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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)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) new Chairman, Inez Tenenbaum, urged families recently to put safety first during the Fourth of July holiday and celebrate with caution when it comes to fireworks. The latest report from CPSC indicates that there were reports of seven fireworks-related deaths and an estimated 7,000 hospital-emergency-room-treated injuries in 2008. In 2007, CPSC had reports of eleven deaths and an estimated 9,800 injuries.

Chairman Tenenbaum, in a press event and fireworks demonstration on the National Mall, reminded consumers that even with fewer reported deaths and injuries in 2008, the one-month period surrounding the Fourth of July is still the most dangerous time. In fact, 70 percent of all fireworks-related injuries occur between June 20 and July 20.

"CPSC wants to keep reducing fireworks-related deaths and injuries in 2009," says Chairman Tenenbaum. "Children should never play with or light fireworks, and adults should watch our demonstrations to see how powerful and dangerous illegal fireworks can be."

Chairman Tenenbaum was joined on the National Mall by Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice; Dan Baldwin, Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Trade within Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and Joseph Riehl, Acting Assistant Director of the Office of Enforcement Programs and Services for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

CPSC continues to work to keep American families safe by educating the public about the risk of injury associated with fireworks, enforcing fireworks regulations and prosecuting dealers and distributors who manufacture and sell illegal explosives.

As a part of its fireworks enforcement program, CPSC actively works with ATF to investigate roadside stands, warehouses and retail stores that sell professional-grade explosives to consumers, and homes that serve as havens for the manufacture of dangerous fireworks devices. These investigations have resulted in dozens of successful prosecutions by the Justice Department's Office of Consumer Litigation and U.S. Attorney offices across the country.

On June 19, 2009, a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York sentenced Jon Cea and Vincent Cea to 24 months and 36 months in federal prison, respectively, after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in explosive materials, involving the illegal sale of more than 1,000 pounds of explosives. The defendants and their customers were not licensed, yet they purchased and sold professional display fireworks. CPSC and the Justice Department worked in partnership on this case.

At the ports, CPSC is working alongside CBP to ensure shipments are in compliance with the federal regulations. With CBP assistance, last year CPSC staff found through sampling and testing of fireworks shipments that 49 percent of these shipments contained illegal fireworks.

While the federal government remains committed to stopping the manufacture and sale of illegal fireworks, CPSC encourages consumers who decide to purchase legal fireworks to do the following:

Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.

Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

Avoid buying fireworks that come in brown paper packaging, as this can often be a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and could pose a danger to consumers.

Adults should always supervise fireworks activities. Parents often don't realize that there are many injuries from sparklers to children under 5. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.

Never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move back a safe distance immediately after lighting.

Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not fully functioned.

Never point or throw fireworks at another person.

Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.

Light one item at a time, then move back quickly.

Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.

After fireworks fully complete their functioning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding to prevent a trash fire.

(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)

Fourth of July fireworks can frighten pets and farm animals and cause them to react in ways that might injure them. But a Purdue veterinarian says there are numerous ways to protect your pets during the celebrations.

"Owners must use common sense when they allow pets to join the festivities," says Lorraine Corriveau, a wellness veterinarian at Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine. "Some dogs like chasing those spinning and swirling objects on the ground. Others fear loud noises. Owners can use simple tricks like putting cotton in their pets' ears to muffle the sound."

Corriveau suggests these tips for lowering the noise stress of pets:

Never leave pets alone outdoors, even if tethered or in a fenced yard. Dogs, especially, may escape and become lost or injure themselves chewing or choking on their leashes. Keep small pets indoors, preferably in a room without windows, and horses in their stalls.

Make sure all sharp objects are removed from enclosures.

Turn on the radio or TV for distraction.

Do not take pets to fireworks shows.

Do not leave a pet in a car unattended.

Keep pets on leash or in a carrier if they must be outside.

Protect animals from children who may not realize that waving sparklers or setting off "safe" firecrackers could upset pets.

Keep I.D. tags current so the pet and owner can be reunited if loud noises cause it to run away.

Sedate horses and some dogs if needed. Noise phobia can get worse as a pet ages. A veterinarian can advise about giving a mild sedative or tranquilizer to calm the fears of an overstressed dog, cat or horse.

Desensitize your pet by playing CDs that contain noises of thunderstorms, fireworks or gunshots.

Pick up leftover sparklers and other sharp objects when the night of festivities is over.

(6-30-09)

Using a lawnmower can be as routine as bike riding or barbeques during spring and summer. But often, people find themselves in terrifying situations with these seemingly safe household machines. In fact, 200,000 people – 16,000 of them children – are injured in lawn-mower-related accidents each year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports.

However, lawn mowers don't "attack" on their own. Most injuries – such as severed fingers and toes, limb amputations, broken bones, burns and eye injuries – are caused by careless use and can be prevented by following a few simple safety tips.

The American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM), American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) have teamed up to prevent injuries and educate adults and children about the importance of lawnmower safety during National Safety Month, June 2009.

"In 19 years of practice as a plastic surgeon and microsurgeon, some of the most devastating and disabling injuries I've treated are from lawnmower accidents," says ASRM President Dr. William Zamboni. "It's especially concerning when children are injured since most of these injuries are preventable."

Many lawnmower-related injuries require a team of physicians from various specialties – plastic surgery, microsurgery, maxillofacial surgery, pediatrics and orthopedics – to properly repair them. Often, patients must endure painful reconstructive operations for months, sometimes years, to restore form and function.

"Power lawnmowers are dangerous adult tools, but many children, and sometimes adults unfortunately, see them as toys," says ASPS President Dr. John Canady. "Lawn mowing can be dangerous to the operator as well as those nearby if proper safety precautions aren't taken. Physicians in this coalition often repair these heart wrenching injuries, and we feel it's our duty to help people avoid these accidents in the first place."

The ASRM, ASPS, ASMS, AAP and AAOS offer the following tips to help prevent lawnmower-related injuries:

Children should be at least 12 years old before they operate any lawnmower, and at least 16 years old for a ride-on mower.

Children should never be passengers on ride-on mowers.

Always wear sturdy shoes while mowing – not sandals.

Young children should be at a safe distance from the area you are mowing.

Pick up stones, toys and debris from the lawn to prevent injuries from flying objects.

Always wear eye and hearing protection.

Use a mower with a control that stops it from moving forward if the handle is released.

Never pull backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary – carefully look for others behind you when you do.

Start and refuel mowers outdoors – not in a garage. Refuel with the motor turned off and cool.

Blade settings should be set by an adult only.

Wait for blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute or crossing gravel roads. (As a safety feature, some newer models have a blade/brake clutch that stops the blade each time the operator releases the handle.)

"We are pleased to be part of this lawn mower injury prevention coalition," says ASMS President Dr. Kevin Kelly. "Maxillofacial plastic surgeons treat numerous facial injuries caused by lawnmowers, particularly to children, and the effects can be devastating. Very often, we see patients who suffer significant facial injuries by items thrown out of mowers like sticks and stones."

Photos of injured patients and a PSA video titled "When Lawn Mowers Attack" are available for download on ASPS' Web site at www.plasticsurgery.org/x8086.xml.

(6-30-09)

Swimming is a fun activity that the whole family can enjoy, but proper pool safety is essential. The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGBPSSA), which took effect in December 2008, now requires that new anti-entrapment devices be installed.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 300 children under the age of 5 drown in pools/spas each year and an additional 5,000 to 6,000 children are severely injured. Many of these accidents are due to broken or improperly installed drain covers. The VGBPSSA requires installation of new, stronger drain covers, which are designed to resist UV degradation and prevent body parts or hair from becoming trapped in the drain due to suction.

To help reduce the potential for accidents in and around the pool, NSF International, a public health and safety organization, is offering free pool safety tips on its Web site. NSF's recreational water safety experts have developed the following tips to help families create a safer swimming environment:

Make sure properly-sized drain covers are installed. Don't allow anyone to play with or remove a drain cover. Consider upgrading to new certified drain covers that meet the requirements of the VGBPSSA.

There is no substitute for adult supervision – a responsible adult should be present at the pool side at all times, especially when non-swimmers or small children are present.

Establish and enforce rules for pool use. Make sure kids do not run or play games near the pool and that any wheeled toys, such as tricycles, are kept away from the pool area.

Be sure to drain any standing water from the surface of the pool cover, as small children can drown in even the smallest amount of water. Always remove the cover completely before allowing anyone to swim. This will help prevent swimmers from getting trapped underneath the cover.

Make sure your pool area is surrounded by a fence that complies with local building codes. Gates leading to the pool area should have a self-closing and self-latching mechanism to prevent unauthorized entry.

Another option to help prevent unauthorized access to your pool would be a certified barrier or pool alarm. In addition to above-ground, floating and submerged alarms, there are even wristband alarms available that can be placed on small children to help alert parents if a child should accidentally fall into the water.

For more information, visit NSF.org.

(6-23-09)

Matthew Ranfone was only 2 years old when he slipped out of his Orlando home, into an enclosed patio area and through a pool fence into the backyard pool. His parents found him minutes later floating face down. Matthew Ranfone died 13 days later from the injuries sustained in the near drowning.

The Ranfone's story is not unique. It is estimated that in the last decade more than 100 children nationwide have drowned, nearly drowned or been injured after exiting the home through a pet door. Yet few parents know about this hidden hazard. Today Mathew's mother, Carol Ranfone, is launching a Web site, www.PetAccessDangers.org, to raise awareness of this danger and advocate for change in the industry.

"Our family has chosen to respond to Matthew's death by informing the public and working to ensure that pet doors are made safer," Carol Ranfone says. "Matthew didn't have a chance to grow up, but we hope that our advocacy will keep other children out of harm's way."

Pet-door-related drowning incidents have been identified through news stories, public health specialists, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and coroners/medical examiners. "But the total number to date underestimates the true scope of the problem because most accidental drownings are classified only by cause of death or injury and do not identify how the child accessed the water," says Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, whose firm has been researching the issue nationally. "Child injury researchers are well aware of the link between pet access doors and child injury and death, but many parents and caregivers do not appreciate the risk associated with use of a pet door, and how young children can drown, become lost, wander into streets, or otherwise become seriously injured or killed after exiting a home through a pet door."

The size of the opening appears deceptively small. Parents may believe that their child is safely contained inside the home. But an average "medium" pet door with a typical opening of 8 by 11 inches is recommended by manufacturers for use with pets up to 40 pounds. A 95th percentile, 3-year-old male child weighs only 38 pounds and can easily pass through this opening. Reasonable and economically feasible alternatives to the simple flap-style pet door closure exist, yet companies are still marketing and selling these doors with no locking mechanism and without warnings.

"Manufacturers, while quick to blame parents for a lack of supervision, are aware of the risk that pet doors pose to small children," says product safety attorney Henry Didier, who represents the Ranfone family. "These manufacturers are in a position to reduce or eliminate the risk before the consumer even purchases the product, and to date, they have not."

Through www.PetAccessDangers.org, Carol Ranfone hopes to spare other families from the pain her family has endured, and encourage the pet door industry to improve their designs. The Web site also urges public agencies, hospitals and medical examiners' offices to incorporate a coding system to provide more accurate data as to how a child may have reached the water or other hazard. This information is critical to understanding the true scope of the safety issues surrounding pet door products and the risk they pose to the public.

(6-02-09)

Fuji EnviroMAX, one of the first eco-respectful, high-performance batteries on the market, won two awards this month creating a "family friendly" identity for the brand.

The 2009 Seal of Approval from The National Parenting Center called the batteries "impressive" for their performance and reviewers vowed to rethink their own future battery purchases. The 2009 iParenting Media Award chose the batteries for Outstanding Product in the "Gear and Accessories" category as the "innovative product that will have a positive, long-term impact on the environment."

For more information about Fuji EnviroMAX batteries, visit www.greenfuji.com. Learn more about the iParenting Awards here. (5-26-09)

With Memorial Day around the corner, trauma season is upon us. Over the next four months, 17 children a day are expected to die from a traumatic injury that could have been prevented. A new Safe Kids USA study, sponsored by Johnson and Johnson, for the first time links research on a child's cognitive, behavioral and physical development at different stages of their life and the risk of unintentional injury because of these developmental limitations. The report, Raising Safe Kids: One Stage at a Time, also provides age-appropriate safety tips for parents and caregivers so they know exactly when and why to take certain safety precautions – at all ages of a child's development.

Here are some highlights from the research and examples of safety tips to assist in decreasing the number of preventable traumatic injuries to children this summer:

Infancy (0 to 12 months old):
Report finding: Infants, children ages 0 to 12 months, are a vulnerable group for unintentional injury, as they are just beginning their development and are completely reliant on adults for their care and safety. It is the parent's or caregiver's responsibility to create a safe environment for infants.

Tip: Never leave a child alone in a car. When left in a vehicle, even on a cool but sunny day, a young child's core body temperature may increase three to five times faster than an adult's. This can cause permanent injury or even death.

Early Childhood (children 1 to 4 years old):
Report finding: Due to their underdeveloped muscles and bones and limited sensory abilities, they're more prone to falls. Since social skills are not yet developed, children this age imitate others and surpass their physical abilities for climbing or using playground equipment, increasing the likelihood of an injury.

Tip: Provide safe places to play. Only allow your child to play on playgrounds with 12 inches of safe surfaces such as shredded rubber, hardwood fiber/mulch or fine sand below the equipment to reduce the risk of serious injuries in case of a fall.

Middle Childhood (5 to 9 years old):
Report finding: Since this age group is more likely to play in groups, they are more vulnerable to peer pressure for participating in risky playground behaviors such as misuse of playground equipment and jumping from swings or parallel bars.

Tip: Make sure children use age-appropriate playground equipment for 5- to 12-year-olds. Children enjoy playing in groups and are more vulnerable to peer pressure for misusing playground equipment. Tell them what equipment is appropriate for their age levels.

Early Adolescence (10 to 14 years old):
Report finding: Visual perception is less defined even for early adolescents and they still lack the ability to discern an object from within a noisy background – an important skill to have to identify oncoming cars.

Tip: Make sure your child wears a helmet and protective gear every time he/she uses a bike, scooter, skateboard and inline skates. Nearly 630 children are injured daily from a bicycle-related incident, yet 15 to 20 percent of children don't wear helmets when on a bike. A helmet can prevent more than 80 percent of serious traumatic brain injuries if that child falls or is hit by a car.

(5-26-09)