Many Grandparent Caregivers Unaware of Newer Safety Guidelines

Child held in a car seat by a five point harness (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

From the 21 October 2012 article at Science News Daily

 

The number of grandparent caregivers continues to grow, and while these older adults may be experienced in caring for young children, many are unaware of more recent safety and other recommendations — including those related to appropriate child sleep position, crib safety, car seat and walker use, according to research presented Oct. 21 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans.

According to the 2011 American Community Survey, an estimated 2.87 million grandparents are the primary caregivers to their grandchildren — a nearly 20 percent increase since the year 2000. In the study, “Grandparent Caregiver Knowledge of Anticipatory Guidance Topics,” researchers attended regularly scheduled Grandparent/Kinship Care support groups. Forty-nine participants completed a 15-question survey that addressed common pediatric safety and anticipatory guidance topics for children of all ages.

When asked, “What is the best position for a baby to sleep in?” 33 percent of respondents chose “on the stomach;” 23 percent, “on the side;” and 43.8 percent, “the back.” The AAP recommends that infants be placed to sleep on their backs to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). When asked about correct car seat positioning, 24.5 percent responded that a 22 pound, 9 month-old child should be facing forward, and yet the AAP recommends that children remain in a rear-facing car seat until age 2….

 

Related articles

• As Grandparent Caregivers Increase, Many Are Unaware Of Newer Safety Guidelines (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Study finds many grandparents out-of-date on child safety issues (clickondetroit.com)
• More grandparents fill caregiver role (eurekalert.org)
• 5 common car-seat mistakes (bankrate.com)

 

Prevent Emergency Dept Visits – Store Meds Safely and Out of Reach to Children

 

 

CDC Online Newsroom – Press Release: December 13, 2011

 

 

From the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Press Release

New educational program reminds parents to keep medication “Up and Away and Out of Sight”

Each year, one of every 150 two–year–olds visits an emergency department in the United States for an unintentional medication overdose, most often after finding and eating or drinking medicines without adult supervision.  To inform parents and caregivers about safe medication storage and what to do in case of an emergency, CDC, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association Education Foundation and a coalition of partners are launching an educational program, Up and Away and Out of Sight, encouraging parents to follow a few simple steps to protect children.

“Parents may not be aware of the danger posed by leaving medications where young children can reach them. In recent years, the number of accidental overdoses in young children has increased by 20 percent,” said Dan Budnitz, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s Medication Safety Program. “A few simple steps – done every time – can protect our children.”

To protect children, parents and caregivers can:

• Pick a place children cannot reach.  Find a storage place too high for a child to reach or see.  Any medicine or vitamin can cause harm if taken the wrong way, even medicine you buy without a prescription.
• Put medicines and vitamins away every time you use them.  Never leave medicines or vitamins out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child’s bedside, even if you have to give the medicine again in a few hours.
• Hear the click.  Make sure the safety cap is locked. If the medicine has a locking cap that turns, twist it until the click is heard.
• Teach children about medicine safety. Never tell children that medicine is candy to get them to take it, even if the child does not like to take his or her medicine.
• Tell guests about medicine safety. Ask houseguests and visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicines in them up and away and out of sight when they are visiting.
• Be prepared in case of emergency. Program the poison control number into home and cell phones (1–800–222–1222).

Related articles

• Many Young Children Overdosing from Medicines at Home (aa47.wordpress.com)
• Many young children overdosing from medicines at home (gloucestercitynews.net)
• Many Young Children Overdosing from Medicines at Home (cdc.gov)
• Many Toddlers Wind Up in ER After Accidental Overdose (nlm.nih.gov)
• Accidental Drug Overdoses on the Rise Among Kids (webmd.com)
• Over-the-Counter Medicine: Kids Aren’t Just Small Adults (education.com)