Gadgets

When a parent or child care provider purchases art and craft supplies for their children’s use, they assume these products are safe.  But that is not always the case. Many products labeled as ‘non-toxic’ are misleading because they refer to the immediacy of the poisoning if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed by the skin, but do not reflect any danger in long term use of the product.

The Canadian Child Day Care Federation, in their Resource Sheet #21, Safety in the Arts, recommends parents and providers use, “materials that bear the CP Certified Product Seal and/or the AP Approved Product Seal of the (American) Art and Craft Materials Institute.” They also suggest that parents and providers contact manufacturers to find out what substances are use in its products
if these are not clearly marked on its packaging.

What To Avoid

Following are a few items listed on the CCDCF resource sheet which should be avoided, and which products to use in their place:

1. Avoid – powder clay which is easily inhaled and may contain toxic substances like silica or asbestos. Do not sand this product around children. Use talc-free, premixed clay, making sure to wet mop surfaces after use.

2. Avoid – instant paper mache, which may again contain toxic substances which are easily inhaled.  Use paper mache made from black and white newspaper and library or white paste.

3. Avoid – powdered tempera paints which may contain toxic pigments dangerous when inhaled.  Use liquid tempera paints or paints that are premixed by an adult.

4. Avoid – Permanent felt tipped markers which may contain toxic solvents. Use water-based markers only.

5. Avoid – instant glue model glue or other solvent based adhesives like epoxy. Use water-based white glue or library paste.
Parent providers alike should have the number for the poison control center clearly marked by their telephone and should keep the product labeled of any poisonous substances close by for quick referral in an emergency.

hough you wouldn’t think so, strangulation poses a very real threat to children.

But like all accidents, strangulation can be prevented by applying a few simple safety measures as follows:

* Never tie a pacifier or, for that matter, any object around a baby’s neck.
* Tie or fasten Venetian blind or drapery cords out of a child’s reach.
* Remove the chains between vertical blinds.
* Never place a crib, bed or chair near a blind or drapery cord.
* Avoid children’s clothing with drawstrings, or remove all drawstrings from existing clothing. Many a child has been strangulated on play equipment by drawstrings.
* Pay close attention to the clothing children wear to the playground: scarves, ties, hoods, and loose clothing can get caught on playground equipment.
* Avoid accordion style safety gates which, if spread too far, could entrap a child’s head.
* Remove mobiles with dangling cords once a child is able to grab at the objects.
* Remove toy box lids that can slam down on a child’s neck.
* Keep extension and appliance cords wrapped up and out of reach.
* Do not remove the centre strap from high chairs, car seats, swings, etc., as a child could easily slide down and catch his/her neck on the waist strap.

From our excludive Safety Tip of the Month Cards.

Winter: That time of year when children always seem to be sick. It’s one runny nose after the other, one bout of non-stop coughing and wheezing followed by an endless array of fever inducing viruses.

For a lot of parents and caregivers there is also the endless debate about when a child is, and is not, too ill to attend daycare. Hopefully caregivers have clearly defined in their Policy Statement when they will not accept an ill child into care. “As a general rule, children need to be at home when they need more care than you can give them while meeting the needs of the other children,” says the Canadian Paediatric Society in their book, Little Well Beings: A Handbook on Health in Family Day Care.

The CPA notes the following as the most reliable signs of sickness (usually too sick to be in care):

Behavioural Changes

* Unusually sleepy or drowsy
* Lack of Interest in other children or play
* Unusually irritable, cranky, or fussy
* Non-stop crying, especially high-pitched or weak or crying when cuddled
* Rapid breathing
* A change in behaviour with a rash or fever
* Unusual drooling
* Still neck (won’t move head up and down)
* Won’t swallow liquids or won’t eat.

Physical Signs

* Vomiting more than two times during the day.
* Diarrhea more than two times during the day
* Dehydration as evident by a dry tongue and mouth, or if a baby’s diaper stays dry longer than usual
* Yellow eyes or skin
* Rash with a fever or the child shows a change in behaviour along with the rash
* Fever that is keeping the child from his/her normal playing and happy routine. (Rectal temperature is 101.3 oF or 38.5 oC – Oral temperature is 100.4 oF or 38 oC or higher.)

The best way to gauge a child’s well-being throughout the day is to make a mental note of the child’s health upon arrival and by talking with the parents before they leave about the any concerns they may have about their child. It only takes a minute for parents to answer three simple questions:

* How did their child sleep during the night?
* Has the child been eating or drinking?
* What kind of a mood is the child in.

The best way to keep track of a child’s health isto learn more about the signs of illness with regards to each child in your care. It is advisable that parents complete a Medical Information Form, available in our Forms Section. Other forms that would be of great use to caregivers and parents include:

* Illness/Injury Report
* Administering Medication Form
* Permission slips for administering medication
* Child Development Form
* Daily Information Sheets for Infants

Resources

Little Well Beings: A Handbook on Health in Family Day Care
A project of the Canadian Paediatric Society

Safety is a round-the-clock, all-year-round issue when it comes to children. But how do you teach the little tykes the importance of safety and why we have safety rules? One suggestion is to designate a Safety Officer for the month.

Once a month, pick a different child to act as the group’s Safety Officer. You could even purchase a play hard hat to be used as the official Safety Officer’s hat, or see if one of the parents could donate one. You’ll also need a clip board, pen and a safety checklist. It’s more fun if you have the children help you develop this list. It reinforces safety issues and provides opportunities to present different safety issues each month, such as the proper gear to use when riding a bike, or garage door safety, and so on.

The job of the Safety Officer is to use the checklist to go around your home or daycare to inspect each item. All the children can help here. The Officer says what needs checking, and the group investigates whether or not the emergency telephone numbers are visible by the phone, or that cleaning solvents and medicines are safely locked up, until each item on the list has been inspected.

When all is said and done, the Safety Officer can give a passing mark or a “needs improvement” mark to the checklist, and then be allowed to follow up on the list in a week or two so the group sees that safety issues are important and that you, as the role model, are doing everything in your power to keep them safe by fixing the “needs improvement” items.

Items to be inspected could include:

* Smoke detectors
* Stove tops are free of inflammable items
* Electrical outlets are covered
* Fire extinguisher is inspected regularly and readily accessible
* Food items are not past expire dates
* Sharp objects such as scissors, knives, etc. are out of harm’s way
* Stair wells and floors are free of items that could cause a child to trip and fall
* Toys are in good repair and broken toys with sharp edges are removed and placed in a “fix me” area
* Cords for curtains, blinds and extensions are tied back and out of a child’s reach
* Garage door if functioning properly
* Outdoor apparatus such as swings, etc. are in good shape with no protruding bolds or sharp edges that could harm a child
* Flashlights are working and easily accessible
* Medical emergency or first aid kit is fully stocked
* and so on.

You might consider making a special safety checklist for each season. For example, water and sun safety items for summer, winter activity safety for tobogganing, cold weather clothing, etc.

By assigning a Safety Officer role to the children they will really begin to see and understand the importance of safety in your home, at the daycare, and in their daily lives.

Winter is an exciting time for kids. It brings great outdoor activities, such as snowboarding and skating, but also cold weather, ice and snow, which can present a danger to children. But that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the winter. Here are some winter safety tips for both parents and children.

In general:

* Never allow children to play outside alone. Establish a buddy system with one or more of their friends and have them look out for one another. Children younger than eight years of age should always be well supervised outside.
* Check from time to time to make sure children are warm and dry.
* Have younger children take frequent breaks to come inside for a warm drink.
* Never send children outside in extreme weather conditions such as snowstorms.
* Keep children indoors if the temperature falls below –25°C, or if the wind chill is–28°C or greater.
* Tell children not to put their tongues on cold metal. It may sound silly, but some kids still do it.
* Advise children to stay away from snowplows and snowblowers.
* Help children choose play areas with a warm shelter nearby such as a friend’s home.
* Advise children to play in an area away from roads, fences and water.
* Apply sunscreen to exposed skin, even when it’s cloudy.

Clothing:

* Dress children in several layers of clothing. If they get too warm, they can remove one layer at a time.
* Always remove children’s wet clothing and boots immediately.
* Make sure children wear a hat because most body heat is lost through the head.
* Have children keep their ears covered at all times to prevent frostbite.
* Have children wear mittens instead of gloves.
* Dress children in warm, waterproof boots that are roomy enough to wiggle their toes around.
* Remove all drawstrings from children’s clothing to prevent strangulation. Use Velcro or other fasteners instead, and use a neck warmer instead of a scarf.

Skating:

* Make sure children always wear a hockey or ski helmet while skating.
* Make sure children’s skates are comfortable, with good ankle support, to avoid twists, sprains or breaks.
* When possible, have children skate on public indoor or outdoor rinks. If this is not possible, children should remember to:

1. Obey all signs posted on or near the ice. Yellow signs usually mean skate with caution, and red usually means no skating allowed.
2. Make sure they are always supervised on the ice.
3. Never assume it’s safe to skate on a lake or pond. An adult should make sure the ice is at least 10 cm (four inches) thick, and check with local weather authorities for information about ice thickness.
4. Avoid walking on ice near moving water. Ice formed on moving water, such as rivers and creeks, will vary in thickness and is highly unpredictable.

Skiing/snowboarding:

Children should:

* Take lessons from a qualified skiing or snowboarding instructor.
* Never ski or snowboard alone.
* With parents, check equipment every year for fit and maintenance. Bindings should be checked annually by a qualified technician.
* Make sure they’re in control of their speed. Many injuries result from a loss of control. Stunts and fatigue also lead to injuries.
* Always wear a helmet with side vents that allow them to hear.
* When snowboarding, wear wrist guards to reduce the risk of wrist injury.
* Dress safely. Wear brightly-coloured clothing, and warm hats and mittens.
* Avoid icy hills. The risk of falls and injuries increases in icy conditions.
* Watch out for other skiers and snowboarders, as well as any other obstacles, on the slopes.
* Stay in designated areas and on marked trails.

* With lessons from a certified instructor, it’s okay for younger children to snowboard; however, their coordination is not fully developed until age 10 years. Reference: Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors

Sledding:

Children should:

* Always wear either a ski or hockey helmet – not a bicycle helmet – while sledding.
* Never use a sled with sharp or jagged edges.
* Make sure the handholds on the sled are secure.
* Always sit up or kneel on a sled. Lying down increases the risk of head, spine and abdominal injuries.
* Never sled on or near roadways.
* Look for shallow slopes that are free of trees, fences or any other obstacles.
* Avoid sledding on crowded slopes.

Snow forts and snow banks:

Children should NOT:

* Build snow forts or make tunnels. They may collapse and suffocate a child.
* Play in or on snow banks. The driver of a snowplow or other vehicle may not see a child.

Snowballs

Children should NOT throw snowballs. Snowball fights can lead to injuries, especially to the eyes. Snowballs are more dangerous if the snow is hard-packed or contains a rock or some other hard object.

Snowmobiles:

* Children and adults should wear an approved helmet at all times. Head injuries are the leading cause of snowmobile-related deaths.
* Children younger than five years of age should never ride on a snowmobile, even with an adult.
* Children younger than 16 years of age should not operate a snowmobile.
* Anyone operating a snowmobile should take a formal safety training program.
* Never tow a child behind a snowmobile on a tube, tire, sled or saucer.

Resource: Published in Paediatrics & Child Health, January 2002.
Also available at: www.caringforkids.cps.ca.

Pesticides and chemicals used to control fungi, insects, and weeds pose a serious threat to a child’s life. Safe handling of pesticides and chemicals is required and there are a number of precautions parents and caregivers should consider:

* pesticides and chemicals should be stored up and out of harm’s way.
* DO NOT mix or hande pesticides around children.
* DO NOT make pesticide solutions a little stronger for good measure as toomuch can cause injury to humans if absorbed into the skin
* do not use kitchen measuring, stirring or storing utensils
* make sure that no food products are eaten from plants treated with pesticides until after the appropriate days have passed
* keep children and pets away from treated aras for at least twenty four (24) hours to prevent them from coming in contact with the pesticides
* protect children from absorbing any chemicals into their skin by keeping them fully clothed when playing on treated areas
* wash your skin and clothing thoroughly after using pesticides and chemicals
* use alternatives to pesticides whenever possible

Poisonous Plants

Many annual and perennial plants commonly found in the garden are harmful to humans if ingested. Youngsters should be taught not to eat unfamiliar plants. Even a small amount of toxic plant substance can cause serious injury to a small child.

* Aconitum (monkshood) – all parts
* Bleeding heart – leaves and roots
* Castor bean – seeds
* Delphinium (larkspur) – young plants and seeds
* Digitalis (fox glove) – all parts
* Iris
* Lathyrus (sweet pea) – seeds
* Lily of the Valley – all parts
* Nicotiana (tobacco) – all parts
* Rhubarb – leaf blades

Bulbs

* Colchicum – bulb
* Hyacinth – bulb
* Narcissus (daffodil) – all parts
* Scilla – all parts
* Snow Drop – all parts
* Tulip

Should a child ingest a pesticide/chemical or eat part of a poisonous plant contact your local Poison Control Centre for help and information. In any home/facility where there are children the number for the Poison Control Centre should always be posted by the telephone.