KidSafe to be on National TV

Home child proofing expert Michael Hixson owner of www.KidSafeInc.com and writer of this blog is pleased to announce his appearance on ‘The Balancing Act’ television series. ‘The Balancing Act’ is an Emmy nominated national television series focusing on issues and solutions for today’s women.

The segment is entitled ‘Safer homes for kids, Peace of mind for Parents’. In it Michael discusses the safety hazards in homes for toddlers and small children, and demonstrates baby proofing products that will help eliminate potential accidents. It will air on Saturday, November 10th, 2007 at 8am EST & PST/7am CST/6am MST on the ‘Lifetime Television Network’. The segment will also be broadcast on the ‘Women’s Entertainment Network’ on Monday, November 12th at 7am. It will be shown on the ‘Healthy Living Channel’ shown on the Dish Network, Comcast, and Time Warner cable systems on November 6 at 7pm, November 7 at 7:30pm, and November 8 at 7pm.

KidSafeInc.com sells over 150 different child safety items such as baby gates, outlet covers, cabinet locks, corner cushions, window guards, door knob covers, and also provides guides and checklists for child proofing your home.

Safety products from KidSafeInc.com will also be appearing on an episode of the ABC television series ‘Extreme Makeover Home Edition’ on the evening of Sunday, December 2nd, 2007 at 8pm/7c. KidSafe donated multiple products to the show for a family with four kids under six who have severe medical problems.

Crib Bumper Risks

Crib bumpers may do more harm than good, a new study finds.  Using databases of the Consumer Product Safety Commission for 1985 thru 2005, researchers from The Journal of Pediatrics found that 27 infants ages 1 month to 2 years had suffocated when they became wedged against the padded bumpers or were strangled by a bumper tie string around the neck.

Crib Bumpers are supposed to prevent injuries, but the authors say there were only 25 reports of non-fatal crib injuries, with or without bumpers.  A review of these cases suggested that they were not serious, and might not have been prevented by bumpers.

The researchers concluded that the minor benefit of Crib Bumpers was outweighed by the potential risk that they pose.

These findings suggest that Crib Bumpers are dangerous, and you may want to consider removing yours. We have an alternative product called the Crib Tent which is a mesh barrier.

Safe Technology Tips for Kids

As technology continues to grow into a larger part of out childrens’ lives, Pediatricians are seeing more and more young patients for repetitive stress injuries. Encountering these types of complications at such an early age in development can lead to much bigger problems down the road. Here are a few precautions for parents to take to ensure their kids computer or gaming habits don’t lead to health issues.

• Have Children take 10-15 minute breaks for every hour they are on the computer or playing video games. Spend that time stretching , running around, doing jumping jacks, or engaging in some other form of physical activity.

• Encourage correct posture with children by teaching them to sit up straight, with the T.V. Or computer screen at eye level.
• Have children stretch their arms and fingers before starting. As with any physical exercise, problems occur when you just jump into it without warming up.
• Teach children proper typing techniques. Encourage this from a young age. Not only does it help avoid stress injuries, but it will be a skill they use the rest of their lives.
• Encourage children to use different hand positions on their controller when playing video games.

While technology for kids isn’t going away, it should not replace traditional childhood play. Technology is an excellent additive to childrens’ lives only when used in moderation. If you’ve got a little technology junkie in your house, you’ll need to find ways to encourage him (or her) in other avenues of play. Make sure the ratio of technology time to play time is at least 50/50. If your child complains of hand, wrist, or neck pain, treat it seriously. The longer it is ignored, the worse it will get and if not addressed, the issue can lead to lasting conditions.

Link