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With the weather warming up, it's good to practice some basic safety measures as you pull out the mower and the electric shears to rejuvenate your landscape. More than 200,000 people a year are injured in accidents related to lawn and garden tools, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Many of the injuries treated can be prevented, if people concentrate on the task at hand and use common sense when operating machinery," says Dr. Maureen Finnegan, associate professor of orthopedic surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Start by wearing sturdy shoes rather than sandals or flip flops. Before mowing, check the yard for potential problems like rocks and sticks that could be thrown by the blades. The whirling blades can send projectiles flying, as well as cut fingers, toes and feet.

"Always turn off the mower before you clear the blades if something is caught, so it doesn't end up being your fingers that are caught," Dr. Finnegan says. "If you do accidentally sever a finger or toe, it's important to cleanse the amputated part with saline water, wrap it in gauze and put it in a watertight bag. Place the bag over ice and take it with you to the emergency room."

(5-12-09)

Washing hands and paying close attention to symptoms of illness are just some of the things the public can to do help reduce the risk from the swine flu (H1N1) outbreak, says the American Red Cross. "This is a serious situation that has the potential to spread, and it is a good time for families, businesses and organizations to follow good public health practices and to review and update their preparedness plans," says Scott Conner, senior vice president of Preparedness and Health & Safety Services at the American Red Cross. "Taking steps to prepare for potential emergencies in advance can go a long way in making families feel safer."

The American Red Cross urges the public to remember these simple actions:

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective when soap and water aren't available.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home if you are feeling sick.

Children have been greatly impacted by this outbreak, and need to know how to properly wash their hands to prevent the spread of germs. The Red Cross has partnered with NSF International's (NSF) Scrub Club to educate children about the importance of hand washing to protect them against influenza. The Scrub Club Web site (scrubclub.org) is an easy, online tool to teach kids how to wash their hands and why it's important.

If families are asked to stay home during this outbreak, it's important to have a plan and supplies in place before that happens. The Red Cross recommends the following:

Stock extra food, water and supplies at home to reduce the need to go out should swine flu become more widespread, limiting potential for exposure to the virus.

Be sure to include household necessities such as laundry detergent, toilet paper, etc. Select foods that are easy to prepare and store.

Make sure you have an adequate supply of essential medications and medical items for all family members. Include non-prescription medications as well.

Other preparedness steps that can be taken include these:

Plan for what you would do if you had to stay at home for a period of time.

Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick.

Find out your employer's plans to keep the business open if key staff can't come to work.

Ask your child's school or day care if there are plans to encourage sick children to stay home to reduce the spread of the disease.

Identify how you can get information, whether through local radio, TV, Internet or other sources.

For more tips on how to prepare yourself, your family and community for this and other potential emergencies, visit www.redcross.org. Learn more about the swine flu by reading the following articles:

Swine Flu and Babies: Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment for the Swine Flu

Swine Flu and Pregnancy: How Does the Influenza H1N1 Strain Affect Mom-to-be?

(5-05-09)

Worldwide concerns over the swine flu outbreak is spurring governments and health agencies into action to keep the public safe. Closer to home, the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) is reminding families that disease prevention is in their hands – literally.

"Cleaning your hands with soap and water is simple, safe, effective and inexpensive," says Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education. "When it comes to preventing the spread of the flu, hygiene is your first line of everyday defense. Very simply put, clean hands save lives ... Whether you're using bar soap, liquid soap or foam soap, just make sure you lather your hands and rub vigorously for at least 20 seconds."

Parents' concern over their children's health in school settings may be understandably heightened due to the round-the-clock news coverage of the swine flu outbreak. SDA offers three quick tips for parents to help keep their kids healthy in school:

Make sure your school has adequate supplies of soap, paper towels and surface cleaning and disinfecting products. It's tough for students to keep their hands clean if bathrooms lack the basics. And make sure there are sufficient and effective cleaning and disinfecting products available for school custodians, who are on the front lines of keeping our schools healthy.

Tuck some hand wipes along your child's packed lunch. Sometimes kids are so rushed during the day, they don't wash their hands before they eat. Hands wipes are useful when kids are on the go.

Consider adding a hand sanitizer into your older child's backpack. Convenient, portable sanitizer products are great to have around when soap and water aren't readily available. (Check with your school to make sure students are allowed to carry along a sanitizer.)

"Take time to explain to your kids why handwashing is important, and stay informed. Proper hygiene, common sense and good information from credible sources will go a long way to seeing us through this public health challenge," says SDA's Nancy Bock.

For more information, visit www.cleaning101.com.

(5-05-09)

The AmberWatch Foundation has announced Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell and Tony Potts as Co-Chairs of the AmberWatch Foundation. "We're thrilled that Nancy O'Dell and Tony Potts are taking a stand and joining us in our mission to prevent child abduction and sexual abuse through education and tools," says AmberWatch Foundation chairman and CEO, Keith Jarrett. "I can't think of a better way to use your well-respected voice than to speak out for an important cause. And the safety of our nation's children is the most important cause there is."

At the heart of the AmberWatch Foundation's mission is the "Be Safe!" Program, which is presented to children (and their parents) to teach them how to prevent abduction and abuse. The "Be Safe!" Program is free to schools and communities committed to protecting their children from such perils. As co-chairpersons of the AmberWatch Foundation, O'Dell and Potts will serve as anchors of the AWF celebrity coalition (which includes Blair Underwood, Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance and others) to cause awareness of the "Be Safe!" Program and a variety of initiatives aimed at preventing child abduction and sexual abuse.

The first of such initiatives is the launch of AmberWatch Lookout, an innovative Internet protection software that gives the power back to parents as their children unsuspectingly navigate the information superhighway, which is fraught with dangers ranging from pornography to sexual predators. In honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the AmberWatch Foundation will give a one-month free trial of the AmberWatch Lookout service to concerned parents.

For their parts, Nancy O'Dell and Tony Potts, both adoring parents, are excited to make the announcement. "As a parent, there's nothing that concerns you more than the safety and innocence of your children," says O'Dell, who not so long ago had a child of her own. Potts, who has two daughters, agrees, adding, "April is going to be a great month as we raise awareness for the AmberWatch Foundation and programs that will increase all our kids' safety."

For more information, visit www.amberwatchfoundation.org. And read more about Nancy O'Dell here.

Photos courtesy of the AmberWatch Foundation. (4-28-09)

Quitting smoking is one of the best things parents can do for their health and the health of their children. Now they can get assistance from an unexpected source – their child's pediatrician.

A new resource offers pediatricians the tools they need to screen parents for smoking, offer counseling and enroll parents in a free smoking-cessation helpline. Using the existing state quit line known as "QuitWorks," Massachusetts is promoting "QuitWorks for Child and Family Health Care Practitioners" statewide this month. The program is based on research from the Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) program of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which is also available free to other public health departments and pediatric offices across the nation.

Because of their regular, frequent contacts with families, pediatricians are uniquely positioned to help parents quit smoking, says Dr. Jonathan Winickoff, assistant professor of pediatrics at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and founder of CEASE. "Tobacco use is a serious health issue for all members of a family," Dr. Winickoff says. "We're getting the biggest return on our investment by targeting parents who smoke. Not only do we hope to reduce children's exposure to second-hand and third-hand smoke, but if more parents quit smoking, fewer children will grow up to be smokers."

CEASE is available through the AAP Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence, whose mission is to improve child health by eliminating children's exposure to secondhand smoke and tobacco. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health worked with the Massachusetts chapter of AAP to incorporate CEASE materials into the QuitWorks program for statewide dissemination.

Dr. Carole Allen, president of the AAP Massachusetts chapter, says local pediatricians are enthusiastic about implementing parent-focused smoking cessation strategies in their practices. "If you smoke, the best way to protect your child's health is to quit," says Dr. Allen. "Now pediatricians can do more than just tell you to quit – they can help you to quit. It's a big difference."

Massachusetts is the first state to deliver CEASE materials to all pediatric offices. The module can be adapted to suit any state's smoking cessation program. "The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that every state should invest some of its tobacco control resources in programs that will help pediatricians help parents protect children from secondhand smoke," says Dr. David T. Tayloe, Jr., president of the AAP, which represents more than 60,000 pediatricians.

For more information about CEASE and other resources for clinicians and families, see www.aap.org/richmondcenter/resources.html. To see a video demonstration of the program, visit www.ceasetobacco.org.

Learn more by reading the following articles:

Smoking While Expecting: The Latest Research on Smoking and Pregnancy

Smoke into the Mouths of Babes: The Effects of Secondhand Smoke on Babies and Toddlers

Third-hand Smoke: The Dangers Smoke Residue Poses to Small Children

(4-28-09)

Summer vacation for school-age children means outdoor play and long hours at the beach. The increased sports activity and exposure to ultraviolet rays also means an increased risk to children's eyes, according to experts at The Vision Center at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

New research shows that children's eyes can be damaged from sun exposure, just like their skin. This damage may put them at increased risk of developing debilitating diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration as adults.

According to Dr. Mark Borchert, a pediatric ophthalmologist and the director of The Vision Center, the lens of a child allows 70 percent more UV rays to reach the delicate retina than in an adult. Most parents are aware of the critical need to protect their children's skin from UV exposure, yet few insist their children wear sunglasses. "If it is bright enough outdoors for you to be wearing sunglasses, your child should also be wearing them," he says.

Wearing protective goggles during sports activity is also recommended. The National Eye Institute reports there are more than 100,000 sports-related eye injuries every year with 42,000 requiring emergency care.

The experts at The Vision Center (www.thevisioncenteratchla.org) have the following safety suggestions for children.

Make sure your kids wear sunglasses – especially younger children. Almost half the entire time we spend outdoors in our lives occurs before 12 years of age. Sunglasses for children may be purchased inexpensively at many retail and online outlets but make sure the sunglasses you purchase are rated to block both UVA and UVB radiation. All sunglasses block UVB, but some do not block UVA rays. Look for glasses with a polycarbonate lens; children under 6 may need a pair with Velcro straps to keep them in place.

Wear protective eye gear for ball sports. Every year, some 18,000 sports-related eye injuries are seen in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. While helmets are required for many organized sports like baseball, goggles or face guards usually are not. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that children wear polycarbonate goggles for baseball, basketball and racket sports, including tennis.

If sand gets in your child's eyes, don't let him rub it. If a child gets sand blown or thrown into his eyes, an adult should immediately take him to a sink with running water. Do not allow him to rub his eyes; this can cause damage to the cornea (outer layer of the eye). Pour water over the eyes to remove sand particles. Encourage blinking and do not discourage crying, since tears remove eye irritants. If these steps don't work, seek medical attention.

Check the chlorine level in your pool. If a swimming pool has too little chlorine, it can allow bacteria to grow, which can lead to eye infections. On the flip side, if a pool has too much chlorine, it can react with the water in the eye causing a mild acid-burn, which is the source of the stinging and redness. Another option is to have children wear a pair of goggles that will keep pool water from entering the eye.

(4-21-09)

Five billion gallons of bottled water were consumed in 2000, an increase of more than 200 percent from a decade earlier. Whether consumers drink more bottled water because it is an alternative to soda, or because it is convenient to do so is unclear, but one thing is certain: They are missing out on the valuable fluoride found in tap water, which helps to protect teeth from cavities, according to a study published in General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

Researchers tested the fluoride content in more than 100 different samples of bottled water, which fell into six categories: distilled, drinking/purified, spring/artesian, mineral, fluoride-added and flavor-added. Of the total 105 samples, the fluoride concentrations in the majority of the samples fell below the U.S. government's recommended range of 0.7-1.2 parts per million (ppm), the ideal range to prevent cavities. Only five samples met the recommended range.

Lead author of the study, Ryan L. Quock, DDS, recommends that consumers speak with their dentist about their primary drinking water source. "Understanding consumers' water drinking habits is extremely important," he says. "Determining if they are drinking appropriately fluoridated water, especially when they have or are at risk for cavities, is crucial information, because fluoridated water is an automatic way for them to help improve their oral health. Talking to them also allows us to have a conversation about fluoride's effects, mainly focusing on its relationship to dental caries and fluorosis."

Receiving the appropriate amount of fluoride is critical to consumers' oral health – especially children's oral health – as it strengthens the teeth and protects them against cavities. Dr. Patricia Meredith, AGD spokesperson, advises parents to do their research before handing their child a water bottle. "Parents should be in charge of how much bottled water their kids drink, in order to make sure that that they also receive the proper amount of fluoridated water that will keep their teeth healthy," says Dr. Meredith. Fluoride in toothpaste, water supplies and other oral hygiene products is one of the basics of keeping children's mouths healthy, Dr. Meredith says. "With soda and energy drinks being as popular as they are, not to mention the attractiveness of sugary snacks, children's mouths are constantly fighting cavity-causing bacteria. Something as simple as drinking water from the tap is a no-nonsense and cost-effective way to prevent cavities."

The AGD supports the use of fluoride and adopted a position statement based on the Center for Disease Control's Recommendation for Using Fluoride, which states, "When used appropriately, fluoride is safe and effective in preventing and controlling dental caries. Regular use throughout life will help protect teeth against decay. All water supplies, including bottled water, should have appropriate fluoride levels. All fluoridated items, including toothpaste, should be used as recommended by your dentist."

To learn more, visit www.agd.org or www.knowyourteeth.com.

(4-21-09)

Finding the right way to discuss an eating disorder with a child can be incredibly difficult. To address this issue, the Renfrew Center Foundation, the country's leading authority on eating disorders for more than 20 years, is introducing the "Mom's L.U.V." campaign. The campaign is designed to encourage parents across America to take responsibility for helping their teens battle this life-threatening disease that often goes undetected and untreated.

"Mom's L.U.V." brings together professionals from the Renfrew Center, Kirsten Haglund and her mother, Iora, as well as mom ambassadors from around the country who are "coming out" to share their personal family stories of struggle and triumph in confronting eating disorders. Elements of the program include public education, speaking engagements, a free toolkit for parents and an on-line discussion forum at www.renfrew.org.

"At Renfrew, we deal with this challenge every day – parents who may feel too frightened and helpless to face the reality of having a child with an eating disorder, or too embarrassed because they worry they are to blame," says Adrienne Ressler, National Training Director, the Renfrew Center Foundation. "Rather than admit there is a problem, some parents choose to ignore the signs, and the problem escalates until it cannot be ignored any longer. The 'Mom's L.U.V.' campaign aims to break this cycle and get everyone involved in the early stages."

"The journey to Kirsten becoming Miss America seemed, in a way, magical, but there was nothing magical about us getting past her anorexia as a family – the struggles, heartache, pain and hard work," says Iora Haglund. "This campaign gives us an incredible opportunity to share our story and inspire other families to do whatever it takes to recognize what is going on in their lives. To all the mothers, fathers, and children out there, there is knowledge, help, and healing." (4-07-09)

Unlike playgrounds, no national standards exist for tree houses. Although building and playing in tree houses is widely considered a rite of passage for children, it can unfortunately lead to serious injury.

A recent study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that an average of 2,800 children younger than 20 years of age visited emergency departments for tree-house-related injuries each year from 1990 to 2006.

According to the study, published in Academic Emergency Medicine, the majority of tree-house-related injuries occurred when a child fell or jumped from the tree house. The most common injuries were fractures (37 percent), bruises (20 percent) and cuts (20 percent) to the upper body.

"The most serious tree-house-related injuries occurred when children fell from great heights and onto hard, non-impact-absorbing surfaces," says study author Dr. Lara McKenzie, principal investigator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "The odds of a child requiring hospitalization tripled if the fall was from higher than 10 feet, and boys and older children were the most likely to sustain falls from these heights."

The findings of this study are consistent with previous studies on falls and playground injuries, which have led to the establishment of safety standards and regulations regarding height and surface type for playgrounds. However, despite many of the same risks, tree houses have little regulation and oversight, and safety standards are minimal and vary by location.

"Tree house safety deserves special attention because of the potential for serious injury or death due to falls from great heights, as well as the absence of national or regional safety standards," says Dr. McKenzie, also a faculty member of The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "We recommend tree house safety standards are modeled after those developed for playgrounds by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Society for Testing and Materials."

Specific recommendations include building tree houses low to the ground (no more than 10 feet), covering a 72-inch zone around the tree house with at least 9 inches of protective surfacing (such as wood mulch), using solid barrier walls at least 38 inches in height instead of guardrails, and requiring adult supervision for any child younger than 6 years of age using a tree house.

(4-07-09)

According to the American Chiropractic Association, backpacks are a leading cause of back and shoulder pain for millions of adolescents and children. Even more serious than the threat of back and shoulder pain is the developmental damage that can be done to the child's growing spinal column.

"Children and adolescents often experience growth spurts, growing several inches in a single year," says ChicagoHealers.com practitioner Dr. Jim Claussen. "During these periods of rapid growth, the spinal column is more vulnerable to stress and strain. Consistent overloading of the developing spinal column can cause disc weakening or other types of spinal joint strain. Symptoms of these problems may not show up until additional strain is placed on the spine."

Dr. Claussen explains that the maximum weight of the loaded backpack should not exceed 15 percent of your body weight, so pack only what is needed. If the backpack forces the wearer to move forward to carry, it's most likely overloaded.

Dr. Claussen provides the following suggestions for lightening the load:

Choose Wisely – The backpack should never be wider or longer than your child's torso and the pack should not hang more than 4 inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.

Snug Shoulders – Shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child's body. The backpack should be evenly centered in the middle of your child's back. Your child should not sling the pack over one shoulder.

Compartmentalize – A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child's back.

Still Too Heavy? – If the backpack is still too heavy, you need to talk to your child's teacher. Ask if your child can leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only lighter hand-out materials or workbooks.

Photo courtesy of ChicagoHealers.com. (4-07-09)