Dear Readers, I know you look forward to the valuable advice and tips for keeping children safe and healthy during travel and outdoor activities that you find posted here bimonthly. Dr. Neumann appreciates your readership. Unfortunately, he has been diagnosed with COVID19. He is currently being treated in the hospital and is unavailable to post […]
Keeping the “amusement” in children’s amusement park rides
November 3, 2020 by
Family visits to amusement parks, fairs, and carnivals sometimes include an unanticipated ride – to an ER. In the US, ERs see about 25,000 such visitors yearly, with young children accounting for more than a quarter of them. About one percent of these kids require hospitalization. Moreover, space-age rollercoasters injuries may have serious after-effects. 1. […]
Preparing your children for becoming lost
October 15, 2020 by
Chances are, it will happen – possibly at a mall, airport, “amusement” park, or during an outdoor excursion. While virtually always you and your child will be reunited, usually in a matter of minutes, being lost is an extremely frightening experience for all involved, remembered for a lifetime. 1. Prepare children for what to do […]
Placing leashes on children: Wise or other-than-wise?
September 12, 2020 by
To leash or not to leash children is an oft-raised question. Is it truly nobler to spurn leashes and, perchance, your child will do no wrong? Or is it far wiser to leash them, and avoid a sea of troubles, but suffer the scorn of outraged strangers and the humiliations parental guilt is capable of […]
Warning: Driving with an unruly child in your car is hazardous
August 20, 2020 by
Unruly children may be a greater distraction for a driver who is the only adult in a car than is texting or using a cell phone. Ditto for screaming infants. Undisciplined and unrestrained pets also present safety issues. 1. Distractions – not necessarily involving children – cause almost 80% of crashes. Children are four times […]
Why the rush to teach infants how to swim?
June 19, 2020 by
1. Infants don’t have to know how to swim to go swimming. Blame the English language for the confusion. “Swimming” also means “bathing in a body of water.” Do place infants in water soon after birth, if you wish, to acquaint them with it and help them to overcome fears, if any. Start with sprinkling […]
Sunglasses for young children: there is a lot for you to know
May 25, 2020 by
Consider making your next baby gift a pair of sunglasses – a gift that is thoughtful, unique, practical, a gentle reminder for new parents to start sun protection early, and, hopefully, a trendsetter that others will follow. 1. Infants’ eyes absorb more harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays than adults. Infants have relatively large pupils, allowing more […]
The ABCs of children covering their faces in a pandemic
April 28, 2020 by
Children two years of age and older should wear cloth face coverings outdoors if other people are nearby, says the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC). 1. Protection may be especially important at the present time. For better or worse, many jurisdictions are loosening restrictions on isolation in order to reopen the economy. That means […]
Isolating children in a COVID-19 pandemic: A primer
March 28, 2020 by
Warning: Becoming lax with isolating your children and teenagers to prevent spreading OVID-19 coronavirus disease can have serious consequences for your family and your community. True, these age groups are far less likely to become severely ill or die from the disease than adults, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “It’s not that they […]
