Protecting Your Family from Unintentional Poisoning





In 2004, more than 2.4 million exposures to human toxins were reported to poison control centers in the United States. Almost all of them occurred in homes, and 85% percent of poison exposures were unintentional. More than half of them involved children under six years old (National Safety Council, 2005). As a parent, that is a very frightening statistic.

If you look around your home, you might be surprised at the amount of generic products that can put your family at risk of unintentional poisoning. According to the National Safety Council, U.S. consumers purchase more than a quarter of a million different potentially hazardous household products for medication, cleaning, cosmetics, and environmental control.

 For example, many of the substances involved in poisoning of children 6 years old and younger included adhesives or glues, arts, crafts, or office supplies, batteries, chemicals, cleaning substances, cosmetics and personal care, deodorizers, dyes, fertilizers, paints and stripping agents, pesticides, pharmaceuticals or vitamins, plants, polishes and waxes, and tobacco products ((National Safety Council, 2005).

What do you do to protect you or your family from toxic substances? Start by being aware of the potential hazards in your home, and take steps to poison-proof your home. For example, keep products in their original containers and out of the reach of children. And while not everyone is able to prevent poisoning, keep the nationwide poison control center's number (1-800-222-1222) and your doctor's number handy. Also be aware of the National Safety Council's first aid procedures for poisoning, which can be found at http://www.nsc.org.

Donna Davis, senior producer, Family Album Radio, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida

Teen Binge Drinking

Raising teenagers is a tough job. I know I’m not the only mom who worries about the challenges our children face, including the issue of teenage drinking. There are many reasons to be concerned: Youth who use alcohol are at greater risk for unprotected sexual intercourse, coerced sexual activity, use of marijuana, and poor academic performance. Alarmingly, in 2002 nearly one-third of all traffic deaths among youth ages 15 to 20 were alcohol-related. And then there are the long-term health problems of binge drinking--"including cancer, liver, pancreatic and cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal problems, neurological disorders and reproductive system disorders”.

The good news is that recent studies show that binge drinking has been declining among eighth and tenth graders “from 15 percent of eighth graders in 1999 to 11 percent in 2005 and [from] 26 percent of tenth graders in 2000 to 21 percent in 2005.” However, “the rate for twelfth graders has remained at 28 percent”.

Parents who are concerned about their teenager’s drinking can monitor a teen’s drinking behavior and be aware of their friends drinking behavior as well. They can communicate with their teens about the risks of drinking and make their views clear. Parents may also need to look at their own drinking behavior and see what it communicates to their teens, as “parents' drinking behavior and favorable attitudes about drinking have been positively associated with adolescents' initiating and continuing drinking”.

For more information:

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa37.htm

http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/?q=node/140

http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/?q=node/140

Source: Suzanna Smith, associate professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.

Head Lice

Head lice are small insects that feed on human blood. They are not dangerous, nor do they carry diseases, but the bite can cause itching and sores.

Lice are very easily passed from one person to another by contact with infected clothes, bed linens, towels, combs, hats, and close personal contact. It’s not uncommon for an entire classroom of children to be infected quickly.

Having lice is not a sign that a child is unclean. Teach your child not to share personal items, such as combs, hats, or head bands.

If your child gets head lice, treat with head lice medication. Wash bed linens and clothing in very hot water or put them in airtight bags for 10 days. Combs, brushes, hair ribbons or other items should be soaked in hot water or the lice medication or thrown away. Vacuum floors, furniture, and car head-rests; especially the areas used by children. Throw away the vacuum bag immediately.

Repeat the treatment in 7 to 10 days. Some eggs may have survived the first treatment so this is done to kill new lice that may have hatched.

Newborn Mortality in the United States

While the United States boasts some of the finest healthcare facilities and services known to humankind, the country also has one of the highest newborn mortality rates in the industrialized world. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, the U.S. is tied for second to last (with Hungary, Malta, Poland and Slovakia), with 5 newborn deaths per 1,000 live birth.

In a recent report published by the international humanitarian organization Save the Children, researchers explained that the causes of death among newborns in industrialized countries are very different than those in developing countries where almost "half of newborn deaths are due to infection, tetanus and diarrhea". In industrialized countries, newborns are more likely to die as a result of premature birth and low birthweight.

Most at risk are minorities, even when mothers have early and equal access to prenatal care. Black infants are 3.4 times more likely to die at birth than whites, while Hispanic infants have a 1.5 times higher infant mortality rate, and all other races other than white are 1.9 times higher.

So if these moms have the same care, researchers were puzzled by what factors are associated with infant mortality.

When controlling for other known risk factors such as weight gain, alcohol, and tobacco use, race, weight prior to pregnancy and prenatal care, researchers at Princeton University and the Brookings Institute found one of the most significant risk factors was low socioeconomic status and educational levels. And while the reason why newborn mortality is higher among lower socioeconomic women in the U.S. is still unclear, many organizations are focusing on this group to seek solutions.

Donna Davis, senior producer, Family Album Radio, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.

Child-Proofing Your Yard

Once your child first pulls himself or herself onto two feet, normal housekeeping rules fly out the window as every parent makes child-proofing a high priority. These precautions become even more elaborate as the child becomes more mobile and more creative. But experts at the University of Florida point out that a backyard poses just as many hazards—but hazards of a different sort than a home.

Toddlers or pre-toddlers are naturally curious, and a yard provides a wealth of opportunity for these miniature Marco Polos. Their natural agility makes them adept at climbing or getting into places you thought were secure. Small children can move very quickly!

Before you let your child wander about your yard—or anyone else's—take a moment to walk around and explore it from a child's eye view. You'll find there are some things you'll want to move or block access to. Are there any ladders to climb? Any porch furniture to crawl onto? Also, young children will put everything in their mouths, from plant leaves to the soft dust of a powdered insecticide.

Buckets are a special hazard to toddlers, especially if there is any liquid inside. Toddlers are poorly balanced at best; if they lean over to look inside, they frequently topple in. They can drown in less than an inch of liquid in a bucket.

Even with eliminating all the yard hazards you can identify, you'll still need to watch as your toddler explores your yard.

Suzanna Smith, associate professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida

Unplanned Pregnancy’s Effects on Mothers and Children

Nearly half of all pregnancies in the US today are unplanned. Though this surprise can be a wonderful one, it can also be a difficult adjustment. Indeed, some studies connect unplanned pregnancies with higher levels of stress and depression in mothers in the early months.

But could the aftereffects of an unintended pregnancy linger even longer? A new study in the Journal of Family Issues suggests so. Researchers followed more than 1600 families for 15 years, interviewing mothers of both planned and unplanned children soon after their babies were born and then at regular intervals until the children were in ninth grade. Mothers reported on their stress and depression levels; later, when the children were older, both they and their mothers rated the quality of their relationship.

Having an unplanned pregnancy didn’t seem to have long-term effects on relationship quality when mothers had low levels of stress or already had other children. But when mothers of unplanned firstborns were stressed, they became depressed and had more troubled relationships with their teens years later. As for mothers with an unplanned pregnancy who already had children, they were more stressed in the short term, but less likely to experience depression and parent-child relationship struggles in the long term.

Although new babies bring plenty of joy, an unplanned pregnancy can also be difficult. These researchers suggest that mothers learn positive coping skills in the early years to reduce their own stress and support the long-term health of their family relationships.

Source: Family Album Radio, Family Youth and Community Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.

Does Divorce Make People Happier?

The marriage and divorce trends of the "modern" American family have been studied for decades. In an attempt to further understand the outcomes of divorce, a team of family scholars headed by University of Chicago sociologist, Linda Waite studied whether unhappily married adults who divorced were any happier than unhappily married people who stayed married.

Early research on divorce concluded that, "A husband and wife would both consent to a divorce if, and only if, they both expected to be better off divorced". But were they? Using data from the National Survey of Family and Households, what the researchers found was that, on average, unhappily married adults who divorced were no happier than their counterparts who remained married.

They reported that divorce "did not typically reduce symptoms of depression, raise self-esteem, or increase a sense of mastery". The authors of the study explained that while eliminating some stresses found in the unhappy marriage, divorce created a new set of stressors that could deeply affect emotional well-being, such as child custody and changes in financial stability.

While the authors couldn't conclude whether unhappy spouses who divorced would have become happy if they'd remained in their marriage, they did find that two-thirds of unhappy marriages had become happier five years later. They attributed a strong desire to stay married, a commitment to solving problems and a commitment to find personal happiness despite a mediocre marriage were strong predictors of "happy" marriages.

Donna Davis, senior producer, Family Album Radio, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.

Adolescent TV Use

More than likely you've commonly heard the most recent generations referred to as Generation X and now Generation Y. However, in a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, researchers renamed this younger group as "Generation M" to stand for media influence in their lives. 

Between television, computers, video games, MP3 players, and cell phones, media use among 8- to 18-year-olds has exploded in the past decade as they now devote an estimated 25% of each day to media use.

In the report "Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 year olds," researchers point out that instead of replacing television with Internet, video games, and new music technologies, today's youth are instead "media multitasking", using two or more media at once. These media-savvy youth may be instant messaging (or "IM'ing") while they're on their phones and watching television – likely while they declare they're getting their homework done.

A surprising revelation was that the children who spent the most time with media also reported spending more time on hobbies, hanging out with their parents, and in physical activities. They did, however, spend less time.

While reading more is certainly linked to higher grades, the "M-Generation" is also doing all right in school and appears to be a content group of kids overall. Still, given the time children are exposed to media and the range of material they may encounter, parents should still monitor their children's media use and how it impacts their lives.

Donna Davis, senior producer, Family Album Radio, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.

Parent Time

Parenting an infant is one of the most exciting and fulfilling opportunities of a lifetime. At the same time, it can be one of the most stressful periods in a person’s life. Research has shown that babies as young as one month old can sense and will be affected by a parent who is depressed or angry. Finding the delicate balance between the new parents’ needs and the baby’s needs is very important.

Experts recommend a number of helpful strategies for couples who are new parents. First, couples should share expectations. It is important to talk to each other about parental roles and what each other needs from their partner. Next, keeping open channels of communication is critical. Make time to talk to one another and be aware of how each partner is doing in the transition to parenthood. According to Dr. Millie Ferrer at the University of Florida, having both parents involved in the caregiving of their newborn will affect their marital satisfaction.

Next, new parents need to keep a positive attitude. Couples need to continue to work on solutions to possible problems before they get out of hand. Finally, new parents should also remain open to the help and support of friends and family. Their support can assist not only in the physical and mental well-being of new parents, but they can also provide an excellent caring network for the new child as well.

Source: Suzanna Smith for Family Album Radio, Family Youth and Community Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida