I gotta say, the daily commute has been feeling a bit hairy lately. Seems like I’m passing accidents more frequently. Watching a bit more weaving. I can’t be sure that it’s all related to distracted driving, but sure seems like a lot of it is. Every day I witness drivers looking down at phones at stoplights, missing the change to green. I even saw a smartphone mounted to one car’s driver side dash and the driver scrolling through websites during rush hour traffic on the freeway. Scary stuff. Continue reading
Category Archives: Safety
Kids In The Car: Essential Safety Tips
Many parents clearly remember that first car ride home with their newborn. I certainly do. Car seat buckles double and triple checked. Driving slowly, cautiously out of the parking lot. The weight of our new precious cargo heavy on our minds.
As time passes that anxiety fades a bit but still, three years later, I often have jolts of the weight of it. To sit behind the wheel of a car brings great responsibility, made even heavier when a child is riding with you. There are a number of things we can do as parent-drivers to make the ride safer for kids. Continue reading
A Story That Is Haunting Me
I recently read, as I’m sure many of you did, the New York Times story recounting the illness and death of Rory Staunton. It is a haunting story. . . one that keeps coming back to my mind. The tragic death of a previously healthy twelve-year-old child. A child full of life, cut short. Continue reading
7 Ways to Keep Kids Safe Around Medications
Children are innately curious and tend to explore their environment. Medications and other substances around the house can be dangerous for little ones if accidentally ingested or taken in inappropriate doses. Over 60,000 children visit emergency departments every year due to accidental medication poisoning. Here are a few tips to keep your kids safe. Continue reading
Summer Safety
Summer is here! A time of vacations, parks, and picnics. But, with all of this fun, it is also a time to think about staying safe. Here’s a collection of great advice from some of my favorite child health websites. Continue reading
Infant Crying and Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome
Last week I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by Dr. Carol Berkowitz, former President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a smart, spunky pediatrician who specializes in child abuse and had much wisdom to share regarding shaken baby syndrome (now also known as abusive head trauma). Today I’d like to share a few points I took away from her talk on this important topic. Continue reading
Helmets on My Mind
In the last few months I’ve been involved in the care of three children with severe head injuries. Two were skateboarding and one was riding a bike at the time of the injury. All of their lives are forever changed. None was wearing a helmet. Continue reading
Halloween Safety: Don’t get tricked by the treats!
With Halloween approaching, parents are currently bombarded with advice about costumes, decorations, party ideas, etc. Well, I’ll put in my two cents about having not just a Happy Halloween, but a safe one. Continue reading