Public Health & Safety

Lead poisoning continues to be an issue today nearly 40 years after the U.S. government banned it’s use in paints as well as gasoline. Because lead was so commonly used in industry and...

Alcohol abuse in parents or caretakers of children contributes to hostile home environments and may affect the child's ability to socialize appropriately. Approximately 14 million Americans abuse...

Your life can change in a second ... in fact, it can end so abruptly, you don't have time to even think about what you did wrong! Sadly, all too often we have inadvertently caused our own...

"Designs for Living and Learning" is a book written by early-childhood experts Deb Curtis and Margie Carter. The book explores the ways in which the immediate environment plays an important role...

Typhoid fever is a serious condition caused by the salmonella bacteria. Most of the time, typhoid fever is treated with antibiotics and patients recover, but the condition can be dangerous to...

According to the Office of National Drug Control Prevention, abuse of prescription drugs is one of the nation's largest drug problems, second only to marijuana. It is easy to see why. Prescription...

In 2009, the H1N1 flu hit the United States. This strain of influenza is also called the swine flu because many of the virus genes are similar to viruses in North American pigs. With the swine flu...

A kiddie pool seems harmless, but knowing that a child could drown in just two inches of water, you can see that it could actually be quite dangerous. As a parent, it's up to you to make kiddie...

Indoor air pollution from cooking is a serious problem in the developing world, especially for women and children. According to the World Health Organization, indoor air pollution causes one death...

With Halloween on its way and all the little goblins running through your neighborhood, have you thought about how to prevent the little monsters catching a free ride on the hands of your goblins...

First responders arriving at any emergency where there are multiple victims use triage guidelines to deal with the various injuries. The notion of triaging victims at large-scale incidents was...

The break out of AH1N1 influenza has caused panic in every part of the world. The number of victims of the said strain has dramatically increased in a very short span. As of May 2009, there are...

PALS certification can be important for anyone who works directly with children in the healthcare field. The PALS program was created as a joint effort between the American Heart Association (AHA)...

SCHIP, or the State Children's Health Insurance Plan, was established in 1997 as Title XXI of the Social Security Act to provide health insurance to U.S. children in lower income families who...

Children never cease to amaze me with the stuff they come up with. I was deer hunting with my 10 year old nephew last weekend when I asked him what he would do if I got hurt and couldn’t drive...

Protect your child from the #1 viral cause of birth defects, congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV is found in body fluids, including urine, saliva, breast milk, blood, tears, semen, and vaginal...

While elevators are among the safest modes of transportation, improper maintenance and mistakes made by passengers can lead to injuries and even deaths. This article contains information on the...

H1N1 symptoms can be prevented in kids. Are you worried about the Swine Flu? Does the H1N1 virus have you up at night? Is the current flu season affecting your family activities? Do you need...

According to the American Lung Association, 3,600 children between ages 12 and 17 smoke their first cigarette every day. Approximately 1,100 of these children will become addicted, and half will...

According to the American Heart Association, about 60 percent of children are exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke between the ages of 4 and 11. Cigarette smoke can put children at risk for...

Children love being a part of the action. There is no project too big or dangerous, and perhaps that is the appeal to some children. As parents, you want your little helpers to be safe and...

Most people are well aware that the federal government runs a food stamp program that allows low-income residents access to free groceries. However, the government also regulates a program called...

Although there are child seat belt rules in all 50 states, the rules vary significantly from state to state. It is up to the parent or driver to know and obey the child seat belt laws of the state...

Bicycles are a standard part of childhood, with between 80 and 90 percent of children owning a bicycle by the time they're in second grade. However, bikes are also a leading cause of traumatic...

Tetanus is a bacterial disease that can be extremely difficult and time-consuming to treat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the morbidity rate for tetanus--also called...

Life can change in a second. Becoming distracted, engaging in risky behavior, or neglecting safety even for a few seconds, can all lead to an unintentional death. It might be you who dies. Or,...

One of the most confusing things for parents is trying to determine when a child is ready to switch from an infant car seat to a forward facing car seat to a booster seat and finally to a regular...

Methylphenidate, prescribed under the trade name Ritalin, is a common medication given to children for attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While...

Everyone wants to save the Earth by going green. Whether its drinking clean water or recycling aluminum cans, we can all do our part to go green. The best ideas for going green can be found right...

Tylenol (acetaminophen) is one of the most frequently used medicines in the world, and because it is so well known and readily available, many people assume it is harmless. But what they don't...

Methamphetamines are striking the nation and many middle school students are trying it without knowing what it is. Methamphetamines can be snorted, taken in pill form, and injected. It has...

Every 2 minutes, 700 times each day, a child is injured in an automobile accident. Two thousand of these children die each year. Automobile accidents are the leading cause of death for people ages...

Trampolines are a source of enjoyment and exercise, but they come with a few serious safety concerns. When the safety issues are addressed and children are supervised by adults, trampolines can...

In the United States, an estimated 13 million children live in poverty, according to the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP). About 18 percent of all children live below the Federal...

Did you know that injuries are the leading cause of death in children in the United States? That's enough to keep parents up late at night! If we are going to reduce the chances that our child...

Chances are, if your children are in day care, they will be exposed often to other kids who are sick. No one wants this to happen. But there may be some advantages to being exposed to illnesses...

School is a great way to help teach your child independence and responsibility. Many children learn this through riding the school bus to school. School buses make your child feel grown up, but...

Not all child's play is safe. Parents of small children have learned to watch for recommended ages on toys for babies and toddlers, but many of them have haven't thought about putting the same...

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It uses breathing and chest compressions to try to start a person's heartbeat after cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart Association, CPR...

It's a fact: The earlier people start smoking, the more likely they will be smokers for life. This is why preventing children and teenagers from picking up that first cigarette is so important....

Although crime rates have slightly decreased over the last 10 years, women – and moms in particular – can be vulnerable to attacks while running errands with their children. Here are some...

A house fire is reported in the United States every 60 seconds, and each year fires kill an estimated 3,000 people and injure another 14,000. The groups most at risk of fire-related fatalities are...

Safety is important to teach children so that they are aware of what is harmful and what to do in harmful situations. Relaying this information to children can be rather difficult, though....

There are many things in this world that threaten personal safety--fire, criminals, even everyday objects can prove to be dangerous. However, by taking preventive measures and being proactive with...

This is a topic no one wants to dwell on or have to deal with it’s existence. But there are people who possess damaged consciences that would allow them to harm a child in this manner. There are...

The effects of lead on the health of adults and children is a major health concern in the United States. Environmental exposure to lead can cause serious impairment, disease and even death.

While statistics on HIV infection have yet to be calculated for 2009, as of last year over 2 million children were infected with the virus globally. Due to a lack of knowledge regarding HIV...

Adults need to be aware of fireworks safety rules, and so do children who are watching. The more informed the kids are, the less likely they will be involved in a fireworks accident.

It's a gut wrenching fact that children go missing every day but you can help find missing children. Even if you don't live near the missing child's home, you can help in a number of ways to get...

During the summer in particular, it's imperative that children have the necessary resources and information on electrical safety. A few basics can help ensure your children's safety.