Parenting Blog

Tussionex, or the generic prescription Hydrocodone and Chlorpheniramine, is prescribed by doctors to relieve respiratory problems caused by a cold or allergies, but if you don’t follow the instructions carefully the results can be deadly. Recent reports have come out saying that patients who took Tussionex more than once every twelve hours or took more than the recommended dosage suffered dangerous breathing problems or even died. This is because Tussionex contains a narcotic drug, or a drug that acts as a tranquillizer or sedative. In high doses, this narcotic drug can lead to respiratory failure, a coma, or death. It’s very important to keep Tussionex away from children under six years of age. This drug is not approved for young kids and has caused five children’s deaths since 1987. To avoid accidental overdose of Tussionex or any medication, avoid estimating the amount you are taking by pouring it into a regular dinner spoon. The size of dinner spoons varies and they are not intended for exact measurement. When you are taking a prescription drug or giving one to your child, make sure you are familiar with the instructions and risks, and take care to measure exactly.

You have probably seen a child zipping around a shopping center on shoes that double as roller skates. These “roller shoes” look like regular tennis shoes but have wheels in the soles so the wearer can take off at any given second, and are incredibly popular among kids today. These shoes are essentially roller skates and pose all the same dangers, but kids usually get away with wearing them helmetless, and it’s caused a number of injuries already. The makers of the shoe claim they are safer than regular skates because they have caused fewer accidents, but this is probably because many kids use the shoes indoors or participate in safer activities than they would if they were wearing roller blades.
Kids have to lean back on their heels to get the wheels to pop out of the soles, and this alone causes a lot of falls. A child skating outside could hit a small rock and go tumbling. Hospitals have seen serious injuries like broken bones caused by these shoes. Since roller shoes are sold at regular shoe or clothing stores and not a sporting goods center, parents don’t consider them dangerous, but just like ordinary roller skates, kids should wear helmets and padding with roller shoes.

You have read the precautions and followed the instructions carefully; but did you know that your child could still be subject to danger in his car seat? In fact, thousands of injuries are caused each year by accidents involving car seats when they are being used properly. To keep your child out of harm’s way, watch for these common threats to his or her safety.

First, you should always check to make sure the car seat’s arm is locked in place before you pick it up. Also, many accidents involving car seats are caused by falling or tipping, so avoid leaving car seats on tables or other surfaces above ground level. Do not put a car seat on an unstable surface like a couch or a bed. It is always safest when it’s not in a car to keep your car seat on the ground.

Have your child sit or stand inside the car when you are loading the car seat. Many injuries and even deaths happen when children are left unattended near cars or other vehicles. A parking lot is an especially dangerous place for a child. And of course, never leave a child alone in a car seat, even if the car is running with air conditioning or if you are just running in and out of a store. A young child is never safe in an unattended car.

Certain studies have shown that infants, when placed in car seats, experience breathing difficulties. This is because they cannot support their own heads, so oxygen flow is restricted. Although this restriction is usually not a serious threat to your baby’s health, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that until a baby can support his own head, he should spend as little time as possible in a car seat. You should keep an eye on infants, especially premature ones, to monitor his breathing in a car seat. A baby is especially at risk for restricted breathing when he sleeps in a car seat.

If your baby is wearing heavy clothing or a winter coat, you should take care to ensure that the strap of the car seat still fits snugly on your baby’s chest. A child who is under twelve months old and weighs less than twenty pounds should not ride in a forward-facing car seat, though the AAP insists that children continue to face the back of the car for as long as possible. Convertible car seats will enable a child weighing well over twenty pounds to ride facing the back of the car. Be sure to check your car seat’s weight requirements to keep your baby safe on road trips.

As your child gets older, it’s natural for him to “rebel” or make choices that you might not approve of.  If you are afraid that your child is falling in with a bad group of friends, don’t start panicking, because there are some things you should do before you jump to a conclusion. If you see some odd behavior changes in your child and he’s been mentioning friends you’ve never met, encourage him to talk about his social life with you. Ask “He doesn’t sound familiar, is he a new friend?” Give your child the opportunity to have his new friends over so you can get to know them and observe their behavior. You might discover that these new friends are nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if you disapprove of these buddies, try to refrain from discussing this with your child. If he’s trying to break away from you by hanging out with these kids, your disapproval will only fuel his rebelliousness – worse still, it will discourage him from sharing things with you in the future. The only time you should intervene is if you see a direct threat to your child’s safety and well-being – that is, if these new friends are using alcohol or tobacco or leading your child into dangerous situations that could get him into trouble.

Make sure your child understands your expectations for him. Remind him of the values you have worked to instill in him, and make it clear that there will be punishment for breaking the rules. If you’re worried about your child, don’t take any bad behavior lightly. If your child begins to strike up cruel arguments or speak rudely to you, don’t turn a blind eye, even at the smallest incident – make sure he realizes that there are consequences for such actions. Let your child know that he should not act that way around you or anyone else. Friendships come and go throughout childhood, and chances are your child won’t maintain relationships with kids whose values conflict with his own. As he matures, he will make lasting friendships and his rebellious phase will come to an end. While it is crucial that you watch for signs of danger and threats to your child’s safety, you have to remember that you cannot make decisions for your child. He must learn who he is and how to maintain good friendships for himself and experiences like these are an important part of the learning process.