012
The American Academy of Pediatrics has long warned against the use of home trampolines, first issuing a policy statement against their use in 1977.
Originally designed for training acrobats, gymnasts, and ... Read More
Politics, Parenting, and Pediatrics - Sequestration
Sunday September 23, 2012
Unless you actually enjoy politics, it is a topic that many of us try to avoid.
Unfortunately, it affects all of us in more ways than we like to believe.
Take the ... Read More
Saturday Safety Roundup
Saturday September 22, 2012
In this week's Saturday Safety Roundup, tragic stories of:
a 3-year-old in Clinton, Connecticut who suffered a serious head injury after she fell off a tractor she was riding on with ... Read More
Playing with Matches - Accidents and Tragedies
Friday September 21, 2012
"Don't play with matches or lighters."
It is a lesson that most of us try to teach our kids. Curious children, especially young children or children who get together in a ... Read More
The Latest on the West Nile Virus Outbreak
Thursday September 20, 2012
The CDC now reports that we are seeing the highest number of West Nile virus disease cases since 2003, with 3,142 cases being reported so far this year.
As we have ... Read More
I Went to Summer Camp and all I got was Histoplasmosis
Thursday September 20, 2012
While some kids get sick or injured, most of the millions of kids who go to summer camp come home safe and sound.
That wasn't the case for 19 camp counselors ... Read More
California Hantavirus Outbreak
Wednesday September 19, 2012
While some people will remember the hantavirus from their days of watching the X-Files, it is important to remember that it is actually a real virus that can cause life-threatening ... Read More
Child Passenger Safety Week
Tuesday September 18, 2012
Child Passenger Safety Week, September 16 to 22, is a great time to remember that car crashes are the number one killer of children between the ages of 1 to ... Read More
Toddler Injured in Connecticut Tractor Accident
Tuesday September 18, 2012
A 3-year-old in Clinton, Connecticut was riding on a tractor with her father, when she fell off and may have been run over, suffering a serious head injury.
Unfortunately, these types ... Read More
Water-Absorbing Balls - Another Hidden Hazard
Monday September 17, 2012
Choking is one of the leading causes of death for young children. And while parents often watch out for some of the more common choking hazards, such as hard candy, ... Read More
Fully Implement the Food Safety Modernization Act
Sunday September 16, 2012
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) helped to transform the FDA and our overall food safety system into one in which food regulators worked to prevent contamination of our food, ... Read More
Saturday Safety Roundup
Saturday September 15, 2012
In this week's Saturday Safety Roundup, stories of:
a 4-year-old in Las Cruces, New Mexico who was mauled by her father's Blue Heeler (an Australian cattle dog).
a 10-month-old in Hertford, North ... Read More
Measles in Arkansas
Friday September 14, 2012
Although the West Nile virus is getting a lot of the attention this year, it is important to note that some other viral infections are still causing problems, even those ... Read More
Weekly West Nile Virus Update
Friday September 14, 2012
The CDC held released another West Nile virus update this week.
They started by stating that they are 'hopeful that the worst of the outbreak is behind us.' However, since ... Read More
More Window Blinds Recalled - Toddler Strangled
Wednesday September 12, 2012
Despite the fact that window blinds were redesigned in 1995 to eliminate the outer loop on the end of pull cords and again in 2011 so that inner cords can't ... Read More
Another Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Pet Turtles
Tuesday September 11, 2012
There have been at least 11 large Salmonella outbreaks so far this year.
We have a lot of the usual suspects, including cantaloupes, mangoes, ground beef, and live poultry, and of ... Read More
West Nile Cases Up Again
Monday September 10, 2012
Last week, the CDC predicted that we would likely pass the epidemic numbers of West Nile cases that we saw in 2002 and 2003 (about 3,000 cases each year).
That doesn't ... Read More
Saturday Safety Roundup
Saturday September 8, 2012
In this week's Saturday Safety Roundup, stories of:
a 4-year-old in Seminole County, Georgia who was mauled to death by a dog after the boy had wandered outside his home.
an 8-year-old ... Read More
Whole Grains Month
Saturday September 8, 2012
Do your kids eat enough whole grains?
Remember, at least half of the grains we eat should be whole grains, which contain the entire grain kernel, such as:
whole wheat flour
whole wheat ... Read More
Saturday Safety Roundup
Saturday September 1, 2012
In this week's Saturday Safety Roundup, stories of:
a 4-year-old in Parkersburg, West Virginia who died after being left in a hot car. She was found in a car parked at ... Read More
West Nile Virus Update
Saturday September 1, 2012
Many parents, especially here in North Texas, are worried about West Nile virus infections.
Texas is one of six states that have reported over 70% of the West Nile virus infections ... Read More