Unintentional injury remains one of the top five leading causes of death in children.

The Emergency Department at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles sees far too many accidents taking place in the home, ranging from falls, near drowning, poisonings and even burns.

While constant supervision is the best way to prevent injuries, using layers of protection can help reduce the risk of home related injuries to children. Even the most watchful parents can’t keep kids completely out of harm’s way every second of the day, and utilizing tools can aid even the busiest parent.

Filed under: Infants, RN Remedies, Toddlers on October 17th, 2011 | 1 Comment »

In my last post, Hot Days, Cool Water: Summer Safety Tips, I shared important water safety tips for parents and really focused on what parents should remember when their children are playing in the pool. But it’s too easy to forget that the pool isn’t the only place where kids are at risk for drowning.

This post discusses the importance of being vigilant while your children are playing in hot tubs, containers of water and in the ocean. I’ll also discuss what dry drowning is and how to keep an open eye for its symptoms.

Filed under: Infants, RN Remedies, School-Age, Toddlers on July 25th, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Drowning is quick and silent. Victims cannot call for help as they do not have enough air. It is rare for a drowning victim to thrash. A child can drown in any amount of water in the time it takes to answer a phone.

For this reason, it is so important not to leave children unattended in or near water. Children can drown in just two inches of water, which can take place in bathtubs, toilets, buckets, anywhere free standing water is found.

Filed under: Infants, RN Remedies, School-Age, Toddlers on July 19th, 2011 | No Comments »

If you are a smoker, you should know there is no risk-free level of exposure to tobacco smoke. In adults, secondhand smoke can cause serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer.

In pregnant women, secondhand smoke has been shown to cause low birth weight as well as a host of other issues for the child. Basically, when you smoke around your children, they are smoking too and face the same (if not worse) health risks you do.

Filed under: Infants, RN Remedies, School-Age, Toddlers on July 11th, 2011 | No Comments »

My last post addressed the policy statement released by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concerning updated recommended practices for parents using rear-facing car seats. Because I’m a nurse working in at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in California, I’d also like to address state law and where these two overlap.

Filed under: Infants, RN Remedies, School-Age, Toddlers on May 9th, 2011 | No Comments »

The AAP now recommends that kids remain in rear-facing car seats at least until they are 2 years old. This recommendation has created a lot of buzz about car safety for kids in general, so I’m going to explain in detail the ins and outs of car seats, booster seats and seat belts.

Filed under: Infants, Pre-teens, RN Remedies, School-Age, Toddlers on May 3rd, 2011 | No Comments »

One weekend, I was at work on my unit at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles when I started to feel as if the sounds of the entire hospital were thrumming and throbbing in my head. High-pitched voices sounded sharp. Middle sounds were muffled.

I shared how I was feeling with my nurse practitioner colleague and she responded with two words: “Ear Infection.”

Filed under: Adolescents & Teens, Infants, Pre-teens, RN Remedies, School-Age, Toddlers on March 28th, 2011 | No Comments »

Every five days, one child will die from choking in the United States. Choking is the fourth leading cause of death in children under five years of age. For parents, these are pretty scary statistics!

But the good news is that most of these deaths are preventable.

Filed under: Infants, Pre-teens, RN Remedies, School-Age, Toddlers on March 14th, 2011 | No Comments »

The children we treat are often immune-suppressed and have various illnesses. As nurses, we must protect our patients according to recommendations mandated by our doctors and infectious disease specialists. In the community, however, guidelines are different.

Filed under: Adolescents & Teens, Infants, Pre-teens, RN Remedies, School-Age, Toddlers on March 7th, 2011 | No Comments »

Let’s face it. In L.A., we’re worried about our weight.

For a new mom, weight loss after delivery of her child can be an important goal for a mom’s self-esteem and happiness. But for moms who are breastfeeding, it is important that weight loss occur slowly and in a healthy manner.

Filed under: Infants, RN Remedies on January 24th, 2011 | No Comments »