Baby Gate Safety
Every year more than two million kids are injured or even lose their lives due to hazards at home, which makes baby safety very important. It is possible to avoid many such incidents, with the help of some easy child safety gadgets which are available in the market nowadays. You must ensure the strength of the safety device you purchase for the safety of your child and it should also be convenient to use. The installation instructions are vital and must be followed properly. If you also have older children, you must ensure that they re-secure the safety gadgets. Keep in mind that there is no baby safety device which is fully childproof; some kids manage to open them.Listed below are a few baby safety devices which will assist in preventing injuries to young kids.
Cabinet safety locks and latches will stop children from getting hold to household cleaners and medicines or any kind of dangerous and pointed items. Buy safety locks and latches which are easy to use and install for adults, but are strong and can endure pushing and tugging from kids. Protection is not guaranteed by safety locks, but they will make it tougher for kids to get to hazardous substances.
You can install safety gates to keep kids from going on the stairs or rooms which may be dangerous. Find baby safety gates which don’t open easily, but is simple for adults. Gates which can be screwed on the wall are better if you need it at the top of the stairs.
Covers for door knobs and door locks will also prevent children from going to places which are hazardous, like the swimming pool. The door knob cover must be strong so that it does not break, but must let the door open fast by adults if there is an emergency. Children can be prevented from injuries from staying away from potentially dangerous places. You must locks as well as door alarms and fences. You must be sure that all doors and locks are re-secured after being used.
Burns can be prevented by anti-scalding devices which regulate water temperature, and you can use them in the showerheads and faucets. You may need a plumber to install them. The water heater temperature can also be set to 120 degrees fahrenheit if you live in your own home to stop hot water burns.
Smoke detectors are a vital safety gadget for baby safety against injuries and death by fire. The smoke detectors must be checked monthly to ensure that they are in good condition. If batteries are used in the detectors, the batteries have to be changed once a year or you can also use ten year batteries.
A carbon monoxide detector will avert poisoning by CO and they must be installed close to the sleeping area at home. If you use oil or gas heating or have attached garages, you can use carbon monoxide detector for baby safety.
Door stops, holders and hinges can be useful to avoid hands and fingers from getting crushed or pinched. You must have safety device on doors which are simple use and is strong.
Cordless phones are good for baby safety, as you can keep an eye on the child all the time, without leaving the place to attend a phone call. Cordless phones will be useful especially when the child is close to water in the pool or on the beach.
Baby safety gadgets will help you keep children safe.
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The most common type of baby gate is the tension gate. Tensions gates are available in wooden & plastic and just plastic, and are the lowest cost baby gates available. Wooden & plastic tension baby gates cost about $10 per gate at stores like Wal-Mart and Target, while plastic tension baby gates cost about $15 to $20. Since tension baby gates work on the tension supplied by the force of both sides of the gate, they will only work on areas that have a straight line from wall to wall. Tension gates are usually used in places like doorways, and they aren’t safe for use on the top of the stairs. Tension gates can expand to fit pretty large spaces, but they won’t work if you are trying to block off an entire room in an open floor plan house. Tension gates are the easiest to use because they require no permanent installation, but if you need to get into the room while the gate is put up it’s a bit of a hassle. To get into or out of a room while a tension baby gate is set up you’ll either have to step over the gate entirely or take the gate down. I personally use tension gates in my home because they are simple, require no permanent installation, and I don’t mind stepping over them.
Another convenient type of baby gate is the retractable baby gate. There is currently only one gate of this type available, The Kiddy Guard Gate. The Kiddy Guard Gate is available at Babies R Us and costs around $110, but it’s a stylish solution to baby proofing your home. The Kiddy Guard Gate is a fabric gate that can be retracted when you aren’t using it. The Kiddy Guard Gate can be used in doorways or room openings that are up to 51 inches wide. The gate is safe for use at the top of the stairs, which many other baby gates are not. The Kiddy Guard Gate requires permanent installation into your wall, so it’s not for use in apartments. The Kiddy Guard Gate is definitely an attractive solution to baby proofing since it can be retracted, but it’s still hard to navigate when it’s actually up and in use. One of my good friends has a Kiddy Guard Gate and claims that it is very hard to retract and pull back out using one hand, so she usually just has to step over the gate when it’s in use.
The easiest baby gates for everyday use are probably the type of gates that also include a hinged “door.” These gates offer the easiest access to the gated off room when in use, since you just walk right through the hinged door in the gate! These type of baby gates are perfect for rooms you need access to frequently when gated off, like the kitchen. There are various models of hinged door baby gates on the market; including a hands free version. The hands free gate is manufactured by The First Years and allows you to open the gate’s door with a foot pedal. The First Years Hands Free gate is also a tension gate, so you don’t have to worry about permanent installation. However, like any tension gate the First Years Hands Free Gate can only be used on straight wall to wall areas and is not safe for the top of the stairs. The First Years Hands Free Gate retails for about $40, which is a good price for a hinged door style baby gate.
Another one of my favorite hinged door style baby gates is the Sure and Secure Custom Fit Gate. The Sure and Secure Custom Fit Gate is made of plastic and fabric, and it’s actually pretty stylish compared to most baby gates. This gate combines a hinged door style with the versatility to be used in places that do not have a straight wall to wall design, or in rooms with a very large opening. The Sure and Secure Custom Fit Gate fits in openings up to 12 feet, but it does have to be permanently installed into the wall. The hinged door in the gate is fairly simple to use and can be used one handed. I had one of these gates in my old home where the opening to the kitchen was at an odd angle, and the Sure and Secure Custom Fit Gate worked perfectly!
The last option in baby gates available to baby proof your home is a baby “play yard.” I can’t really recommend these type of gating systems because they confine your baby to a small space and don’t allow for crucial exploring. However, baby play yards may fit the needs of some parents who have very large great rooms or basements. Gated baby play yards come in a variety of materials including wood, metal, and plastic. Plastic is the most economical choice, and Babies R Us carries a plastic baby play yard called the Superyard XT for only $70. The Superyard XT provides an area of 18.5 square feet for your baby to play, and the yard is 26 inches high to offer proper protection for your little one. You can also purchase extension kits for the Superyard XT to make an even bigger play area for your baby. The Superyard XT is a stand alone system, so you will need a very big room in order to accommodate it. There is one big bonus to owning a Superyard XT- it can also be used outdoors.
No matter which baby gate you chose to baby proof your home with, it’s best to make sure it’s certified by the JPMA. The JPMA, or the Juvenile Products Manufactures Association, certifies baby items like gates and cribs to make sure they are safe for use. It’s easy to tell if a baby gate is certified by the JPMA because the packaging will display the JPMA’s official seal and will sometimes additionally state “Certified by the JPMA.” You can visit the JPMA’s website, including in the resource section of this article, to view their official seal and also to find out which gates are certified by the JPMA.
Baby Gate Safety
Babies are notorious for getting into the things you don’t want them to, and my child was no exception to that. Constantly, I’d be running over to stop her from chewing on the computer wires, or trying to get into the kitchen. I tried blocking her way with a makeshift “barrier” consisting of her exersaucer and learning table. Well, babies adapt. She found her way around my pathetic wall, either crawling through them or simply moving them. Every day was beginning to seem like I was constantly pulling her away from wires and anything else I didn’t want her to touch. It was time to come up with a new solution that wouldn’t infringe upon her exploration.I bought the North State Superyard XT Portable Playard for about $60. Others were priced MUCH higher and I felt happy to find one within my price range. Let me tell you, of all the baby items, from furniture to toys, this was the very best purchase I made.
Why? Well, featured in the pictures you see of baby gates (also known as Configure Gates), it encloses the baby in a hexagon. I knew my child would not like this, as she is big on exploring and having a lot of space to run around. The gate doesn’t necessarily have to connect in a hexagon. In fact, what I did was wrap one end around my entertainment center and across the room and behind my couch in a semi-circle, leaving my daughter to be free to run up and down the hall and have the entire family room (minus the area the computer and those pesky wires are in) to herself to roam and explore. Pictures are very misleading, making you think you can only ‘configure’ this gate into a small pen.
Also enormously helpful with this playard is that you can buy ‘add-on’ pieces for your gate. If you wanted your child’s playpen to be larger, or to extend the length of the gate to stretch around your family room. Each extension is $20, sometimes less, and is an extra 35 inches of space for you little one.
Simply putting a typical sliding gate between a walkway was not going to work for us, as the computer would be fair game for our child. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out how to keep her happy…and me. Now, I don’t have to worry about her safety, for the most part. The gate is almost impossible to climb, the diamonds being very narrow, even for little feet. The gate itself is extra tall (26 inches high).
Another big plus on this gate is that it is completely portable and not hard at all to play up and take to a beach or park. You simply fold the interlocking pieces down and clip the carrying strap together and you’re good to go. It’s a little on the heavy side when carrying it condensed, but not overly so.
Overall, I want to impress upon you what a lifesaver this product has been for my stay-at-home-mom lifestyle. I don’t feel afraid to leave my daughter for a moment while I get her some food from the kitchen or wonder what she’s getting into while I use the bathroom. This is just one big stress relief for me and it really has changed my day-to-day life with my daughter. Pretty good for sixty bucks, huh?
While booking your ticket, ask what your airline’s guidelines are regarding infant travel. Most times children under age 2 are considered lap babies, and you do not have to purchase an additional seat for them, as long as you can keep them in you lap throughout the flight. Some airlines require that the child be in a carseat (but some airlines have carseats available).
It is important to carefully pack your carry-on bag. Make sure to bring enough diapers (then add a couple for good measure, because you may get stuck somewhere) and wipes, and a plastic bag for the soiled ones. Having been trapped in an airplane with a baby that had her second diaper blowout of the day at 35,000 feet, I recommend that you pack two changes of clothes as well as an extra shirt for yourself. An extra receiving blanket or two will give you somewhere to put baby during an impromptu diaper change. Of course a favorite toy or blanket to give them comfort is important.
Because babies cannot change the pressure in their ears as the cabin pressurizes, you may want to bring a pacifier or feed your infant during takeoff and landing to encourage them to swallow. If your baby is formula-fed, bring enough formula and bottles for the trip, and then add a couple more. If your baby is breast-fed you can breastfeed your baby upon takeoff and landing. If this is not practical or desirable, you can bottle-feed your baby expressed breastmilk. Breastmilk can stand at room temperature for up to 10 hours, so it can be expressed at home and used on the trip. TSA regulations allow for breastmilk volumes greater than three ounces to be carried onto the plane, as long as the baby is there with you and you keep the breastmilk separate from all the other items going through screening. You will not be asked to taste your milk.
I recommend that you not check your baby’s stroller, and use it to get around in the airport. It can be checked at the gate, and it will be waiting for you outside the door of the plane when you arrive at your destination. Having a stroller is somewhat cumbersome when going through airport screening, as you have to place it on the conveyor belt. However, it is my experience that people are very helpful will offer to help you fold the stroller or set it back up on the other side of security, and having it while going from gate to gate is useful.
Make sure to accept any help anyone offers. Whether it be holding an elevator, putting your bag on a security conveyor, or letting you have a particular seat any help you can get will help ease your burden. Take advantage of early boarding calls. This will give you the chance to get situated without having to climb over anyone or worry about not having space in the overhead compartment.
Traveling with an infant can be very stressful, so it is important to remain calm and not get frustrated. Being organized and having these tips in hand will help make traveling with your infant a stress-free experience.
Baby Gate Safety
Congratulations, you have decided to welcome a little furry bundle of joy and mischief into your heart and your home. Does your lounge suite really need the foam inside it to be comfortable? Did your garden bed actually need flowers? I know you really love that smelly bone buried in your pillows and just try to think of the puppy poop in your favorite shoes as a spa treatment for your feet. If this strikes a chord of fear in your heart well look out, as you are in for the many highs and lows that a puppy will bring into your life.A puppy will for approximately the next two to four years of your life need constant supervision, training, exercise, vet checks, food, and more importantly your time and your love. It takes approximately two to four years for most breeds to mature to adulthood. The first two years of puppy hood are toddler taming of your puppy, very similar to that of a child, but worse! Be prepared for all hell braking lose as you go through young puppy hood together. Before choosing your puppy, it is highly recommended to research the breed, as although all breeds need the above-mentioned requirements, some breeds require more of an effort. There are many sites on the internet that can help you determine which breed will best suite you and your lifestyle. Thankfully, the reward for your effort will be an obedient, happy dog that loves you and respects your home.
Ideally, you should start your preparation in attempting to puppy proof your home before the arrival of your puppy. However, unless your home has bare walls with rooms devoid of carpets or furnishings of any kind, to completely puppy proof your home is impossible. Even the corners of your walls can become exciting and something new to chew upon if your puppy is unsupervised. Supervision is the only way of ensuring that both your pup and your home remain safe.
As you will eventually have to leave your pup home alone, the best action that you can take is to ensure that you can provide the safest possible environment for your pup until you return. A very young puppy will explore its surroundings but for the most part, it will sleep. A puppy crate or a room such as your laundry is ideal for a short trip down to the shop. The main concern in a laundry is the poisons usually located there. You must make sure that access to any cleaning chemicals is restricted. If a small child can easily open your cupboards then a puppy easily opens them. If you do not wish to go to the extremes of attaching baby safety catches to all of your cupboards then a cheap and easy alternative is to place packing tape or something similar across the face of the doors.
Get down low to the ground to see the world as your puppy will, this will allow you to ensure things that you may not have otherwise noticed. You need to ensure that your puppy will not be able to squeeze itself between your sink and your washing machine, chew the water hoses connected to the washing machine or worse still chew the electrical cables. Check, that if you have vertical or Venetian blinds that no cords are dangling down, as these are just as dangerous to puppies as they are to small children and can result in strangulation.
The laundry is a common choice for housing your puppy as it usually consists of minimal items and contains flooring that ensures ease of cleaning up accidents. Regardless of which room in your home you decide to house your puppy, the following considerations should be on your safety checklist.
Stairs are particularly dangerous to young puppies. Deny access with a baby gate or a suitable barrier. A fall down the stairs could easily kill a young puppy.
Electrical cords should be placed out of reach, have safety devices placed over them or better yet unplugged if possible, puppies love to chew cords.
Furniture can provide hours of blissful chewing to a bored or lonely puppy so ideally your puppy only has access to areas with furniture when you are at home to supervise them. There are products on the market that claim to discourage puppies from chewing on your furniture. Some people may obtain various degrees of success with these products however it has been my experience after many trials on many products with three German Shepherd pups and three lounge suites later, keeping your puppy out of your lounge room when you are not there is the only guarantee.
Recliner lounges can become a hazard to a curious puppy and they can easily become trapped in the space beneath.
Your puppy if left within their reach will eat children’s toys and small objects of any kind. This can result in an expensive trip to the vet and can cause pain or even death to your puppy. Vigilance in making sure that nothing is left lying around is essential.
Keeping cupboards secure is of paramount importance in keeping your puppy safe. Countless items located in our cupboards are potentially life threatening to a puppy. Cleaning chemicals pose an obvious threat, but items that you may not have considered such as medications, plastic bags, insect repellents, and even certain food items can be life threatening. As mentioned earlier baby safety catches are ideal although tape across an easily opened cupboard will work equally effectively.
Food deserves a special mention, as what can be a treat for us can cause death for your puppy. Chocolate, especially dark or cooking chocolate is toxic for dogs. Never give your puppy chocolate or leave chocolate accessible to your puppy. Even chocolate biscuits can make your puppy severely ill. If you feel you must indulge your puppy, get them a safe doggy chocolate biscuit. Made from carob these will not harm your puppy as chocolate will.
Potato powder mixes are also very dangerous to dogs. If eaten from the packet it can put your puppy at risk of bloat, an extremely painful and potentially life threatening condition. This product is commonly used as an environmentally friendly alternative method for killing mice. Always make sure potato mix is kept in a secure container.
Other foods worth mentioning that cause harm to your puppy are as follows:
Onions, macadamia nuts, potato peel, stone fruits, grapes, sultanas, coffee, garlic (in large amounts), and sugar free sweeteners (in large amounts these can cause death). There are many sites available on the internet that goes into detail regarding commonly unknown harmful foods. It is highly recommended and worthwhile researching such sites, as they are a wealth of useful information. A detailed list of toxic and poisonous foods to dogs can be found here www.dogs-central.com/foods-poisonous-to-dogs.html . As prevention is always better than cure please take the time to make yourself familiar with these foods.
Toilet lids left open are another common hazard to puppies. Toilets commonly contain cleaning fluids, which are toxic to puppies, and provide a drowning hazard.
Windows left open provide the perfect opportunity for your puppy to escape and explore. Keep them shut or latched to a small opening to prevent your curious puppy from possibly falling out and wandering off.
Ashtrays and tobacco are toxic for dogs, and a young puppy just like a small child will happily consume cigarette buts. Keep these items out of reach of your puppy.
Slippery floors are a potential hazard for young puppies. Some breeds are prone to a painful condition known as hip dysplacia. Encouraging your puppy to run, slip and slide on wooden and other slippery surfaces may be fun for your puppy and amusing to watch however, there is nothing amusing about a dog suffering from this condition. Participating in activities under these conditions highly increases your puppy’s likelihood of contracting hip dysplacia. Keep the fetching games restricted to grass areas outside which are much safer for your puppy.
Shoes and items of clothing belong in the cupboard not left lying around for your puppy to find and happily chew. Dislodged buttons and zips torn from items of clothing pose a chocking hazard to your puppy. Similarly, shoes often contain buckles and other sharp items that a teething puppy can easily remove and swallow.
A puppy crate is a good alternative for keeping both your home and your puppy safe while you are away. However, do not leave your puppy in the crate for more than two hours. You are providing a safe haven that can assist as an aid in training, not a prison cell. Puppy crates are usually made of wire and ideally are big enough for your puppy to stand up and turn around in, and lay comfortably on some bedding placed inside. Make sure that your pup is familiar with the puppy crate before you intend to leave them alone inside it. This will ensure that your puppy will happily go inside the crate and not be frightened. It is very easy to get your puppy used to the crate by simply leaving the door open and placing a toy or a treat inside the crate. Your puppy will naturally wander inside the crate and you should praise them when they do so, thus ensuring it is a positive experience for your puppy.
If you are now thinking that leaving your puppy in your yard is an easier option to puppy proofing your home, think again. Your backyard contains numerous hazards and dangers to your puppy. The following safety concerns should be followed before leaving your puppy unattended and unsupervised outside.
Although dogs have fur coats they are still subject to chills and illness and require adequate shelter from all of Mother Nature’s extremes. If you must keep your puppy outside please make sure that it has a warm sheltered place where it will feel safe and secure. As a dog is a pack animal instinctively they want to be with their pack which is now you, so please do not punish your dog for whimpering and crying while it has to make this harsh adjustment. This is extremely stressful and unnatural for your puppy to be separated from the pack. A hot water bottle placed in their bed may help comfort your puppy when it is very young.
Fencing should be secure and not contain holes or gaps where your puppy can squeeze through and escape. A puppy can get itself into a very small space so even small gaps and holes easily become an escape route to a small puppy.
Workshops, garden sheds and garages should be locked and inaccessible to your puppy. There are far too many dangerous discoveries held inside for an unsuspecting curious puppy, always take great care when entering your shed that your puppy is not following you closely behind. My own puppy ate fertilizer whilst in the yard with my husband who was busily working and did not notice our puppy follow him into the shed. Thankfully, it was organic so other than a stomachache for the puppy and a headache for my husband from the telling off her got from me, my puppy was fine. It only takes a second for a puppy to access the many hazardous items contained in our sheds and garages so please close the door and keep it locked.
Pools and ponds pose a drowning hazard to puppies. Please ensure that all pools and ponds are fenced off and kept inaccessible to your puppy unless closely supervised. There are many sad stories of puppies drowning as many people mistakenly think that a puppy will instinctively swim and safely get itself out of a swimming pool, sadly this is not the case. Dogs drown in swimming pools usually due to exhaustion from swimming around and around in circles in a state of panic, unable to get out of the pool. A dog instinctively swims to the shore and as there is, no visible shoreline in a swimming pool a dog can easily get into trouble and drown if it does not know how to get out of the pool It is an extremely good idea for you to swim with your puppy in your pool demonstrating to your puppy how to exit the pool using the steps. Supervision with swimming pools is always the safest option however, and puppies like children require supervision around swimming pools.
Educate yourself to the list of plants that are toxic to dogs. There are literally hundreds of common plants that are poisons to dogs and a detailed list can be found here www.dogpack.com/health/poisonplants.htm .Many common indoor and outdoor plants are a potential hazard to your puppy. Ideally, removal of these plants is the best option from your garden although as this is often neither practical nor desirable then they should be fenced off making them inaccessible to your puppy. Similarly, a much-loved display of colorful flowers will not remain attractive for long with a puppy let lose in your yard. Fencing them off removes the temptation to the puppy and the frustration to the gardener.
Puppies are born without teeth and the teething process is long and painful for them. By the age of eight weeks a puppy will have approximately 28 baby teeth. Fromfour to five months of age your puppy will start shedding their baby teeth and by the age of seven months old all of their forty two adult teeth should be in place. A puppy chews for a variety of reasons, but never is the reason to misbehave so please keep that in mind. A puppy will chew to relieve teething pain, boredom and as a natural way of exploring their world.
Have a good supply of safe puppy toys available. If you give your puppy an old shoe of yours, be prepared for your puppy not being able to differentiate between the old shoe and your brand new Nikes. Give your puppy safe toys where small pieces will not easily be dislodged and pose a choking hazard. Soft rope toys are ideal, and can be wet or frozen to aid in easing sore gums. A carrot is a safe and healthy chew toy that can also ease gums if it is nice and cold fresh from your refrigerator. Rawhide chews are also very good although the leather type ones can become a choking hazard so chose the crumbling type. Items from home such as a cardboard box can provide hours of fun for a puppy, although be prepared for quite a mess. Plastic cool drink bottles with the lid and plastic ring removed also provide hours of noisy amusement for your puppy.
The more time and attention that you can give to your puppy the less destructive it will be. Exercise and obedience training are essential in teaching your puppy manners but also have the added bonus of making them extremely warn out and sleepy.
Finally, bringing a puppy into your life is a lot of hard work but tremendously rewarding. Preparing your home and your yard for your puppy is an essential tool into making the transition easier for you and your puppy. With training love and attention, your puppy will soon become a joyous experience in your life. Just as you would not leave a young child, alone it is cruel to leave a young puppy alone for extended periods on a daily basis. If your lifestyle and work does not allow someone to be at home with the puppy at least for the first few months of your puppy’s life, and your demeanor does not permit nor allow for the trials of learning, then possibly consider getting a turtle, a crazy crab or a goldfish not a puppy.
Sun safety:
Young children with fair skin are at high risk for sunburn. Remember, the most dangerous time for sunburn is between 11 am and 3 pm. If your kids are going to be out during those hours, make sure they are wearing sunscreen with a minimum SPF 30, applied at least 30 minutes before heading out. Kids should also wear a large-brimmed hat and colored clothing. Even on cloudy days there are ultraviolet rays, so take care even when the sun is behind the clouds. Babies younger than six months should be kept out of direct sun.
If your child does get a sunburn, give a pain reliever (age and weight appropriate), apply a cool, damp rag and give a lukewarm bath. If the child has a fever, blisters, or chills, call your doctor.
Heat Illness:
Summer temperatures can rise dramatically. Heat illness can lead to exhaustion and stroke. Prevention includes planning your outdoor activities during the early morning or early evening; when outdoors make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids (according to the Texas Children’s Hospital a 90 pound child needs at least 4 to 6 oz of water every 15 minutes while outdoors); and have your child wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing.
If your child becomes nauseated, light-headed, dizzy, weak and feels cool and clammy, get him or her indoors or in some shade and give something cool to drink. If your child has dry, red skin and a fast pulse and is disoriented or confused he or she needs immediate medical attention.
Watch for symptoms of dehydration which include: Few or no tears when crying, eyes that look sunken into the head, soft spot (fontanel) on top of baby’s head that looks sunken, lack of urine or wet diapers for six to eight hours in an infant (or only a very small amount of dark yellow urine), lack of urine for 12 hours in an older child (or only a very small amount of dark yellow urine), dry, cool skin with “goose pimples” on chest and upper arms, irritability, altered mental status, headache, fatigue or dizziness in an older child. If you notice these symptoms, give your child plenty to drink. If the symptoms persist or are highly pronounced seek immediate medical attention.
Insect bites and stings:
If children are going to be out during prime mosquito hours (early morning and late evening), be sure to use an insect repellent with DEET. Use DEET with caution, and use as little as possible. Also, do not use repellent containing DEET on skin that is sunburned or has a rash. Wash your child’s skin immediately after coming indoors.
Keep children away from ant hills. If there are ants in the area make sure your child wears shoes. If your child is bitten, wash the bite with cold water and apply ice. Apply an antibiotic or cortisone cream if needed.
If your there are flying insects in the area, make sure your child knows to stay calm if an insect approaches. Swatting at a flying inset may provoke an attack.
If you child is stung by a bee, hornet or yellow, carefully remove the stinger by scraping it with a fingernail or credit card. Do not attempt to pull it out. You may push more venom into the area. Apply ice and give a pain reliever. If you child develops a rash, hives or is having difficulty breathing, seek immediate medical attention. Your child could be having an allergic reaction.
Outdoor Injuries:
Playgrounds are great places for summer fun. Unfortunately, they are also prime places for injuries. Here are some quick facts about playground injuries. As a result of accidents on playgrounds at home, at school and in public areas, more than 200,000 children ages 14 years and younger visit U.S. emergency departments each year according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).Children 5 years old to 9 years old have the highest rate for playground injuries. School is the site for the majority of these injuries. On public playgrounds, more children are injured on climbing equipment than any other attraction. Swings are responsible for most injuries on home playgrounds. www.texaschildrenshospital.org
Keep an eye on younger children at a playground, especially if there are older, bigger kids around. Make sure your child is wearing the appropriate clothes, and that there no loose strings which could become entangled on playground equipment. Check the ground beneath the equipment. Avoid playgrounds which have concrete, hard sand, or gravel under the equipment. Do not let children play in sandboxes which are left uncovered at night. Animals could get in the sand and leave bacteria, parasites or intestinal worms in the sand.
Pools and other swimming areas:
According to the Texas Children’s Hospital, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death to children ages 1 to 14, taking more than 900 children’s lives each year. www.texaschildrenshospital.org One of the saddest things about this is that the majority of the drownings are preventable.
The following tips will help prevent childhood drownings:
Nothing takes the place of an adult presence. Always, always stay with your child by a pool.
If you own a pool, put as many barriers between your house and your pool as possible. Lock doors and windows leading to the pool. Add alarms or self-closing/self-latching devices for outside doors. Look for self-closing and self-latching gates. Install gate alarms and pool alarms to alert you when someone is in the pool area. Store water toys away from the pool when the toys are not in use. Don’t assume young children will use good judgment and caution around water.
Keep rescue equipment, a phone and emergency numbers by the pool.
Enroll kids age 4 and older in swimming lessons taught by a certified instructor - but don’t assume swimming lessons make your children “drown-proof.”
Learn infant and child CPR. Classes are offered by the Red Cross and several EMS locations.
Have toddlers wear life jackets, not floaties or water wings. Life jackets should fit snugly. If you cannot pull the jacket up to the child’s ears, his or her nose will stay above water.
Never allow diving in water less than 6 feet deep.
Following some simple rules will help you and your kids have a great summer. Keep them safe, keep them healthy and have lots of fun!
Baby Gate Safety
As a responsible dog owner, you know not to feed your dog chocolate or chicken bones. You take your dog to the vet regularly and give it plenty of attention. Your home is cozy and has everything the dog may need. You may not know, however, that some of these common household items can be harmful to your dog.Dogs are nosy creatures and it is part of their nature to explore. While dogs may not know any better, we as responsible owners have the obligation to keep our pets safe.
Human Medications
I have owned a Jack Russell for six years now. My dog is well behaved, although he was an unruly pup when he first came to live with me. Besides chewing up many pairs of my new and expensive shoes, Rocky got himself in trouble by eating medications. He once ate Alka Seltzers and allergy medications right off the kitchen counter. You may think that human medication is safe to lay around on kitchen counters and other furniture, but dogs have mysterious ways of reaching dangerous places. As a Jack Russell, my dog has springs in his legs and bounces like a tennis ball. I never imagined that he could jump on top of a kitchen counter, but he sure did! Rocky lived to see another day, but it taught us a good lesson. Human medication should be stored in medicine cabinets and kept far from a dog’s reach. Your dog may not be able to jump on a kitchen counter, but it can possibly find a way of getting to improperly stored human medications.
Veterinary Medications
Much like human medications, veterinary medications serve a specific medical need and are given in appropriate settings as well as dosages. Veterinary medications that is prescribed to your dog should be kept away from pets and only administered as prescribed.
Foods Dangerous to Dogs
Food presents the most common danger to dogs in your household. Certain human foods such as chocolate, onions, macadamia nuts, walnuts, grapes, raisins, tomatoes, raw eggs, nutmeg, salt and sugar can be toxic and extremely dangerous to dogs. While as pet owners we know not to feed our dogs these foods, we sometimes forget to place these items away from our dog’s reach. Salt and sugar can be left on the kitchen counter, or a bowl of nuts can be left out on a coffee table where a dog’s snout is only inches away. For your dog’s safety, keep kitchen counters clear and clean especially when you are not home.
I made a mistake once of leaving out a pizza box on the kitchen counter, with a medium cheese pizza inside. Again, a Jack Russell proved to be capable of reaching the kitchen counter and inhaling the entire pizza. His belly was upset and he smelled like pizza sauce for a week. Rocky once ate a lamb bone, which resulted in a trip to the emergency veterinary clinic. A piece of the lamb bone lodged into his stomach and he was placed on an IV drip as well as medication to help him pass it. A surgery would have been required if he did not pass the piece in a certain amount of hours. Once again, he had more luck than brains but the situation could have been far worse.
Holiday Household Decorations
New household dangers arise around the holidays and they are often holiday decorations meant to beautify your home. Christmas ornaments such as breakable orbs and decorations can be chewed up. Your dog may find your Christmas tree interesting and all the shiny ornaments appealing. Tinsel, wire ornament hooks and pine needles can be ingested and be extremely dangerous to your dog. Keep your pet safe around the holidays by placing a baby gate around the tree. Restricting access works best to keep your dog safe and still allows you to have a nicely decorated home.
Electrical Cords
Electrical cords are common household items and are used year round. Tape your electrical cord to the wall so that it is not loose or accessible to chewing. Spraying nontoxic bitter-tasting spray will help keep your dog away from the power cord. The sprays are available at pet stores and can used for puppies or adult dogs. They are good to have in the house and for spraying all types of household items such as furniture or doors.
Other Common Home Decorations
Candles and liquid potpourri are common home decorations that can be harmful to your dog. We keep our candles up on a fireplace mantle where the dogs cannot reach them. Never place liquid potpourri at a dog’s level as it can cause terrible burns if ingested. Glass decorations such as candle holders and hurricanes should also be placed high enough where a dog cannot reach them. A swish of a tail can knock glass over, causing damage and your dog could get hurt.
Insecticides, Household Cleaners and Rodenticides
Common household items include household cleaners such as bleach and sprays. Keep household cleaners underneath the kitchen sink but use a child-proof cabinet lock to keep the dog away. You would be surprised by a dog’s ability to sniff and open up doors. A child proof lock will keep dangerous chemicals far from your dog’s nose. Insecticide sprays that are used outdoor or indoor pose the same dangers, and are extremely harmful chemicals. Place rat poisons and traps behind the fridge where your dog cannot reach it.
Plants Toxic to Dogs
Plants are a very common household item that can cause severe problems to your dog. Toxic plants include Poinsettias, Holly and mistletoe, amaryllis, chrysanthemum, rhododendron and winter broom are common Holiday plants that are toxic and dangerous to your dog. The ASPCA has a full list of plants that are toxic to dogs, but also plants that are safe to keep in a household with a dog.
The Full List of Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants for Dogs
Garage Dangers
A garage may seem like a safe place to place chemicals and other dangerous items. However, your dog could access the garage and all of these harmful materials. Organize your garage as well as your home, so that dangerous chemicals such as antifreeze is placed in cabinets or high enough on shelves so that it is out of reach. Ice and snow melts, such as commercially sold salt can be harmful if ingested. Bags of snow melting salt should be kept out of reach. Salt that is already used outdoors should not be tracked in the house or on your dog’s paws. Clean your dog’s paws when your pet comes indoors, this will help prevent licking and ingesting of this harmful item.
Electric Blankets
An electric blanket may seem like a good idea but it can cause burns to your dog as well as a fire hazard. Your dog can stay at home and still be warm without an electric blanket. You should also never leave an electric blanket plugged in while away from home as it can cause a house fire.
Keeping Your Dog Safe At Home
Is your dog acting strange? Call your dog’s veterinarian if there are any signs of vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, lethargy or bloody stools. As a responsible dog owner, it is your job to dog-proof your house, and keep your dog both happy and healthy.
Sources:
The Full List of Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants for Dogs
Winter Hazards for Dogs
A “Dog’s Eye View” Inspection
Will Protect Your Dog
From Household Hazards
Printer Friendly Bookmark and Share
10 Household Items Poisonous to Dogs
Common Household Dangers for Dogs
Tsotsi is a grim reminder of what life is still like in the slums of South Africa from writer/director Gavin Hood. This inspiring film shows the beauty and horror of the townships in what the viewer can only assume is Johannesburg. It is based on a novel by Athol Fugard.
It’s a film filled with contradiction. It opens with the young gangster Tsotsi (played by Presley Chweneyagae) leading his gang of four into the train station to rob a wealthy man. They end up killing the man and letting him fall as the train car empties. This leads to Boston (Mothusi Magano) questioning why they kill the people they rob—he is obviously shaken by this when he begins vomiting. Boston is the only educated one of the group and asks Tsotsi many questions about his family. Tsotsi doesn’t answer anything and only stares harshly at his cohort before beating him senseless in front of the crowd of the local bar.
Attitudes change quickly in this relatively short film as Tsotsi goes out on his own to carjack a wealthy woman’s car. He shoots her in the stomach in front of her house gate and drives off in her car only to find it occupied by a baby. He becomes scared and grabs everything from the car, including the baby, puts it in a shopping bag and runs off through the fields toward his home in the township.
For reasons that the viewer doesn’t quite see, Tsotsi tries to care for the baby even though he has no clue as to how. He seeks out help and even tries to leave his life of crime. He even attempts to sever ties with his gang while still taking care of them as friends and surrogate family. As much as he tries to change, his past deeds follow him through to the end.
This is not a film for anyone seeking a summer Hollywood blockbuster. This is social commentary more than entertainment. It is occasionally disturbing to see the injustices that occur at the hands of gangs and police. The moral lines are blurred and every action by a character is a reaction to the immediate situation and, sometimes, past situations.
Tsotsi was the winner of the 2006 Oscar for Best Foreign Film. It is in urban slang of South Africa with English subtitles. The running time of the film is slightly under an hour and a half. It is rated R for language and violence.
