By Glady Reign

Their effort to educate parents on how to properly secure their most precious cargo is due to the fact that a large number of child passengers are not properly secured. This fact is one of the foremost reasons why automobile accidents are still the number one cause of death for children ages four to fourteen. In contrast to that however, for the past twenty years, 7,500 lives have been saved by properly installed child car seats.

In 2005 alone, an average of five children below 14 years old were killed in automobile accidents every day. Aside from that, 640 children were injured every day for that year. The figure is so alarming that the AAA Minnesota/Iowa will be working hard to educate parents and caregivers as well on how important is properly restraining a child to the toddlers safety.

Gail Weinholzer, the director of public affairs for the AAA Minnesota/Iowa, stated that they will not only work hard during the Child Passenger Safety Week but throughout the year as well. The automobile lobby group has also teamed up with the Minnesota Safety Council to promote the new web site developed in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

The main concern of the coalition is to increase the awareness of parents with children aged four through seven. This is due to the fact that of all the toddlers in the US only ten to twenty percent are not properly secured to their car seats or may not be using booster seats at all. The AAA and the Minnesota Safety Council would like to point out to parents that children aged four to eight who are properly secured to their booster seats are more likely to avoid severe injuries or even death in the event of a crash.

The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia has quoted a figure of 59 percent survivability of children properly restrained on their booster seats over those who are only protected by the a seat belt.

To help parents protect their children in the event of a crash, the AAA came up with simple tips for them to follow. The tips are easy to follow just like it is easy to read a Volvo repair manual. One of which is to place infants on rear facing child safety seats in the backseat for as long as the seat can accommodate the child. They advised to use rear facing child safety seats until the child is at least a year old or weighs a minimum of 20 pounds. When they outgrow their rear facing seats, children should be secured to a forward facing child safety seat but should still ride on the backseat. Children must use this seat until they are approximately four years old or weighs at least 40 pounds.

When the child has outgrown their forward facing child safety seats, parents are advised to provide booster seats for them. They must still ride in the backseat though until they are old enough to be restrained properly by the vehicle safety belt. Usually at the age of 8, when they have reached a height of four feet and nine inches tall, they can now use ride on the grown-up seat at the back. Proper installation of the seatbelts should also be checked by parents. They may also opt for safety devices that will prevent the child from accidentally or intentionally unbuckling the seat belt.

Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. She is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field.

By Nadine O'Reilly, M.A.

A severe allergic reaction to milk, peanuts, wheat, shellfish, latex and other types of triggers can keep a youngster from fully enjoying childhood. And that's not right.
We know how challenging and frightening it is to send a child with a severe allergy out into the world. A simple birthday party becomes a potentially deadly obstacle course for a child with a severe food allergy or latex allergy. You can't stop your mind from questioning everything; did the hostess remember to make sure no peanut oil (or wheat, or milk) was used in the cake? Will the festive balloons trigger your precious one's latex allergy? Whatever the cause of your child's severe allergic reaction–wheat allergy, shellfish allergy, peanut allergy, milk allergy, etc.–you know it is out there.

When children go to school, the stakes and stress rise. Parents of a child with a severe allergic reaction face the dilemma of knowing most school staff may not be aware of how dangerous everyday objects and foods can be. It is important to be prepared to advocate for your child by working with school officials.

Have you ever heard of Section 504?

Section 504 is a little-known federal program that will protect your child from exposure to allergy triggers at school. For example, did you know that once you create a plan with your child's school authorities, a case manager will be assigned to over see his or her well being? They are your "extra set of eyes" who will make sure your child isn't in the presence of allergenic substances, and make sure medication is administered properly and in a timely manner if exposure should occur.

Your child's school must comply with this Federal requirement, and you'll find they're glad to do so if you approach them with a comprehensive plan. A school psychologist is going to be your biggest ally during this process, so prepare yourself for a brush with relief once you meet with him or her.

Once you have a 504 Plan in place for your allergic child to guide them past potential dangers, it will also foster your confidence in helping your child live life to the fullest, safely. Working together with school officials, we can help your child safely access and enjoy more of the wonderful world in which we are blessed to live.

Need more relief? Any 504 plan you develop applies across the country, to every school environment, so even if you move to another city from the one in which you now live, your child's Plan goes with you.

Yours in health,

Nadine O'Reilly, M.A., C.S.P.

Nadine O'Reilly, M.A. is a certified school psychologist and Coordinator of Special Services in northern New Jersey. She creates 100's of plans each year for children with disabilities. She is currently working on her doctorate degree (Psy.D) at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers University. Nadine's son, Brendan Alexander, has a potentially fatal peanut allergy, and he is asthmatic. http

By Monique Dyer

6 Ways to Prevent Child Abduction

1. Never leave your child alone in a public place, car, or stroller.

2. Point out a safe house or houses in your neighborhood, where children can go if they are in trouble.

3. Check older friends of your child and all potential babysitters.

4. Do not use clothing and toys with your child's name on it. A child will less likely to fear someone who knows his/her name.

5. Always accompany your child into a public restroom.

6. Keep an up-to-date color photograph of your child, a Child ID, and medical and dental history, and have your child fingerprinted.

Child abduction is a growing concern and there are simple precautions that you can take to help safeguard your children.

Monique Dyer, President of Accurate Drug %26 DNA Testing, a Atlanta-based company selling on-site drug testing kits to businesses and DNA Testing services to consumers. She currently has a bi-weekly child safety tips newsletter, promoting safety with Children's identification, fingerprinting, and DNA Kit to parents. To subscribe go the website at the bottom of the page http://www.accuratedna.com/children
SAFEGUARD YOUR CHILD!

By Greg Chapman

Most parents are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of their children, and feel confident that they are doing so by using a child safety seat for car travel. But the fact is that an alarming number of parents do not install safety seats properly, allow their children to graduate to a booster seat too early or fail to use a safety seat altogether, posing an enormous risk to their children's safety in the event of a wreck. With car accidents being the number one cause of accidental deaths in young people, utilizing the proper protection in the car for a child's age and weight is a serious responsibility for parents and is also required by law.

When used correctly, car seats significantly reduce infant deaths in car accidents. Still, improper use of a car seat is a very common mistake parents make. First of all, any infant one year of age or younger or weighing 20 pounds or less should be securely harnessed into a rear facing car seat reclined at a 45 degree angle in the back seat. Harness straps should be snug and at or below shoulder level, with the harness retainer clip that connects the straps positioned at the level of the infant's armpit. Additionally, all fasteners should be attached as recommended by the car seat manufacturer. The safety belt securing any car seat should be always be taut and locked.

Once a child has reached one year of age and weighs over 20 pounds, the car seat may be arranged facing forward in the back seat. The harness and seatbelt requirements as described for rear facing car seats also apply for forward facing car seats. The harness should be snug such that only one finger can fit between the harness and the child's collar bone. Placing a child in the back seat and away from airbags is extremely important for any of these situations.

Once a child has reached four years old, weighs at least 40 pounds and has outgrown his or her car seat, it is time to start using a booster seat in the back seat of the vehicle. A child must fall into the appropriate height and weight range recommended for the booster seat in order to have adequate protection. A booster seat lifts a child to the proper height to allow for safe use of the seatbelt, which involves the lower strap being positioned over the child's upper thighs and the shoulder strap fitting across his or her shoulder. The seatbelt must be properly routed through the booster seat in order to provide the protection for which the seat is designed. A child is ready to use a seatbelt with no booster seat only once he or she reaches a height of 58 inches (with a sitting height of 29 inches) and weighs at least 80 pounds. Additionally, the child must be able to bend his or her knees over the edge of the seat with his or her back firmly against the back of the seat. It is recommended for all children ages 12 and younger to ride in the backseat of a vehicle regardless of whether a booster seat is required.

Make sure to complete and return the enclosed registration card upon purchase of a car seat, so that you may be notified in case there is a safety recall on the model you purchase. Read and comply with all instructions and recommendations for your car seat. Failure to properly secure a child in a size and weight appropriate car seat can have devastating consequences in the event of an accident.

About the Author: Greg Chapman, of Greg Chapman Motors, is a leading used car dealer Austin has depended on since 1959. For more information please visit Greg Chapman Motors.