Backpacks here. Backpacks there. Backpacks everywhere, and for almost every reason. Toddlers wear them for the sake of wearing them, often empty and in the shape of cartoon characters. Elementary school-age kids pile everything they have into them. High school kids use them as fashion statements, often slung over one shoulder, a style that tends […]
Strollers
September 5, 2018 by
If your infant’s stroller is recalled because of a safety issue, will the manufacturer be able to contact you? 1. Strollers help keep your infants and toddlers safe and healthy but only if (1) the stroller is structurally sound and (2) you use it correctly. Recalls of basic child-related items occur frequently, says the US […]
Swimmer’s Ear
August 19, 2018 by
On a summer vacation at the beach, five hours from home, your 3-year-old announces that dreaded complaint, “My ear hurts!” What to do? 1. Chances are you dealing with a swimmer’s ear. Also, think ‘swimmer’s ear’ in younger preverbal children who poke their fingers into their ears or are unusually cranky. Swimmer’s ear is quite […]
Family Vacations in National Parks – Health and safety is up to you. An update
August 3, 2018 by
(Editor’s note: A reader writes, “You are an old fuddy-duddy who leaches the pleasure out of family vacations by over-emphasizing the health and safety hazards to children of travel and recreational activities.” Even the Wall Street Journal has chastised me. I was the ogre (my word) in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek article, “If You’re a Kid, […]
Young Children Flying Alone: An update
July 20, 2018 by
Did you know that five-year old children may fly unaccompanied on major US airlines? 1. In airline parlance these children are “UMs”: unaccompanied minors. Each airline has its own rules for transporting UMs. The rules are outlined on each airline’s webpage. There are no government regulations. In Canada and the United Kingdom, children must be […]
Home Alone
June 28, 2018 by
Is it reasonable for parents of young children to go on a seven-day vacation if they leave their child(ren) with a competent caretaker? Lots has been written on the subject. Google has 5,520,000 entries! No, I did not read them all. However, I did look at several dozen and read those who had thoughtful opinions. […]
Protecting infants and young children from the sun
June 14, 2018 by
Parents! Take this quiz: In which month is sun protection for infants and young children especially important? a) June b) July c) August d) September 1. The (maybe surprising) answer: a) June. Many adults erroneously associate sun problems with hot weather and believe that serious sun protection is not necessary until the hot summer months […]
“Flying” through the airport with young children: An update
May 22, 2018 by
If a car seat containing an infant is placed “just for a moment” on a non-moving conveyor belt at an airport security machine, the infant may pass through the machine. It has happened. How? Parent places car seat on the belt. Parent turns around to take off his/her shoes or to tend to another child. […]
Children/Travel/Tootbrush/Illness. Are they related?
April 22, 2018 by
Can your children’s toothbrushes make them sick? Many dentists think so. And they think it’s more likely to happen on trips and vacations. 1. Germs that cause upper respiratory and intestinal illnesses thrive on toothbrushes. Moisture from saliva, food particles, cellular matter derived from gums, and high humidity in bathrooms create a favorable culture medium […]
How long is too long to allow infants to sleep in car seats?
March 31, 2018 by
Infant car seats present dilemmas for parents. 1. A car seat is practically part of your family. Chances are you had a car seat delivered to you before you delivered your baby; hospitals won’t discharge you without one. The seats are mandatory to take your baby for a car ride. Once home, with a car […]
