Meijer Inc. Recalls Toddler Girl’s Hat and Mitten Sets Due to Choking Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Meijer Inc., of Grand Rapids, Mich., is voluntarily recalling about 100 Toddler Girl’s Hat and Mitten Sets. The magnets in the hat can detach and fall out, posing a choking and aspiration hazard to young children. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal.

Major Apparel Retailer To Pay a $60,000 Civil Penalty For Failure To Report Drawstrings In Children’s Outerwear

Nordstrom Inc., of Seattle, Wash., has agreed to pay a $60,000 civil penalty. The penalty settles allegations that the firm knowingly failed to report to the CPSC immediately, as required by federal law, that its children’s hooded jackets and sweaters were sold with drawstrings at the hood and neck. These products, which the firm eventually recalled, pose a strangulation hazard that can cause death to children.

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I think every parent knows that you don’t give cold and/or cough medicine to your baby if they’re under 2, and if you’re not sure – It usually says it right on the package. But with all the recent press about babies and toddlers getting sick from being over medicated by OTC medicine, the FDA has changed its guidelines and will be adding new warning labels stating that children under 4 should not get OTC cold or cough medicine. (You can read more here)

Now don’t get me wrong – added warnings and safety measures are never a bad thing! But if we’re talking about parents not reading labels, than that’s an entirely different story.

But how much of this has been proven? Has it been shown that kids under 4 are at risk due to the actual medications or is it more because of parents, too anxious to medicate their children at the first sign of a runny nose or a cough aren’t paying attention to the labels and warning and putting their own children at risk?

Like any medicine, there are always potential side effects I suppose. But if there’s a question regarding any medication, or if I gave my child some OTC medicine for a cough or cold and noticed even the slightest adverse reaction or change in his behavior, I would be on the phone with his pediatrician in a heart beat!

In all, the simple guideline are:

Parents should never:

• Give adult medicines to a child.
• Give two or more medicines with the same ingredients at the same time.
• Give antihistamines to make a child sleepy.

Parents should:

• Give the exact recommended dose, using the measuring device that comes with the medicine.
• Keep OTC medicines out of sight and out of reach.
• Consult their doctor if they have any questions.

I never could have imagined how much work was required when shopping for the right stroller. It was almost as tedious as buying a new car – researching brands and models, reading product reviews, checking prices online and haggling with salesman for free floor mats (OK, well maybe not the last one.)

Anyway, there’s a [pretty] accurate article from MSNBC on tips to consider when buying a new stroller. You can read the article and get more detail on the tips here: 10 Tips: How to buy the right stroller

But here’s a sneak peak:

1. Be Decisive: If you strongly suspect that a family member or close friend wants to buy a baby stroller for you as a gift, register for the one you really want.

2. Kick the Tires: Visit stores in person and try opening, folding and carrying different models with one hand. Make sure the stroller feels sturdy, not flimsy.

3. Remember the small details: If more than one person will be pushing the stroller, adjustable handles are an important feature to have.

4. Newborns have special needs: A newborn baby needs a stroller that lets him or her lie down or that works in concert with a car seat.

5. Just detach the car seat and go: Consider a full travel system that fits a car seat into a stroller.
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Growing up, I remember how paranoid my parents got every 4th of July. They were very strict with rules and safety when it came to me playing with fireworks. I was always excited and anxious to light up some fireworks with my friends but they made me promise to be safe and responsible at all times. I wasn’t even allowed to light fireworks during my much younger years!

Now, with a little one of my own (even though he isn’t old enough yet), I know exactly how they felt. Parents, just a quick & friendly reminder to make sure your kids are safe and careful during this holiday weekend. I’m sure we all agree how upsetting it is to hear about fireworks accidents involving children every year around this time.

Below are fireworks safety tips from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission:

• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks
• Read and follow all warnings and instructions
• Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks
• Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, and flammable materials
• Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned
• Keep a bucket of water in case of a malfunction or fire

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!

All of us have thought it, “My kid is the Cutest Kid Ever!” Well now we all have the chance to prove it. The CuteKid is holding the Cute Kid of the Year contest with the grand prize being a $25,000 College Tuition Fund!

Who knows, you may already have the perfect picture laying around – all you have to do is submit it. All of our children are unique and beautiful so why not share them with the world?! I’ve submitted my pic today and I’m feeling lucky! Keep in mind that there is a 19.95 entry fee, but that’s nothing in comparison to winning some of the other monthly prizes:

• $500 US Savings Bond
• $200 US Savings Bond
• $100 Amex Gift Card
• Canvas Portrait of photo
• Professional Portrait Session
… and more

Check it out here (…you know you want to!)

There is currently a class action lawsuit against Playtex Products because of the use of bisphenol A (BPA). The suit claims that “Playtex failed to adequately disclose that its plastic bottle products are formulated using BPA.”

There’s been some discussion regarding some “concern” about BPA from experiments on animals, which leads people to believe that there could be possible effects on humans – hence the lawsuit.

Since there is no REAL evidence to support either argument, I guess it’s just better to use your own judgment. Personally, If I knew there were (potentially) harmful chemicals used to make my child’s bottle, I wouldn’t use it. But the again, my son seems to like Avent bottles regardless of any other type we give him, so in the end – he’’s the boss!

Simmons Kids Crib Mattresses
June 5, 2008 – About 20,000 Simmons Kids crib mattresses are recalled because some mattresses can measure less than the 27-1/4″ minimum width standard for cribs, and could allow a child to become entrapped. Pottery Barn Kids by Simmons Kids Lullaby, Simmons Kids Slumber Time Evening Star Luxury Firm, Simmons Kids Baby Mattress Series 400 and Simmons Kids Baby Mattress 234 Coil Count are possibly affected.

View model numbers, manufacture dates and instructions for measuring the mattress.

Wendy Bellissimo Hidden Hills Cribs
June 5, 2008 – About 550 Wendy Bellissimo Hidden Hills cribs sold at Babies R Us are recalled because spindle spacing may not meet federal standards and could allow a child to become entrapped. Only cribs in Navajo pine finish with model #5446-0521 printed on the bottom headboard rail are recalled.

Call 866-618-5446 for info.

Mini Chef Toy Kitchens
June 5, 2008 – About 65 Mini Chef toy kitchens sold at BabyStyle are recalled because the pegs supporting the oven and refrigerator shelves can come out, posing a choking hazard. The kitchens also can tip over, posing a risk of injury.

Stop using the toy and call 877-378-9537 for store credit.

Toy Cell Phones
May 28, 2008 – About 1 million Little Tikes toy cell phones are recalled because the plastic hinge cover can detach, posing a choking hazard. The flip-style toy phones have buttons with numbers and animal pictures on them. Toy phones with a screw visible on the hinge cover are not included in the recall.

Call 888-620-0930 for a replacement.

Read more…

When my daughter was first born, we always gave her breast milk or formula but as she got a bit older we introduced water into the routine in those rare times when she wouldn’t take a bottle of milk.

Giving your child water in a “sippy-cup” or bottle is not uncommon. But giving a baby under 6 months too much water can be a potential health hazard.

A study done at John Hopkins University is aimed at reminding parents that babies younger than six months old should never be given water to drink, as too much water can put babies at risk of a condition known as water intoxication.

“Because babies’ kidneys aren’t yet mature, giving them too much water causes their bodies to release sodium along with excess water… Losing sodium can affect brain activity, so early symptoms of water intoxication can include irritability, drowsiness and other mental changes. Other symptoms include low body temperature (generally 97 degrees or less), puffiness or swelling in the face, and seizures.”

Full Story Here

Most parents know that having their baby/child around other kids at an early age allows them to not only learn how to interact with other children, but also to develop immunities to viruses they might not come into contact with. But to go so far as to say that those immunities may fight off serious diseases such as leukemia – now that caught my attention.

U.S. researches have found that sending kids to daycare at an early age helps expose them to certain infections that help strengthen the immunities needed to fight leukemia. Stating that the children who started daycare at 1 or 2 had the most protection from the virus.

“…children who attended daycare or playgroups have a 30 percent lower risk of developing the most common form of childhood leukemia compared to those who do not.”

This may be old news to some parents, as the idea of kids developing immunities early in life from the interaction within playgroups and daycare has been widely discussed for some time. But to think that the idea doesn’t just stop at the common cold or chicken pocks is something relatively new and should definitely raise awareness for new and expectant parents.

Full Article Here

The Baltimore Sun has an interesting article on parents who overtreat their children when they have a fever in fear that it may lead to something more serious. As a parent of a little boy, I can honestly say that whenever my son has a fever, the first things that pop into my head are usually the most dramatic – How serious is it? Should I take him to the doctor? Do I give him anything? And of course, most of the time the fever passes and he’s fine.

But according to the article, I’m not the only one who thinks this way:

“Parents have this idea we’ve got to get fever down at all costs,” said Dr. Michael Crocetti, a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and an author of the study. “Fever actually helps, for most infections, to fight the infection. It helps our immune system work better.”

So as parents, how do we know when to take a fever seriously or just to let it run its course? The article goes on to say that only fevers above 107 degrees can cause brain damage in children, and that most kids can tolerate fevers up to 102. Which leads me to think that maybe I do over analyze my sons fever sometimes. After all, what were parents doing 30 years ago when their kids had a fever and they didn’t have a 24 hour pharmacy around the corner?

You can read the entire article here

Original Article By Stephanie Desmon/Sun Reporter | News and Images from the Baltimore Sun