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Children and teens interact with internet using a variety of social media and apps, and each presents its own safety concerns. In this 37-minute video Dr. Kortney Peagram of Bulldog Solutions discusses popular apps, the meaning behind emojis and how to keep kids safe online. This 37-minute video will help you better understand how to keep your child safe online. You’ll learn about the pros and cons of internet safety apps and monitoring systems, how to detect and prevent cyberbullying and cyberdrama, and the many online trends and how they may affect your child. We also discuss the latest social media apps and how kids use them. Visit Dr. Kortney Peagram's Parent Hub via GoogleDocs for additional resources and handouts on this topic: Parent Hub *Note: This video is available for NPN members only. Not a member? Learn about the many member benefits and join now. Member only video

Childhood bullying a serious issue. According to the CDC's 2017 report Preventing Youth Violence, 1 out of 5 kids reported being bullied. NPN has teamed with Dr. Kortney Peagram, Bulldog Solutions to tackle the topic of childhood bullying and identify strategies for working with schools. Watch the video. Is your child experiencing bullying, or do you suspect bullying is happening? In this 48-minute video, you’ll learn the difference between bullying and drama, how to open a conversation with your child, and strategies to address and prevent bullying. Visit Dr. Kortney Peagram's Parent Hub via GoogleDocs for additional resources and handouts on this topic. *Note: This video is available to NPN members only. Not a member? Learn about the many member benefits and join now. Member only video

Furniture and TV tip-over incidents are most likely to be deadly when a child is involved. A child dies every 10 days from a TV or furniture tip-over. In the U.S. there is an estimated annual average of 15,600 injuries that are associated with tip-overs. Most accidents happen when a child climbs on the furniture in order to reach a higher drawer or an object on top. Children ages 2-5 are at a higher risk for these incidents. These facts and figures illuminate the tragic stories of Camden, Conner, Shane, and Ted who have all fallen victim to furniture tip-overs. These incidents can be prevented. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has created the Anchor It! campaign to educate parents and caregivers about tip-overs. Anchor It! provides instructional videos on how to secure furniture and TVs to avoid tip-overs. In addition, KID provides some recommendations to prevent tip-overs: Buy furniture with a wider base, heavier back panel, and/or interlocking drawers, and that meets the ASTM F2057-14 or 17 standard, which is a voluntary standard regarding furniture stability Anchor furniture to the wall Do not put TVs on furniture that is not intended for that use, and anchor TVs to anchored furniture or mount on the wall Keep TV cables and cords out of reach of children Keep objects such as toys and remote controls off furniture to reduce the temptation to climb. Here at KID, we are working to prevent tip-overs with the CPSC and groups such as PAT (Parents Against Tip-Overs). KID started the Teach Early Safety Testing (TEST) program as a way to incorporate design safety into undergraduate engineering programs. Engineering students at the University of Michigan and Northwestern University have worked on projects to develop safer designs for dressers. KID is also fighting for a more robust standard for furniture at the federal level so no parent or child has to suffer from a furniture tip-over.

I remember it being a relatively uneventful Monday afternoon at work when this sobering message from 46th Ward Alderman James Cappleman hit my inbox: “According to the Chicago Police Department, at approximately 10:30am today, there was young man shot on the 900 block of West Buena Avenue. The victim was approached by two offenders and was shot in the chest. Police say he was taken immediately to Illinois Masonic Hospital where he is undergoing surgery and remains in critical condition. Chicago Police detectives are working with neighbors and nearby witnesses to try and gather accounts and surveillance footage. Police have stated that the victim was most likely known and targeted by the shooter.” I was horrified. No, I wasn’t lamenting another Chicago shooting that’s made our city the poster child of the gun-violence epidemic in our country. And, no, even though I understand families in the city are burdened by shootings and the threat of gun violence on a daily basis, I admit I wasn’t thinking about the victim or how this act of violence must be affecting his family. My concern as a hyper-vigilant father-to-be was that this was news happening a block from my home. There was no changing the channel and ignoring this shooting. I walk along the 900 block of West Buena Avenue all the time. It’s where one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants is located. It’s also where my then-8-months pregnant wife, Ewelina, and I envisioned we’d be taking our son one day for story time at the Uptown Library. But plans change. Shots fired, shell casings and yellow police tape steps from your home will do that. Before I finished reading the rest of Alderman Cappleman’s email, my thoughts shifted to my pregnant wife and how there was no way we were going to let our first-born child be raised in a neighborhood like this. Where it isn’t even safe to walk around the block on a Monday morning. After forwarding the news to my wife (with the hastily written subject line: “WTF … from Cappleman”), I did what any overprotective father or father-to-be with the ability to move his family would do—check the real estate listings for homes in safer areas of the city. Hell, let’s even give the suburban ads a peak while we’re at it, I told myself. Maybe my wife, who was raised in Paris and has made it abundantly clear on numerous occasions that we will forever be city-dwellers, would finally accept moving to the suburbs (gasp!) after what happened down the street. To give some context on why I reacted the way I did, I was raised on the not-so-dangerous streets of Schaumburg. Where getting my bike stolen in front of the local swimming pool was the biggest danger I faced during my adolescence. When we found out last year we were pregnant, I understood that our son would have a far different experience growing up than I did. At the same time, I never imagined that that experience would be dealing with gun violence. Maybe that’s just me being naïve or not living in the city long enough to know that that’s the sad truth of being a Chicago resident these days. However, as a first-time father who never thought having a child would be possible, I think you tend to overreact to certain things, and you tell yourself you will do anything possible, even uprooting your family on a moment’s notice, to prevent your little one from facing any pain or negative experiences. I guess that’s just faulty thinking, though, because you can’t insulate your child from the realities of the world. I’m glad we didn’t end up moving—although my wife will attest that for a couple days after the shooting I pushed hard to pack up and leave—because I would regret not having our son grow up in Chicago. He won't have a backyard like I did. Instead, he'll be just minutes away from a beautiful lakefront path and many, many parks. He won't just be watching the Cubs on TV when he gets home from school like I did. Instead, he'll be able to walk the 15 minutes down Sheridan and Sheffield and catch the game in person. He probably won't have a pet like I did (sorry, kid, but I'm not cleaning up after pets after 20-plus years with cats and litter boxes in the house). Instead, he'll be able to ride his bike or walk to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Not everything about living in the city is as ideal as spending an afternoon by the lake, in the stands at Wrigley, or at the zoo, as this shooting near our home, and the many others that occur in Chicago every day, give people plenty of reason to leave. But we're not going anywhere with our son. This is our city. This is our neighborhood. This is our home.

At the beginning of October, IKEA announced that it will only carry blinds with no cords or inaccessible cords in all of its global stores by January 2016. Kids In Danger (KID) spoke to Linda Kaiser from Parents for Window Blind Safety to find out what this change means in terms of ongoing safety and what parents can do to keep their kids safe with regards to window blinds. What makes this move a big win for window blind safety? This sets the tone for other retailers to join in and start going cordless. Our hope is that all retailers go cordless. This is a huge statement made by retailers alerting the public on how dangerous these cords can be to kids. It’s also important to note that just one single accessible cord can kill a child. Many products consumers think are safe are not safe at all. What about window blinds poses a hazard to kids? It’s a hazard that is in plain sight, and you don’t even think it could kill a child. Single pull cord blinds look so safe, but they can be wrapped around the necks of children in seconds, which causes loss of consciousness. Kids can’t call for help. They are especially dangerous when you think about how kids play– they use the cords to wrap around their neck for dramatic play (as a pretend necklace, to imitate Rapunzel from Tangled, when acting as superheros). Just think about how many movies you see for kids where someone is swinging from something. What other steps have been taken to prevent children from being harmed by window blinds? Sadly, not much. We’re still waiting for the CPSC to move forward on our petition regarding inaccessible cords on window blinds for US windows. Unfortunately, the hazard just doesn’t go away with retailers going cordless in stores, as products with hazardous accessible cords can still be purchased online. Custom products have not been dealt with, and until manufactures decide that the lives of children are worth it, we see a desperate need for mandatory rulemaking. On the positive side, in the past 10 years Parents for Window Blind Safety has been testing window covering products and placing our Seal of Approval on products that pass our first class safety criteria. We have recently united with third party labs to further broaden our testing procedures. This Seal of Approval program is set out to eliminate the strangulation hazards that corded window coverings may present and to ensure consumers can make the most appropriate buying decisions. How can parents keep their children safe with regards to window blinds? The first step is to know that one single accessible cord can hurt a child. Stop trusting in devices that have failed to keep kids safe. If you know that, then you can make the effort to not have window-covering products with pull cords in your home. It’s also important to realize that kids can access cords that are “tied up out of reach,” as oftentimes all they have to do is stand on the windowsill. There are many affordable cordless products available on the market today. The good news is that many can be purchased for around $20 for standard size windows. Temporary shades can be purchased for a few dollars and placed in homes until the consumers decide what type of window covering best suits their needs. For more information about window blind safety, visit Parents for Window Blind Safety’s website or check out their video, In An Instant. For more information on product safety, go to Kids In Danger and follow us on Facebook.

There are so many factors that are important when choosing the right child care provider, but above all else we want our children cared for in a safe environment. Kids in Danger (KID) has pulled together a list of safety questions to ask your provider to make sure your child is in a safe space. What you could ask: How do you keep up with children’s products recalls? What the provider should say: The provider should be telling you that they are signed up to receive recall alert notices from either the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and/ or Kids In Danger (KID). If they don’t already receive these alerts, encourage them to sign up for the free service at CPSC.gov or KidsInDanger.org. CPSC will email each time there is a recall; KID will send an email once a month with all the month’s recalls. Bonus: KID’s email alert includes a printable list of recalls for posting. What you could ask: Have you secured the furniture in your facility? What the provider should say: They should be saying that they have purchased anchors and brackets so that the TV’s and furniture don’t tip over and pose a safety hazard to children. If they haven’t done this yet, you can recommend they visit any electronic or children’s store and purchase these inexpensive safety devices from the “home safety” section or online. What you could ask: (If you have an infant) There are new safety standards for cribs that caregivers are required to comply with. Do your cribs meet this new standard? What the provider should say: The provider should have proof that their crib was manufactured after June 28, 2011 (when the new crib safety law went into effect). Feel free to encourage them to print and post this handy poster that will let other parents know that the caregiver is aware of these new standards. Also, request that providers not use dangerous crib accessories such as crib bumper pads, sleep positioners, and soft bedding as they can pose suffocation, strangulation and fall hazards to children. What you could ask: (If the children travel by car or van in childcare) Many car seats are not installed correctly. How do you make sure each time the car seat is correctly installed? What the provider should say: They should say that they have been trained on car seat installation. If you are concerned about the installation of the car seat, encourage the provider to check out their local Safe Kids branch which will have a car seat installation specialist install the car seat for you. They should also mention that they keep up with car seat recalls through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Like CPSC and KID, NHSTA emails car seat recall notices directly to you if you sign up for their free service. To learn more about the broader concerns involved in choosing a childcare provider, please visit the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s website at Naeyc.org. For more information on child product safety, please visit KidsInDanger.org.

Summer is around the corner and our children are finally able to get outside after a brutal winter. However, they may now be exposed to many different plants that can cause rashes that itch and burn. One of the most common plants that children are exposed to is Toxicodendron radicans, commonly known as poison ivy. We have all heard the saying, “leaves of three, let it be!” Poison ivy is a woody vine with leaves in groups of three (with the center leaf being the longest). The plant appears red to pink in the spring, turns green in the summer and then from red to purple in the fall. Poison ivy causes a rash due to exposure to the resinous coating on the leaves called urushiol. You don’t have to come into direct contact with the plant in order to get the rash. Contaminated clothing or contact with a pet that has been exposed can also cause the rash. Once you come into contact with the oil or resin from the plant, it is important to decrease the amount of exposure as quickly as possible. Remove all clothing that had contact with the plant and wash with detergent. If the clothing is not washed, you can be reinfected months to years later.The skin should be washed with soap in cool to cold water, or the plant oil can be removed with rubbing alcohol. Animals are not affected by poison ivy but can transmit the oil to humans. It is important that exposed pets be given a good bath; however, be sure to wear gloves when bathing our furry friends. Once exposed, the rash can appear as soon as several hours later or up to 10 days later, depending on the person’s sensitivity. The rash is usually resolves on its own within two to three weeks. The rash of poison ivy often looks like a line of blisters, but when the resin is spread from one area to another by rubbing, it can appear as an itchy, red, swollen patch. The fluid from the blisters does not spread the rash, and the rash itself is not contagious. Treatment of poison ivy depends on the severity of the rash. Topical treatments such as over the counter hydrocortisone or topical diphenhydramine can help reduce the symptoms. For blisters and itching, one can apply a “burrows solution” by dissolving Dome-Boro tablets (available at the pharmacy) in a pint of water, soaking gauze in the solution and applying to blistered areas two to three times daily for 20 minutes at a time. In severe cases, a dermatologist should be consulted since oral prescription medications can improve the rash quickly. The spring and summer can be a great time to be outdoors with the kids, but pay close attention to your surroundings and make sure you are aware of what plants your children or pets may come into contact with.