Friday, September 18, 2009

Community Outreach to Keep Kids Safe

On September 18, 2009, Dayton Children's, Safe Kids Greater Dayton, Evenflo, AAA Miami Valley and our other child passenger safety partners held a car seat check to celebrate Child Passenger Safety Week and to remind parents that Ohio's Booster Seat Law will go into effect on October 7.

The day was a huge success!  We checked over 60 car and booster seats and gave away new AMP booster seats provided by Evenflo. Senator Shannon Jones also spoke during a press conference.  She was the author of the bill and is huge advocate for children!

Thank you to everyone who participated.  View some photos from the event.


Senator Shannon Jones talking about the importance of booster seats.



This guy isn't 4'9" tall yet so he needs a booster seat!

For more photos visit our facebook page!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Seasonal Flu and H1N1

The start of this year’s flu season (typically November through April) includes the extra challenge of protecting your child from H1N1 (also known as swine flu) as well as seasonal flu. Getting the facts about both kinds of flu will help ease your anxiety, but more importantly, will help you protect your child. The pediatric experts at Dayton Children’s want to give you  accurate, up-to-date information on both H1N1 and the seasonal flu.

Prevention and treatment is the same for both H1N1 and the seasonal flu. Fortunately, the things you can do to prevent getting or spreading the flu are easy, everyday activities.

Six ways to prevent the spread of flu:
1. Wash hands often. Use soap and water for 15-20 seconds-about as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are OK if soap and water are not available.
2. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. If children don’t have a tissue, teach them to cough or sneeze into their shirtsleeve.
3. Keep sick children at home including out of school or day care until they are better-usually seven days after the illness starts.
4. Teach children to stay at least six feet away from people who are sick. Avoid crowds and public places.
5. Teach children not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
6. Eat healthy and find healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety.

Dayton Children's has made it easy for parents to access additional flu prevention tips. Here are a few resources that you can share with friends and family to help keep kids healthy this flu season:

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Please Urge Congress to Make Health Reform Work for Children!

Take just take three minutes to help make sure kids get the care they need at the right time and in the right place.

Congress is currently focused on reforming our country’s health care system – and it’s up to us to make sure that health care reform takes care of children.

Over the next several weeks, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate will work to pass their health care reform bills through their respective chambers. We need your help to urge them to ensure that health coverage translates into access to care for our nation’s children.

We have a very short window of time to influence the content of the proposed legislation. Please take just a few minutes to go to http://capwiz.com/childrensdayton/home/ to write your members of Congress. Under the “Action Alert” box you will be asked to type in your home ZIP code and click “Go”.

We encourage you to personalize your message – describe why it’s important to you that the children in our community have access to the right care in the right place at the right time.

Thank you for taking time to speak up for our hospital and the children we serve.

Celebrate Child Passenger Safety Week: Use the right seat at the right time

Dayton Children’s, Safe Kids Greater Dayton and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend the following to help parents navigate the car seat progression:

  • Use rear-facing infant seats in the back seat from birth to at least 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds. Use the rear-facing infant car seat longer if the seat has higher weight and height limits.
  • Infants who weigh 20 pounds before 1 year of age should ride in an infant carrier approved for higher rear-facing weights or a convertible seat. It is preferable to keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. For optimal protection, the child should remain rear-facing until reaching the maximum weight for the car safety seat, as long as the top of the head is below the top of the seat back. Typically the child may be up to 30 or 35 pounds.
  • A child older than 1 year and weighing more than 20 pounds should be placed in a convertible seat, which can face forward or be rear-facing. These can be used until a child reaches the upper weight limits of the seat (typically 40 pounds) and the child still fits the seat (the tops of the ears are below the top of the safety seat, the back and shoulders are below the seat strap slots).
  • A child who weight less than 40 pounds and has outgrown the convertible seat should be in a forward-facing seat if he or she is too small for a booster seat. Keep your child in a safety seat with a full harness as long as possible - at least until 40 pounds.
  • Use a belt-positioning booster seat in the back seat from about age 4 to at least age 8 - unless the child is 4 feet 9 inches or taller. Safety belts, which are designed to fit adults, won’t fully restrain a child in a crash. Using a booster seat will better protect your child from being thrown from the vehicle or thrown around inside it, during a crash.
  • Use safety belts in the back seat at age 8 or older or taller than 4 feet 9 inches. All children age 12 or younger should ride in the back seat. Lap and shoulder belts provides the best protection and helps the child maintain the correct seating position.

For more information about car and booster seat please visit our website. Visit here for a list of upcoming car seat checks.