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More than a third of photographs in magazines geared to women of childbearing age show babies in sleep positions or sleep environments that are unsafe, according to the study, "Infant Sleep Environments Depicted in Magazines Targeted to Women of Childbearing Age," in the journal Pediatrics.

Researchers looked at 20 magazines with wide circulation among women 20 to 40 years old, as well as eight magazines geared toward expectant mothers and parents of young children. The researchers analyzed pictures of sleeping infants and infant sleep environments (such as cribs) in both articles and advertisements, looking for adherence to American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for decreasing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

More than one third of magazine pictures of sleeping infants show them in an inappropriate sleep position, such as on their tummy. Two thirds of pictures depicting infant sleep environments are not consistent with AAP recommendations. According to the authors, such messages in print media may create confusion and misinformation among parents, and may inadvertently lead to unsafe practices.

(8-18-09)

As summer comes to an end and children return to school, it is important to remember safety in the classroom. According to Safe Kids USA statistics, an estimated 14 million children are unintentionally injured each year – with as much as 25 percent of those incidents occurring in and around schools. Early childhood education professionals can help prevent some of these incidents simply by childproofing all classrooms to eliminate potential hazards.

One such safety measure features cordless window products. The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) is reminding teachers and child care professionals to use only cordless window products in the classroom to help ensure a safer learning environment. According to information provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, since 1990, more than 200 infants and young children have died from accidentally strangling in window cords.

"Teachers who replace their window coverings with the cordless products available can feel more confident about their students' safety," says WCSC Executive Director Peter Rush.

To maximize window-cord safety when young children are present, teachers and child care professionals are urged to follow these safety guidelines:

Install only cordless window coverings in school rooms and nap areas. Replace window blinds, corded shades and draperies manufactured before 2001 with today's safer products.

Keep furniture away from windows. Move all furniture, desks and toys away from windows and window cords, preferably to another wall.

Keep all window pull cords and inner lift cords out of the reach of children. Make sure that tasseled pull cords are short and continuous-loop cords are permanently anchored to the floor or wall. Make sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit movement of inner lift cords.

Lock cords of horizontal blinds or shades. Lock cords into position whenever horizontal blinds or shades are lowered, including when they come to rest on a windowsill.

Learn more by visiting www.WindowCoverings.org.

(8-18-09)

Dressed in camouflage and armed with the facts of disease and prevention, Meningitis Teen Angels (MA) launched their new national meningitis preteen and teen back-to-school campaign: Stomping Out Meningitis.

Meningitis Angels was founded in memory of Ryan Milley, who died at the age of 18 from meningococcemia, a severe infection of the bloodstream caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. This is the same bacteria that causes meningococcal meningitis.

According to Frankie Milley, the Founder and National Executive Director of Angels, this is the second campaign in a series that will educate preteens, teens and parents on the importance of immunizations to prevent not only bacterial meningitis but all vaccine preventable diseases.

Angels teamed with teen stompers sponsored by the Metro Health Department from Nashville Tenn., for this project. The campaign consists of a new Web site, www.stompingoutmeningitis.com, educational brochures and videos of teens affected by meningitis. The Web site hosts a student library on vaccine preventable diseases linked to the CDC Web site and eventually will host a teen blog, chat room and more.

Leslie Meigs, who serves as the Meningitis Angels (MA) National Teen Leader; Harley Beaty from Texas; Johnny D'Antona from North Carolina and Carye Wynn from New Jersey who are survivors, along with Angel family teens, Kylie Menard from Louisiana, the sister to Jane Menard who died and Lacey Lewis of Texas, cousin to Ryan Milley all participated in this amazing project. Each one has suffered various after affects of meningitis, including limb amputations, anemia, kidney transplant, migraine headaches learning disabilities, deafness, short term memory loss and the grief of losing a loved one.

"It is important people realize college freshmen living in dorms are not the only ones at risk for meningococcal meningitis," says Milley. "According to experts the risk rate between those college freshmen living in dorms and those living off campus is only 4 percent. Infants, children and teens are also at risk. We need to follow the CDC/Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) age recommendations for meningococcal meningitis vaccination for ages 11 years through college freshmen age. We must work hard to insure we create policies that require this age group and infants to be fully immunized. Infants are not only susceptible to meningococcal meningitis but also haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) and pneumococcal disease/meningitis. American Indian, Eskimo and African American children lead this age group for risk. Vaccines save lives."

To learn more, visit www.meningitis-angels.org or www.stompingoutmeningitis.com.

Learn more about meningitis by reading One Child Too Many: Preventing Bacterial Meningitis.

(8-18-09)

On August 14, 2009, new requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) will take effect that are aimed at making children's products safer and increasing consumer confidence in the marketplace. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is educating domestic and overseas manufacturers, importers, and distributors of children's products and other consumer goods of these important new safety requirements.

CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said the CPSIA's new requirements will help protect families and she urged businesses to comply. "I will ensure that these requirements are enforced vigorously and fairly," said Tenenbaum. "By ensuring that toys and other children's products meet strict lead limits and can be tracked in the event of a recall, I believe children will be better protected in their homes."

The requirements that become effective on August 14 include:

Lead Content: The limit for lead in children's products drops from 600 parts per million (ppm) to 300 ppm. After August 14, it will be unlawful to manufacture, import, sell, or offer for sale, a children's product that has more than 300 ppm of lead in any part (except electronics) that is accessible to children.

Lead in Paint and Similar Surface Coating Materials: The limit for lead in paint and similar surface-coating materials for consumer use drops from 600 ppm to 90 ppm. The lead paint limits also apply to toys and other articles intended for children as well as certain furniture products. Products subject to these limits cannot be sold, offered for sale, imported or manufactured after August 14 unless they meet the new lower lead limits.

Civil Penalties:Civil penalties increase substantially to a maximum of $100,000 per violation and up to a maximum of $15 million for a related series of violations. Previously, civil penalties were a maximum of $8,000 per violation and up to a maximum of $1.825 million for a related series of violations.

Tracking Labels:Manufacturers must place permanent distinguishing marks (tracking label) on any consumer product primarily intended for children 12 and younger made on or after August 14, 2009. The permanent marks must enable consumers to ascertain basic information, including the manufacturer or private labeler, location, the date of manufacture, and more detailed information on the manufacturing process such as a batch or run number. The permanent distinguishing marks must appear on the product itself and its packaging to the extent practicable. Learn more about the tracking label requirement at www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/sect103.html#faqs.

Catalog Advertising: Advertising for certain toys and games intended for use by children from three to six years old must have warnings regarding potential choking hazards to children younger than three. The requirement to include warnings in Internet advertisements went into effect on December 12, 2008. There was a grace period for the requirement for catalogues and other printed materials, but this grace period expired August 9, 2009. All catalogues and other printed materials distributed on or after August 9, 2009, regardless of when they were printed, must include the appropriate warnings.

Visit CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html for more information about the agency's successful implementation of the CPSIA.

(8-18-09)

As temperatures soar, people need to remember to stay cool and hydrated if they are going to be outside. Physicians report seeing more weekend warriors being treated in the emergency room for heat-related illnesses.

"In the past, the typical people who used to get in trouble were the ones who couldn't fend for themselves – the very young and the very old," says Dr. Paul Pepe, chairman of emergency medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "Now, young men and women who work in super-cool office environments during the week and then spend the weekends playing outdoors are getting into trouble because their bodies haven't had a chance to adapt to the hot weather."

If you're going to be outdoors during summer's triple-digit days, Dr. Pepe offers these tips to stay safe:

Wear lightweight, loose-fitting and light-colored clothing.

Try to exercise early in the morning or later in the evening.

Stay in a well-ventilated area, even if you're working indoors.

Water, water, water. Too much sugar and caffeine is not good, especially if you're outdoors.

Avoid alcohol – a cool beer or mixed drink might sound good but it only dehydrates you more and impairs your ability to know that you're getting into trouble.

Use a buddy system so that you can keep an eye on each other.

(8-11-09)

Zucchini may not be a nutritional powerhouse, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't find its way onto your plate from time to time. Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says that while many popular summer vegetables such as summer squash, zucchini and cucumbers seem nutritionally insignificant, they're actually quite important.

"These vegetables may not be packed with a lot of the major nutrients touted on charts and labels, but they're good sources of other nutrients, including zinc, potassium and folic acid," Sandon says. "They're also high in water and fiber and are low-fat, meaning they can help you lose weight."

(8-11-09)

Bathtubs and showers are frequently associated with injuries to children. Although interventions have been initiated to prevent injuries due to submersions and hot water scalds, little attention has been paid to slips, trips and falls, which account for more than 80 percent of bathtub- and shower-related injuries, according to Nationwide Children's Hospital.

According to a recent study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, more than 43,000 children 18 years and younger in the United States are treated in hospital emergency departments annually for injuries occurring in a bathtub or shower. The number of injuries remained consistently high over the 18-year study period from 1990 to 2007, suggesting that prevention efforts need to be increased.

Data from the study, published in the online issue of Pediatrics, show that children younger than 5 years account for more than half of all injuries. The most common diagnosis is a laceration (60 percent), with the face being the most frequently injured body region (48 percent), followed by the head and neck (15 percent).

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that young children be supervised at all times while in the bathtub and shower. However, supervision alone will not prevent all bathtub- and shower-related injuries, especially slips and falls. "Environmental changes, such as making surfaces more slip-resistant, are the best methods to prevent bathtub- and shower-related injuries," says study coauthor Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy and faculty member of The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Recommendations for bathtub and shower safety include handholds to reduce slipping and falling, elimination of sharp edges in the bathtub and shower, and shatterproof enclosures to prevent lacerations. In addition, the bathtub and shower surface coefficient of friction (COF), which predicts the likelihood of a slip, needs to be re-examined. "Evaluation and strengthening of the current COF standard is key to preventing injuries associated with slips and falls in bathtubs and showers," says Dr. Smith.

The Center for Injury Research and Policy is a CDC-funded Injury Control Research Center (ICRC) and focuses on the investigation and prevention of injuries to children and adolescents. "Parents can protect their children," says Dr. Ileana Arias, director of CDC's Injury Center. "Installing grab bars, using non-slip mats and always supervising young children are some ways parents can make their bathtubs and showers safer places."

This is the first published study using nationally representative data to examine bathtub- and shower-related injuries. Data for this study were collected from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which is operated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The NEISS dataset provides information on consumer product-related and sports- and recreation-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments across the country.

(7-21-09)

Salmonella doesn't respect hot-weather holidays. Picnics and parties during the summertime can provide the ideal climate for growth of this bacteria, which can lead to food poisoning, says Dr. Kurt Kleinschmidt, professor of emergency medicine and toxicologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Kleinschmidt offers a few tips to outsmart this germ:

Refrigerate or freeze perishables immediately, and cook food to recommended temperatures in order to kill bacteria.

Wash hands in hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before preparing, serving or eating food.

Thoroughly wash plates, utensils, cutting boards and countertops after contact with raw meat.

Avoid leaving food standing for long periods of time.

"Just be smart about how you buy, store, prepare and serve food, and you'll reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses," says Dr. Kleinschmidt.

(7-07-09)

Using sparklers on our nation's birthday is as traditional as cookouts and swimming and is equally safe if a few commonsense rules are followed. But according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approximately 16 percent of all consumer fireworks injuries are caused by sparklers burning hands and legs, with the majority of sparkler injuries occurring to young children. These are injuries that would not have occurred if there had been close adult supervision and if some basic safety steps had been taken. The National Council on Fireworks Safety offers these safety steps for sparklers, in the hopes that sparkler injuries to young children can be greatly reduced:

Children under the age of 12 should not use sparklers without very close adult supervision.

Always remain standing while using sparklers.

Never hold a child in your arms while using sparklers.

Never hold, or light, more than one sparkler at a time.

Sparklers and bare feet can be a painful combination. Always wear closed-toe shoes when using sparklers.

Sparkler wire and stick remain hot long after the flame has gone out. Be sure to drop the spent sparklers directly in a bucket of water.

Never hand a lighted sparkler to another person. Give them the unlit sparkler and then light it.

Always stand at least 6 feet from another person while using sparklers.

Never throw sparklers.

Show children how to hold sparklers away from their body and at arm's length.

Teach children not to wave sparklers, especially wooden stick sparklers, or run while holding sparklers.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety urges Americans to be Sparkler Smart this Fourth of July in their holiday celebrations. For more information, visit www.fireworkssafety.org.

(6-30-09)

The Baby Einstein Company, the leader in the infant media category, has received eight awards since the beginning of the year from distinguished organizations that recognize the best family-friendly products on the market and from moms and dads who simply cannot live without Baby Einstein. Since the company's debut 10 years ago, The Baby Einstein Company has been making millions of moms and babies around the world smile with its award-winning DVDs, books, CDs, toys and gear, all specifically designed to engage babies and provide parents with ways to help bring the world into their homes.

In 2009, Baby Einstein has received the following awards:

iParenting Best Products – Animal Exploration Tunnel

iParenting Excellent Products – World Music DVD

iParenting Excellent Products – World Music CD

Parent Tested Parent Approved Best Products – 10th Anniversary Baby Mozart

Parent Tested Parent Approved Best Products – 10th Anniversary Baby Beethoven

The National Parenting Center 2009 Seal of Approval – World Music DVD

2009 Mom's Choice Product Line of the Year – Baby Einstein Company

Cookie "Word of Mom" 2008 – Best Kids DVD: The Baby Einstein Collection

"We are thrilled to be among the winners of these prestigious awards, which are awarded by moms themselves because it is an ongoing reinforcement that our products are making an impact in the lives of parents and babies," says Susan McLain, vice president and general manager of The Baby Einstein Company. "Baby Einstein was founded by a new mom looking to share her passion for arts and humanities with her newborn daughter and we continue that mission because of the thousands of letters we receive each year from moms who are using our products to entertain and play with their child(ren)."

For more information on The Baby Einstein Company and its award-winning products, visit www.babyeinstein.com or www.littleeinsteins.com.

Learn more about the iParenting Awards at www.Family.Go.com/products or iParentingMediaAwards.com.

(6-30-09)