Welcome to the Heart & Home Baby Safety newsletter! In this edition you'll learn some startling facts about drowning and the 10 best tips for keeping your child safe around water. Also, while there's plenty of buzz about the "dangers" of childhood tv watching, the real danger is the possibility of a tv tip-over. Learn 5 ways it's possible and 5 ways to prevent it in your home.
Heart & Home is dedicated to helping parents who want to keep their child safe and create a danger-free home.
Have a Well-Stocked Toolbox
Many of us are trying to fix what's broken these days rather than buy new. For basic around-the-house repairs it's helpful to have a well stocked toolbox. Below are our suggestions. Also note that many hardware stores offer "Ladies Night" and other "classes" on home repair, remodeling, etc.
- Phillips head and flat head screw drivers in sizes #1 (smaller) and #2 (standard)
- Set of Allen wrenches (these are L-shaped with hexagonal tips) for assembling and disassembling cribs, bicycles, etc.
- Eye glass repair kit for the obvious reason as well as replacing those pesky button cell batteries in the kids' small toys
- Picture hanging kit (generally includes nails, wire, and other essentials for hanging)
- Pliers (needle nose and standard)
- Glue (Elmer's and a quick setting epoxy)
- Measuring tape
- Level
- Hammer
- Utility knife
- Adjustable crescent wrench (comes in handy for adjusting bolts on large toys and outdoor equipment)
- Electronic stud finder
- A variety of nails (brads are smaller and usually fine for small projects) and screws
- Drill. 9V (volt) drills are lightweight but powerful enough for most jobs. Amy likes her 14V DeWalt and I like my 12V Makita. Choose a drill that feels comfortable in your hand.
- A starter set of drill bits (we like Craftsman)
Don't you just feel empowered already? 
LeapFrog Recalls Electronic Plush Toys Due to Choking Hazard
Read more »
SIGN UP FOR EMAIL ALERTS
Bike Safety at Patriots Training Camp
July 30 - August 11, from 11am - 4pm. Children will have the opportunity to learn more about safety skills, helmet fit, and ride through a 200+ foot handling course! Sponsored by AAA Southern New England and held within the Patriots Experience Fan Zone at Gillette Stadium/Patriot Place in Foxboro.
Drowning: Did you know these startling facts?
By: Carrie Kelley
Did you know that most young children who drown in swimming pools were last seen in the home, had been missing from sight for less than five minutes and were in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning.
Did you know that...
- Drowning is usually quick and silent.
- A child will lose consciousness two minutes after submersion, with irreversible brain damage occurring within four to six minutes.
- Entrapment can occur when a child's body, swimsuit or hair become trapped in the drain of a pool or hot tub and the suction is too powerful for them to free themselves.
- A child can drown in as little as one inch of water.
- Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among children ages 1 to 14.
(Statistics provided by Safe Kids Worldwide)
10 Tips for general water safety:
- When near water an adult should be within arm's reach of children under 5 years old at all times.
- Don't rely on water wings or inflatable toys to keep your child safely afloat.
- When swimming in a pool keep a phone nearby in case of emergency.
- Don't rely on bath tub rings to keep your child safe in the tub. Always stay within arm's reach.
- Empty kiddie pools after each use.
- Whirlpools should have proper covers with locks.
- Become aware of drain entrapment dangers.
- Remember to always have your child wear a proper life jacket aboard boats.
- Remember the other places a child could drown: toilet, buckets/pails, coolers containing melted ice, wells, fish ponds, fountains.
- Know CPR.
Tips to keep your child safe if you have a pool:
- Pools should have 4-sided fencing w/ auto close and lock gate. The gate should separate the house from the pool.
- After swimming remove all toys so children aren't tempted to reach for them. Lock the gate.
- Any door that leads outside of the home should be kept locked, including pet doors.
- Pools with only one drain should have an anti-entrapment drain cover and shut-off release system should entrapment occur.
5 Ways a Child Can Tip a TV. 5 Ways to Prevent it from Happening.
By: Carrie Kelley
- While Aiden is busy opening the drawers of a dresser the tv on top wobbles and falls.
- Reaching for her favorite DVD Emma gets a footing on the tv stand and the tv tips over.
- Noah loves pressing the buttons on the flat screen tv but this time pushes too hard and the tv topples.
- Sophia is practicing her twirls and her outstretched arms accidentally knock over the flat screen tv.
- Jack is playing video games, sitting in front of the tv. He gets overly excited and pulls on the cords causing the tv to fall.
These scenarios are, sadly, not hypothetical for some parents. From 2000 through 2005, CPSC has reports of 36 tv tip-over-related deaths and 65 furniture tip-over deaths. In 2005 at least 3,000 children younger than 5 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms because of injuries associated with tv tip-overs.
Amy Arnold of Heart & Home reports, "Tv tip-overs seem to be on the rise. I'm seeing the evidence in clients' homes. Many parents upgrade to larger tv's but don't necessarily upgrade the size of the furniture the tv is on. I'm seeing more flat screen tv's which are less stable than traditional tv's. While lighter weight, they are still very dangerous if they tip."
5 Tips to Prevent TV Tipping in Your Home:
- Start by making sure your tv is on an appropriate piece of furniture (large enough, not unstable). Consider securing the furniture itself to the wall (try Safety 1st Furniture Straps). Be sure the tv is back as far as possible from the front of the stand.
- For smaller, traditional tv's use Parents Unit's TV Safety Straps to secure the tv to the stand. If the tv is larger you may also need to use Parents Unit's Topple Stops to secure the tv to the wall behind it. Both products use strong adhesive so you don't need to drill into the tv.
- To secure flat screen tv's to the wall use an earthquake type securing strap or Safety 1st Flat Screen TV Lock.
- Any item that would tempt your child to climb shouldn't be left on top of the tv or stand (remotes, toys, DVD's, etc).
- Bundle electrical cords and wrap them out of reach so your child can't pull on them.
