Kohl's Safety Seconds
Aspirus Health Foundation is a partner with Kohl’s Department Stores and its Kohl’s Cares for Kids® program. During the back-to-school, holiday and spring seasons, Kohl’s offers special items for sale with all profits used to support children's health, safety and education initiatives.
The special seasonal items – all priced at $5 – are made exclusively for the Kohl’s Cares for Kids® program and can be purchased at Kohl’s Department stores. Proceeds from the Rib Mountain (Wausau) and Plover stores go toward programs sponsored by Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Since the beginning of the Aspirus – Kohl’s Cares for Kids® partnership in 2006, the Kohl’s stores in our area have raised more than $74,000 to support children's health and safety initiatives in partnership with Aspirus Wausau Hospital.
Kohl's Safety Seconds Topics
Safe Sleep for Babies
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In 2006 there were 4 sudden deaths reported to the Infant Death Center by coroners and medical examiners in an eight-county region of central Wisconsin. Three of the four deaths were reported as Accidental Asphyxiation, the other as Sudden Unexpected Death of an Infant. In 2007, by the end of November there were 7 sudden deaths reported in the same region. Six of the seven were Accidental Asphyxiation.
*Source: Infant Death Center of Wisconsin
This increase in accidental suffocation is a concern. “There is no guarantee that a baby is risk-free," said Ann Line, supervisor of Aspirus Women’s Health Birthing Center, "but there are ways that risks can be reduced.”
Aspirus Women’s Health Birthing Center recommends that all parents and caregivers follow these recommendations of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Suggestions for Safe Sleep:
- Always place your baby on his or her back for naps and at night. The back sleep position is the safest. Side sleeping is not advised. Every sleep time counts. It’s important that everyone who cares for your baby uses the back sleep position for every nap and every night.
- A firm crib mattress, covered by a fitted sheet is the recommended sleeping surface. Never place your baby for sleep on pillows, quilts, sheepskins, or other soft surfaces.
- Dress your baby in a sleeper to avoid overheating from blankets. Set the room temperature so that it is comfortable for a lightly clothed adult.
- Cribs should be empty. Toys and other soft items such as comforters or pillows should not be placed in the crib with baby. Keep all objects away from your baby’s face. Loose bedding may be hazardous.
- Consider offering a clean, dry pacifier at sleep time and do not replace it once the baby is asleep. To establish a breastfeeding routine, wait until the baby is one month old to offer the pacifier.
- Babies should sleep alone. Babies should not sleep with other children, adults or pets. However, he or she can sleep in the same room as you in an appropriate but separate crib or bassinet.
- Do not let baby sleep on an adult bed, couch, chair, beanbag, waterbed, futon or recliner.
- Avoid products that claim to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and do not rely on home monitors to reduce the risk of SIDS.
- Reduce the chance that flat spots will develop on your baby’s head by providing “tummy time” when your baby is AWAKE and someone is watching. Avoid too much time in car seats, carriers, and bouncers.
- Always keep your baby away from cigarette smoke. Smoke in the home and on clothing contributes to the increased risk of SIDS.
- A responsible person should care for your baby. Those who are using alcohol or drugs or are on medications that affect sound judgment or cause drowsiness should not be in charge of your child’s care.
Crib Safety
The Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests these guidelines as necessary for a safe crib:
- There should not be any missing, loose, or broken slats.
- The space between crib slats should be no more than 2 3/8 inches so a baby’s body cannot fit through the slats (so a soda can won’t fit through the slats). This prevents a baby’s body from slipping through the slats and possibly entrapping her head.
- There isn’t any missing, loose or broken crib hardware.
- A firm, snug-fitting mattress and solid mattress support are important. This prevents a baby from getting trapped between the mattress and the side of the crib.
- Corner posts should not be more than 1/16 of an inch above the end panels so that baby cannot catch clothing and strangle.
- There should not be any cutout designs in the headboard or footboard. This prevents entrapment.
- There are no splinters, rough edges or cracked or peeling paint. Prevent lead poisoning.
When you purchase a crib or other new nursery product, check for the safety certification seal from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). This ensures that the product meets national safety standards.
Other Safety Suggestions for Your Nursery:
- Never leave a baby unattended on a changing table.
- Place cribs away from window blind cords.
- Remove drawstrings from children’s clothing and don’t put strings on pacifiers. These can be strangulation hazards.
- When baby begins to push up on hands and knees, remove crib gyms and mobiles. No strings or cords should dangle into the crib.
- Be sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detector batteries are working.
- Use safety latches on lower drawers and be sure outlets have covers on them.
Shaken Baby Syndrome
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It’s Normal for Babies to Cry
Crying is a baby's primary mode of communication until language development. Crying not only gets the attention of adults to help fulfill basic needs such as feeding and diapering, but also serves as a way for babies to get close to their parents. A baby loves to be held and snuggled. An infant may spend as much as 2-3 hours a day crying.
Sometimes the inconsolable crying of a baby, no matter how much that baby is loved, can wear thin the nerves of the most perfect parent. While most people say they would never intentionally harm a baby, 25 to 50 percent of the American public does not know that shaking a baby, out of anger, frustration, or as an alternative to spanking, can cause severe brain or spinal cord damage, blindness, and even death.
Statistics from the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome show that every year in the United States:
- At least 1,200 to 1,400 children are shaken
- 25 to 30% of shaken babies die
- Survivors of shaken baby syndrome are very likely to have lifelong complications, including brain damage and blindness
- Many more children may be unknown victims of shaken baby syndrome, but aren't discovered because no external trauma, such as a bruise, are evident
NO ONE IS IMMUNE FROM SHAKING A BABY! Shaken Baby Syndrome occurs in families of all backgrounds. Race, religion, family composition and socioeconomic status does not exempt anyone!
What is Shaken Baby Syndrome?
Shaken baby syndrome occurs when a baby is shaken violently, causing bleeding in the brain. Other associated injuries often include bleeding in the retina of the eye, spinal cord and neck injuries, and rib fractures. Shaking usually takes place when the infant is crying inconsolably and the frustrated caregiver loses control.
Most babies have large, relatively heavy heads with weak, undeveloped neck muscles to support them. If shaken, they have a difficult time controlling the whiplash effect of the rapid back-and-forth motion. Shaken baby syndrome is most common in infants under the age of one, but children as old as three or four have been known to suffer from its effects. The injury is almost always accidental. No child, at any age, should be shaken.
The symptoms of Shaken Baby Syndrome are: irritability, sluggishness, vomiting, poor appetite, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, seizures, not sucking or swallowing, unable to track movement with eyes, not smiling or making sounds.
If you or someone else shakes a baby, either accidentally or on purpose, call 911 or take the child to the emergency room immediately. Bleeding inside the brain can be treated. Immediate medical attention will save your baby many future problems and possibly save the baby’s life.
Prevention
Education is the key to prevention! Educate day care providers, babysitters and family members and any others who may care for the baby, about the importance of not shaking the baby for any reason.
- Always provide support for the baby’s head.
- Never shake a baby or child, whether in play or in anger.
- Do not hold your baby during an argument.
- Contact a local crisis hotline or child abuse hotline for help and guidance.
- Seek the help of a counselor and attend parenting classes.
- Do not ignore the signs if you suspect child abuse in your home or the home of someone you know.
- Never throw a baby around, even in a playful manner.
- Never shake a baby to make him stop crying or coughing.
- If the baby continues to cry and all needs are met, safely place them in the crib and shut the door. Take a time out. Call a friend or relative. Ask a neighbor to relieve you while you take a quick walk. Turn on the TV or the radio.
- Walk Away! Never Shake A Baby!
Where can parents go for help?
Fatigue, lack of sleep, and a baby who cries a lot, can make parents reach the end of their rope sooner than they think. Experts advise that when the going gets rough, the parents should take care of themselves and remain calm. Love the child, play with him, and have a good time. Realize that when you get angry, as everyone does, you should put your child in a safe place like his crib or play area, and walk away for a few minutes to calm down.
Telephone your spouse or a friend and let off some steam. Slowly, take deep breaths - if you do not feel better, take some more. Exercise, drink a cup of coffee or tea, read a book or magazine. Change your activity - shake a rug, scrub a floor, beat a pillow, or clean a closet. Relax, close your eyes, and think pleasant thoughts.
The first thing parents need to realize is that their feelings are normal. The second thing is to know that every baby moves through this period. If you are a parent with a plan prepared ahead of time, it can greatly ease your anxiety. Prepare your plan before you leave the hospital or at the latest by the time your baby is three weeks old.
Plan ahead. Some tips for parents:
- Stay in close contact with your pediatrician and be sure to have honest discussions about the crying and how it makes you feel.
- Keep a "crying journal" to get a realistic perspective on the actual amount of time your baby is crying.
- If your baby tends to cry often, make some arrangements for regular child care relief. Get some rest; take care of yourself.
- Talk to a friend, family member, counselor, family physician, public health nurse or other community professional.
- Know your caregiver. Never leave your child with someone you don't trust, or someone who has violent reactions.
- Do not hesitate to drop in on your childcare providers.
Ways To Soothe A Crying Baby
- Meet Basic Needs – feed, burp, diaper the baby. Make sure clothing isn't too tight and baby isn't too hot or cold.
- Take the baby for a walk outside in a stroller or for a ride in the car seat.
- Hold the baby against your chest and gently massage the baby.
- Rock, walk, or dance with the baby.
- Be patient; take a deep breath and count to ten.
- Offer a pacifier.
- Lower any surrounding noise and lights.
- Offer the baby a noisy toy; shake or rattle it.
- Hold the baby and breathe slowly and calmly; the baby may feel your calmness and become quiet.
- Sing or talk to the baby using soothing tones.
- Use white noise such as the washing machine, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner, etc.
Bike Helmet Safety
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Each year approximately 140 children are killed as bicyclists, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention. An estimated 275,000 are treated in emergency rooms with nearly half of them sustaining traumatic brain injuries. More children ages 5 to 14 are seen in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to biking than any other sport. With more than 70 percent of children ages 5 to 14 riding a bike regularly, they are susceptible to the risk of injury.
Head injury is the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes and is the most important determinant of death and permanent disability. The most important organ in the body, the brain, is also one of the most fragile. Even a mild jolt to the head can result in bruising of the brain and tearing of nerves and blood vessels. Damaged brain cells do not heal like broken bones or torn muscles. When the child survives, consequences of traumatic brain injury such as paralysis, severe amnesia, slurred speech, depression and anxiety, and loss of motor skills can last a lifetime.
The National Center for Injury Prevention estimates that helmets can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent, but only 15 to 25 percent of children wear helmets while riding a bike. The rate is the lowest among children ages 11 to 14.
What can you do to reduce the risk of injury for your child?
Helmet tips:
- Don’t negotiate. Require your children to wear a helmet every time, everywhere they go. Enforce this rule.
- Be a role model. Always wear a helmet when you ride a bike.
- Talk to other parents and encourage them to have their kids wear helmets.
- Have your child help choose his/her helmet. Helmets come in many styles and colors. When a child chooses a helmet they think is “cool”, they may be less likely to take it off when you aren’t around.
- Buy a helmet that meets or exceeds safety standards developed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. They will have an ASTM, Snell, ANSI or CPSC certification sticker inside or on the box.
- Help your child to understand the importance of protecting the head from injury.
- Praise your child and others for wearing their helmets.
- Help your child’s school establish and support the rule: “If you ride your bike to school, you must wear a helmet.”
- Correct fit is essential. Do the “Eyes, Ears and Mouth” check:
---Eyes: Position the helmet on your head. Look up and you should see the rim of the helmet (one to two fingers above the eyebrows).
---Ears: Make sure the helmet’s straps form a "V" under your ears when buckled. The strap should be snug, but comfortable.
---Mouth: Open your mouth as wide as you can. If the helmet doesn’t hug your head tighten those straps! It should be level on the head and should not move more than an inch in any direction. - Remember: wearing a helmet isn’t just for bike riding. Children who skateboard, rollerblade, or ride scooters or ATV vehicles should also wear a helmet designed for those activities.
Purchasing a helmet:
- Bike helmets reduce the peak energy of a sharp impact through the use of a stiff layer of foam.
- Choose a smooth rounded outer shell, with no sharp ribs or snag points. Beware of gimmicks. The shell helps the helmet skid easily on rough pavement to avoid jerking your neck.
- White or bright colors are easier for drivers of vehicles to see.
- Coolness, ventilation, fit and sweat control are most critical comfort needs.
- Ponytail ports can improve fit for those with long hair.
- Buy a helmet that meets or exceeds safety standards developed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. They will have an ASTM, Snell, ANSI or CPSC certification sticker inside or on the box.
- Some head shapes require more fiddling with fitting pads and straps, but good fit is essential for safety.
- Replace your helmet after a crash.
- Warning! No helmets on playgrounds! – Children must remove helmets before climbing on playground equipment or trees, where a helmet can snag and choke them.
Bicycle Riding Tips:
- A bicycle is a vehicle, not a toy. Riding a bike, especially around traffic, is an important responsibility.
- Cycling should be restricted to sidewalks and paths until a child is age 10 and able to show how well he or she rides and observes the basic rules of the road. Adult supervision is essential until the appropriate traffic skills and judgment are obtained.
- Ride with traffic, not against it. Ride as far to the right as possible.
- Use appropriate hand signals.
- Respect traffic signals. Stop at all stop signs and red lights.
- Stop and look left, right and left again before entering a street.
- Look back and yield to traffic coming from behind before turning left at intersections.
- Do not ride when it’s dark. If riding at dusk, dawn or in the evening is unavoidable, wear retro reflective material on clothing or bike, and use lights on the bike.
- Proper bike fit and maintenance can help prevent injuries. Your child’s feet should reach the ground while sitting on the bike seat. Make sure the reflectors are secure, brakes work properly, gears shift smoothly, and tires are tightly secured and properly inflated.
Sources: Safe Kids Worldwide (SKW). Bicycle, Rollerblade and Skateboard Injuries. Washington (DC): SKW, 2007. Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, Arlington, VA., 2006. National Center for Injury Prevention, WISQARS Fatal Injuries: Mortality Reports (2005).
CAR SEAT SAFETY
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Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 2 to 14 and the leading cause of injury-related death for children under 2. When installed and used correctly, child safety seats and safety belts can prevent injuries and save lives. Young children restrained in child safety seats have an 80 percent lower risk of fatal injury than those who are unrestrained.
INFANTS - From birth to at least age 1 and 20 lbs
- Use a rear-facing car seat correctly in a back seat every time your baby rides in a vehicle – usually until your child is 18 months. Wisconsin law requires children to be rear-facing until they are both 20 pounds and 12 months.
- Use the right car seat for your baby’s weight and height. Infants are weighed and measured at every doctor visit.
- Use the car’s safety belt or LATCH system to lock the car seat into the car. Your car seat should not move more than one inch side-to-side or front to back. Grab the car seat at the safety belt path or LATCH path to test it.
- Put harnesses through the slots so they are even with or below the infant’s shoulders. Be sure the harness is tight, so you can’t pinch extra webbing at the shoulder.
- Adjust the chest clip to armpit level.
- Use your baby’s car seat rear-facing and reclined no more than 45 degrees, so the baby’s head stays in contact with the seat and the baby’s airway stays open. Read the car seat instructions.
- Keep your baby rear-facing until at least age 1 and 20 pounds. Use a rear-facing convertible seat longer if the seat has higher weight and height limits.
- Find where the frontal airbags are in your vehicle by checking the owner’s manual. Never put a rear-facing car seat in front of an active airbag.
- Be sure all occupants wear safety belts correctly every time. Children learn from adult role models.
TODDLER - Older than age 1 and more than 20 pounds
- Use a forward-facing car seat correctly in a back seat every time your toddler rides in a car.
- Use the right car seat with a harness for your toddler’s weight and height. Toddlers are weighed and measured at every doctor visit.
- Use the car’s safety belt or LATCH system to lock the car seat into the car. Your car seat should not move more than one inch side to side or front to back. Grab the car seat at the safety beltpath or LATCH path to test it.
- Put harnesses through the slots so they are even with or above the child’s shoulders. Some seats require use of the top slots when the seat is forward-facing, so check instructions.
- Be sure the harness is tight, so you can’t pinch extra webbing at the shoulder.
- Use a top tether if your vehicle and car seat are both so equipped. Tethers limit the forward motion of your child’s head in a crash. If you don’t have them, contact your car dealer and car seat manufacturer.
- Adjust the chest clip to armpit level.
- A child is too big for the seat when the shoulders are above the top slots, the tops of the ears are above the back of the seat or the weight limit is exceeded. Move to a taller car seat or a booster seat. Many children will outgrow the harness of a forward-facing car seat at age 4 or 5.
- Be sure all occupants wear safety belts correctly every time. Children learn from adult role models.
BOOSTER SEATS - 40 to 80 or 100 pounds
- Use a booster seat correctly in a back seat every time your child rides in a car.
- Older kids get weighed and measured less often than babies, so check your child’s growth a few times a year. Use a booster seat until your child weighs between 80 and 100 pounds, is about 4 feet, 9 inches tall and can pass the Safety Belt Fit Test. For most children, that will be between ages 8 and 12.
- Tell all drivers who transport your child that booster seat use is a must when your child is in their vehicle.
- A booster seat uses no harness. It uses the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belts only. Be sure the safety belt is properly buckled.
Booster seats are not installed tightly. They sit on the vehicle seat; the child buckles the lap and shoulder belt and wears the safety belt like you do. Never use only the lap belt. - Use the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belts on every booster seat. Never place the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back.
- Be sure all occupants wear safety belts correctly every time. Children learn from adult role models.
Use a booster seat with the vehicle lap and shoulder safety belts until your child passes the Safety Belt Fit Test:
- Have your child sit all the way back on the vehicle seat. Do his or her knees bend at the front edge of the seat? If they bend naturally, go to #2. If they don’t, return to the booster seat.
- Buckle the lap and shoulder belt. Be sure the lap belt rests on the upper legs or hips. If it does, go to #3. If it rests on the stomach, return to the booster seat.
- Be sure the shoulder belt rests on the shoulder or collarbone. If it does, go to #4. If it’s on the face or neck, return to the booster seat. Never put the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back.
- Check whether your child maintains the correct seating position for as long as you are in the car. If your child slouches or shifts positions so the safety belt touches the face, neck or stomach, return your child to the booster seat.
SAFETY BELTS
- Ensure that all kids sit upright when using safety belts. Never let them lean against windows or car doors or lie down. Never put the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back.
- Tell every driver who transports your child that safety belt use is a must when your child is in their vehicle.
- Teach your child to use a safety belt in a back seat in every vehicle he or she uses. This is most important when the child rides unsupervised in vehicles driven by family and friends.
- Wear your safety belt correctly every time you are in a car. Children learn from adult role models.
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians are trained in installing car safety seats properly and can help parents make sure their children are as safe as possible on the road. To find a free inspection location, go to Safe Kids Wausau Area or call 715-847-2380 or 800-847-4707. For other locations in Wisconsin or the U.S. go to http://www.seatcheck.org or call toll-free at 866/SEATCHECK (866/732-8243).
Additional resources:
U.S. Department of Transportation Auto Safety Hotline
(800) 424-9393
American Academy of Pediatrics
Safe Kids Worldwide (202) 662-0600
Safe Kids Wausau Area
Important reminders
- Be a good role model. Make sure you always wear your seat belt. This will help your child form a lifelong habit of buckling up.
- Never leave your child alone in or around cars. Any of the following can happen when a child is left alone:
--Temperatures can reach deadly levels in minutes, and the child can die of heat stroke.
--He can be strangled by power windows, sunroofs, or accessories.
--He can knock the vehicle into gear, setting it in motion.
--He can be backed over when the vehicle backs up.
--He can become trapped in the trunk of the vehicle. - Always read and follow manufacturer’s instructions. If you do not have the manufacturer’s instructions for your car safety seat, write or call the company’s customer service department. They will ask you for the model number, name of seat, and date of manufacture. The manufacturer’s address and phone number are on the label on the seat. Also be sure to follow the instructions in your vehicle owner’s manual about using car safety seats.
Sources: Safe Kids Worldwide, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, American Academy of Pediatrics.
