2010 June | Grammy's Corner

Kid’s Safety: Crib Safety

Crib Recall

This morning on Yahoo! News, one of the headings covered crib recalls again. These latest recalls come as the Consumer Product Safety Commission has received injury reports of children entrapped or fallen out of cribs.

Over 2 million Cribs Recalled Amid Safety Concerns

WASHINGTON – More than 2 million cribs from seven companies were recalled Thursday amid concerns that babies can suffocate, become trapped or fall from the cribs. Most of the cribs were drop-sides, which have a side rail that moves up and down so parents can lift children from them more easily. That movable side, however, can malfunction or detach from the crib, creating a dangerous gap where babies’ heads can become trapped, leading to suffocation or strangulation.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has been recalling drop-side baby beds for months, with today’s warning being the most recent. I wander why parents keep using these cribs knowing there is a danger to their infant. All seven companies, Evenflo, Delta Enterprises Corp, Child Craft, Jardine Enterprises, Million Dollar Baby, and Simmons Juvenile Products, Inc. recalled their drop-side cribs according to CPSC. Delta and Child Craft also acknowledged problems with fixed-side cribs. Child Craft is no longer in operation and sold their company to Foundation Worldwide Inc. CPSC Chairman Inez Tenebaum has pledged to ban drop-side cribs manufacture and sale by year’s end. CPSC urges parents and caregivers to stop using the cribs immediately and contact manufacturers for a repair kit to immobilize the drop-side to make the crib more secure. The CPSC’s recall hotline is 800-638-2772, and consumers can visit www.cribsafety.org for a list of participating manufacturers and for downloadable materials about ensuring that children sleep safely.

Crib Safety

Of all the items you need for your baby, cribs are the only beds for babies that are required to meet government mandated standards. Consumer Reports has the following recommendations:

Look first for a crib with stationary sides until more stringent and comprehensive safety standards are developed. The safest cribs are simple with no scrollwork or finials. Infants can strangle if their clothing gets caught in such detail.

If you must use an older crib, avoid those built before 2000, about a year after the latest voluntary standards for slat-attachment strength took effect. If the spaces between slats, or anywhere else on the crib, are greater than 2 3/8 inches, they are too far apart.

The simplest test to check workmanship and construction is to shake the crib slightly in the store to see if the frame is loose.

In the store pair the mattress with the crib to make sure they are a good fit. If you can place more than two fingers between the mattress and the frame, the fit is not snug enough.

Crib Safety

When the crib arrives at your house, arrange for it to be assembled by a qualified assembly crew. Crib assembly by the store allows you to inspect the crib on the spot and reject it if you discover flaws.

The crib should have metal mattress supports because they are stronger than wood supports to withstand a jumping toddler. Adjust the mattress height to the right level, higher makes it easier to take your infant in and out of the crib, but dangerous as they start to pull to a standing position. Drop the mattress to the lowest level when they begin to stand. For safety’s sake, monitor your child’s development closely and stop using a crib as soon as your toddler can climb out.

The drop-side latches should require 2 distinct actions (or a minimum force of 10 pounds with one action) to release the lock. If a knee-bar mechanism is used to lower the crib side, make sure it can’t be tripped by toddlers crawling under the crib.

Use a baby crib safety teething guard to prevent splinters.

When buying a mattress, buy sheets that fit. You can test the sheet by tugging on the corner to see if it pulls loose. If it does, the child might become entangled.

After your crib has been in use for awhile, make sure to check all the hardware periodically and tighten anything that’s missing or loose. Missing and loose parts are a leading cause of death; because they can create gaps where baby can wedge his head and neck and suffocate or strangle. Check mattress support regularly to make sure they are not broken or bent. If you move a crib, make sure all support brackets are secure.

Always send in the product registration card that comes with every new baby crib. By returning the card, you ensure you’ll be notified if your crib is recalled. Take a look at our crib recall report to make sure.

Kid’s and Grandparents: Grandparents’ Time Out

Grandparents’ Time Out

When my husband and I retired, we built our retirement home on beautiful Lake Cherokee with plans to travel. Each daughter wanted to know which bedroom belong to their family. Since we reside on the lake, they plan to visit more often, for longer periods of time, bringing with them the children, dogs, and cats. Along with this we are the primary caregivers four days a week for Miley, our youngest granddaughter, one year old this week; while her mother, a new single parent, works at the hospital and attends college. We have kept all of our grandchildren on a daily basis since their birth, during these past seven years. At times our home is busy as a beehive. These are moments we will treasure forever; although, stressful at times.

Peace

The number of grandparents raising their childrens’ children is increasing both in Texas and around the nation. The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey estimates almost 299,000 Texas grandparents are doing it, a nearly 7 percent increase from 2005. Nationally, more than 2.6 million grandparents are raising grandchildren, a jump of more than 6 percent since 2005, the survey found. (O’Hare, 2010).

Taking Care of Yourself

Grandparents take on this obligation when the grandchildren’s own parents are busy working, going to school, abandon them, or can no longer live with them due to medical reasons. Over a period of time, caring for grandchildren does put stress on the grandparents’ relationship. There is the loss of time with each other and their dream of retirement dies. Their social life and circle of friends dwindles drastically. But, despite considerable financial challenges of supporting a child on a fixed income; and health problems, grandparents make numerous sacrifices to provide a better life for their grandchildren. Grandparents become caregivers of their grandchildren whether full time or part time because they see no alternative. They were raised during a time that you take care of family—and family was the most important thing to them. There’s lots of love there.

Grandparents with Grandkids

But if they are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and tired, they are not going to be able to provide the best care for their grandchildren. It’s important they take care of themselves and not become overwhelmed by their parental responsibilities. Here are some suggestions to help relieve the stress:

Find a support group – either a group specifically for grandparents raising grandchildren or some other support group where you can share your challenges with others who will understand.
Talk to someone. This could be a friend or relative or a professional, such as a counselor, family doctor, or someone at your church or temple. Unburdening yourself can be a stress reliever.
Find respite care. A short time away from your grandchildren may give you some time to relax. Look for a trusted adult who can babysit or take over while you’re out. Grandparents who have access to and use respite are able to be more effective and resilient caregivers.(National Resource Center for Respite and Crisis Care Center , 1998)
Take a parenting class. A class may help you to feel more comfortable with your status as caregiver for young children. It will also provide resources in the form of your teacher and the other students in the class.
Learn to say “no”. You don’t have time to do everything. Learn to make priorities, and eliminate the unnecessary tasks in your life.
Find resources. There is lots of useful free information for grandparents. Much of it is available on the Internet.(Child Welfare Services, 2010). One example is listed below.

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Grandparents.shtml

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Child Welfare Services. (2010, April 30). Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Retrieved June 8, 2010, from Child Welfare Information Gateway: http://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/supporting/resources/grandparents.cfm

O’Hare, P. (2010, January 18). More Grandparent Parenting Again. Retrieved June 8, 2010, from ThirdAge Articles: http://www.choicerelationships.com/third_age_articles.html

Kid’s Rooms: From Crib to Toddler Bed

When is your Toddler Ready?

Toddler Climbing Out of Crib

Some children love their cribs, while others begin to crawl out at the first opportunity. My daughter, at 13 months, would begin to scream every time I approached her crib. She would sleep anywhere, but in her crib. Finally, I placed her in the middle of a full bed each night, with pillows around her. Peace……When she awoke, she would sit up calling my name, never trying to climb off the bed. Unlike some developmental milestones of early childhood, such as learning to use the potty, or beginning to eat solid foods, the move from crib to bed doesn’t involve a checklist or signs indicating that your child is ready. The one overriding concern is safety. As a general rule, parents should move a baby from a crib to a bed before he is able to climb out of it, on his own, and possibly hurt himself, says Mark Widome, MD, a professor of pediatrics at Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (Broadwell, 2010)

Considerations

Bulldozer Toddler Bed

The switch from a crib to a toddler bed can be stressful for some children. Be sure to make the transition as smooth as possible for your child by allowing him to help pick out the toddler bed. Put the toddler bed next to the crib in his room for a few months, having him take daytime naps in the toddler bed and eventually removing the crib and setting the toddler bed up in the exact same place. Make it a big deal by having a “big kid bed party”. Ease your child into the big kid bed by being consistent.

Have something that they liked about their crib. A familiar stuffed animal or blanket will help them feel safe and secure in their new bed. Also don’t change any bedtime routines. Don’t try to change a lot at once. If you change too much at once it can be overwhelming.
Take it slow. If you are moving your toddler because of a new arrival, do it slowly and several months before the baby is due. If you are moving your toddler due to climbing out of the crib or toilet training, expect anything from unrestrained excitement to utter fear.

<a href=’‘ >Transitioning from Crib to Toddler Bed

Let your toddler pick out the new bed and bedding. Encourage your child to accessorize the new bed with favorite items like toys or blankets.

Stick with your bed time routine. Follow all of the same procedures for going to bed. Sit on the edge of the bed and sing or read.

Anticipate your child’s needs at bed time. If your toddler asks for water every night after you leave the room, give your child water before you leave. Ask your child what toys or books they would like to have in bed so you will not have unnecessary requests all night.

Be firm about staying in bed. The first few weeks your toddler may experiment with new found freedom. Put your toddler back to bed and say something like, “It is time to stay in bed. Goodnight.”

Give lots of praise. Encourage and reassure your toddler often. When your toddler stays in the new bed, check in and tell your child you are happy or proud.

(eHow Contributing Writer, 2010)

Toddler Bedroom

Finally, remember that the switch from a crib to a bed is a milestone in your life, too. It’s one more sign that your baby is growing up. Reflect on when you first set up the crib for your little one, and then go have a private celebration of your own.