May 24th, 2017
Parent Talk
**formerly known as the Weekly Chatter
Keeping kids safe in the water this summer
Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death for people between the ages of 5 and 24 and the leading cause for children under 5 years old.

According to the CDC, about 1,000 American children die every year from unintentional drowning and 5 times that number receive care in an emergency department for non-fatal water-related injuries. 

 

Though home swimming pools are the most common place for a child under 5 years old to drown, recent research suggests that more than 1/3 of parents would allow child to be in home or hotel swimming pool unsupervised.  "Familiar places such as a backyard pool may provide a false sense of security, but we know that drowning can occur anywhere, often instantly and silently," researchers say.

Even if parents think their children are good swimmers, parents should closely supervise kids at all times and secure all barriers to keep kids safe.



For more tips on keeping kids safe in the water this summer, please view the new ACPeds handout Are You Water Wise?

Cotton swabs do more harm than good, study suggests
An estimated 12,500 U.S. children are injured every year after cleaning mishaps with cotton swabs, a recent study suggests.

In the study, most of the injuries occurred while using cotton swabs to clean the ears; while the rest occurred while playing with cotton swabs or with children falling when they had cotton swabs in their ear.

According to researchers, "The ears canals are usually self-cleaning. Using cotton tip applicators to clean the ear canal not only pushes wax closer to the ear drum, but there is a significant risk of causing minor to severe injury to the ear."

Damage to the ear drum, hearing bones or inner ear can result in dizziness, balance problems and irreversible hearing loss.



To reduce the likelihood of injury, parents should
  • Clean only the outside of a child's ears and use a washcloth whenever possible
  • Only use warm olive oil or mineral oil to soften any hard earwax.
  • See a doctor about anything abnormal such as blood, oozing, pain or changes in hearing.
Click here for more information on how to clean your child's ears.

Making family meals a priority                      
#WeeklyBlogPost
Family dinners are a good influence on kids. Not only do family meals promote better communication between parents and kids, which reduces delinquent behavior in teens, but family meals also lowers obesity risk.

For more information on the importance of making family meals a priority in your household,


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