Common Poisonous Plants

PLANT	TOXIC PART	SYMPTOMS
HOUSE PLANTS
Hyacinth, Narcissus, Daffodil	Bulbs	Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. May be fatal.
Oleander	Leaves, branches	Extremely poisonous. Affects the heart, produces severe digestive upset and has caused death.
Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane), Elephant Ear	All parts	Intense burning and irritation of the mouth and tongue. Death can occur if base of the tongue swells enough to block the air passage of the throat.
Rosary Pea, Castor Bean	Seeds	Fatal. A single Rosary Pea seed has caused death. One or two Castor Bean seeds are near the lethal dose for adults.
FLOWER GARDEN PLANTS
Larkspur	Young plant, seeds	Digestive upset, nervous excitement, depression. May be fatal.
Monkshood	Fleshy roots	Digestive upset and nervous excitement.
Autumn Crocus, Star of Bethlehem	Bulbs	Vomiting and nervous excitement.
Lily-of-the-Valley	Leaves, flowers	Irregular heart beat and pulse, usually accompanied by digestive upset and mental confusion.
Iris	Underground stems	Severe-but not usually serious-digestive upset.
Foxglove	Leaves	Large amounts cause dangerously irregular heartbeat and pulse, usually digestive upset and mental confusion. May be fatal.
Bleeding Heart	Foliage, roots	May be poisonous in large amounts. Has proved fatal to cattle.
VEGETABLE GARDEN PLANTS
Rhubarb	Leaf blade	Fatal. Large amounts of raw or cooked leaves can cause convulsions, coma, followed rapidly by death.
ORNAMENTAL PLANTS
Daphne	Berries	Fatal. A few berries can kill a child.
Wisteria	Seeds, pods	Mild to severe digestive upset. Many children are poisoned by this plant.
Golden Chain	Bean-like capsules in which the seeds are suspended	Severe poisoning. Excitement, staggering, convulsions and coma. May be fatal.
Laurels, Rhododendrons, Azaleas	All parts	Fatal. Produces nausea and vomiting, depression, difficult breathing, prostration and coma.
Jasmine	Berries	Fatal. Digestive disturbance and nervous symptoms.
Lantana Camara (Red Sage)	Green berries	Fatal. Affects lungs, kidneys, heart and nervous system. Grows in the southern U.S. And in moderate climates.
Yew	Berries, foliage	Fatal. Foliage more toxic than berries. Death is usually sudden without warning symptoms.
TREES AND SHRUBS
Wild and cultivated cherries	Twigs, foliage	Fatal. Contains a compound that releases cyanide when eaten. Gasping, excitement and prostration are common symptoms.
Oaks	Foliage, acorns	Affects kidneys gradually. Symptoms appear only after several days or weeks. Takes a large amount for poisoning.
Elderberry	All parts, especially roots	Children have been poisoned by using pieces of the pithy stems for blowguns. Nausea and digestive upset.
Black Locust	Bark, sprouts, foliage	Children have suffered nausea, weakness and depression after chewing the bark and seeds.
PLANTS IN WOODED AREAS
Jack-in-the-Pulpit	All parts, especially roots	Like Dumb Cane, contains small needle-like crystals of calcium oxalate that cause intense irritation and burning of the mouth and tongue.
Moonseed	Berries	Blue, purple color, resembling wild grapes. May be fatal.
Mayapple	Apple, foliage, roots	Contains at least 16 active toxic principles, primarily in the roots. Children often eat the apple with no ill effects, but several apples may cause diarrhea.
Mistletoe	Berries	Fatal. Both children and adults have died from eating the berries.
PLANTS IN SWAMP OR MOIST AREAS
Water Hemlock	All parts	Fatal. Violent and painful convulsions. A number of people have died from hemlock.
PLANTS IN FIELDS
Buttercups	All parts	Irritant juices may severely injure the digestive system.
Nightshade	All parts, especially the unripened berry	Fatal. Intense digestive disturbance and nervous symptoms.
Poison Hemlock	All parts	Fatal. Resembles a large wild carrot.
Jimson Weed (Thorn Apple)	All parts	Abnormal thirst, distorted sight, delirium, incoherence and coma. Common cause of poisoning. Has proved fatal.

 

Chart taken from materials provided by the Texas State Department of Health and the National Safety Council

Pottery Barn Recalls Drop-Side Cribs, U.S. Plans Ban

Pottery Barn Kids voluntarily recalled 82,000 drop-side cribs today. This coincides with the proposed ban on drop-side cribs by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. The recall by the Williams-Sonoma Inc unit affects cribs sold from January 1999 through March 2010, priced at $300 to $600.

This is the 12th U.S. recall of drop-side cribs in the past five years, involving more than 7 million units, the CPSC said.

The CPSC’s proposal would ban the sale of all drop-side cribs from the United States, and require their removal from hotels, motels and day care centers. The ban would also require stronger mattress supports in cribs.

Babyproofing TVs, Bookcases and Bulky Furniture

Last Summer  I remember hearing about three toddlers in NYC  who were killed when they were crushed by a television. Children love to climb and pull on things. Parents need to make sure that while they are babyproofing, that their TV’s, bookcases, dressers, appliances etc, are sturdy and that there is no chance of it tipping over.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) staff estimates that in 2006, 16,300 children 5 years old and younger were treated in emergency rooms because of injuries associated with TV, furniture, and appliance tip-overs, and between 2000 and 2006, CPSC staff received reports (pdf) of 134 tip-over related deaths. Additionally, CPSC staff is aware of at least 30 media reports of tip-over deaths since January 2007 involving this same age group.

To help prevent tip-over hazards, Baby Bodyguards offers the following safety tips:

• Furniture should be stable on its own. For added security, anchor chests or dressers, TV stands, bookcases and entertainment units to the floor or attach them to a wall. The
• The largest heaviest books should be placed on the bottom of a bookcase
• Place TVs on a sturdy, low-rise base and anti-tip the TV. Avoid flimsy shelves.
• Push the TV as far back as possible.
• Place electrical cords out of a child’s reach, and teach kids not to play with them.
• Keep remote controls and other attractive items off the TV stand so kids won’t be tempted to grab for them and risk knocking the TV over.
• Make sure free-standing ranges and stoves are installed with anti-tip brackets. They are provided by the manufacturer

We at Baby Bodyguards care about your child’s safety. Please contact us if you have any questions about how to anti-tip on your own, or if you would like us to send a technician to do it for you.

Baby Bodyguards is Now Working With Day Care Centers

One of the hardest decisions a parent has to make is deciding on a Day Care facility that they feel comfortable with.

Baby Bodyguards is hoping to make this decision a bit easier by working with local Day Care Centers to ensure that the level of safety you have in place in your home, exists in the facility you choose to send your child to.

Look for the Baby Bodyguards Seal of Safety or call us for a list of “Approved” Centers. 718-332-0511

Summer Safety Tip Sheet

The American Academy Of Pediatrics was nice enough to provide us with Summer Safety Tips

FUN IN THE SUN
Source: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/archives/tanning.htm

Babies under 6 months:

• The two main recommendations from the AAP to prevent sunburn are to avoid sun exposure, and dress infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck to prevent sunburn. However when adequate clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimal amount of suncreen with at least 15 SPF (sun protection factor) to small areas, such as the infant’s face and the back of the hands. If an infant gets sunburn, apply cold compresses to the affected area.

For All Other Children:

• The first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays), and cotton clothing with a tight weave.
• Stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours – between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• On both sunny and cloudy days use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater that protects against UVB and UVA rays.
• Be sure to apply enough sunscreen – about one ounce per sitting for a young adult.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.
• Use extra caution near water and sand (and even snow!) as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly.

HEAT STRESS IN EXERCISING CHILDREN
Source: http://www.aap.org/policy/re9845.html

• The intensity of activities that last 15 minutes or more should be reduced whenever high heat and humidity reach critical levels.
• At the beginning of a strenuous exercise program or after traveling to a warmer climate, the intensity and duration of exercise should be limited initially and then gradually increased during a period of 10 to 14 days to accomplish acclimatization to the heat.
• Before prolonged physical activity, the child should be well-hydrated. During the activity, periodic drinking should be enforced, for example, each 20 minutes, 5 oz of cold tap water or a flavored sports drink for a child weighing 90 lbs, and 9 oz for an adolescent weighing 130 lbs, even if the child does not feel thirsty.
• Clothing should be light-colored and lightweight and limited to one layer of absorbent material to facilitate evaporation of sweat. Sweat-saturated shirts should be replaced by dry clothing.
• Practices and games played in the heat should be shortened and more frequent water/hydration breaks should be instituted.

POOL SAFETY
Source: http://www.aap.org/family/tipppool.htm

• Install a fence at least four-feet high around all four sides of the pool.  The fence should not have openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under, or through.
• Make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can’t reach.
• If the house serves as the fourth side of a fence surrounding a pool, install an alarm on the exit door to the yard and the pool.
• Never leave children alone in or near the pool or spa, even for a moment.
• Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd’s hook – a long pole with a hook on the end – and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool. Choose a shepherd’s hook and other rescue equipment made of fiberglass or other materials that do not conduct electricity.
• Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as “floaties.” They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children a false sense of security.
• Children age 4 and older should be taught to swim. Parents may choose to start swimming lessons before age 4 if their children are developmentally ready, but swim programs should never be seen as “drown proofing” a child of any age.
• Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm’s length, providing “touch supervision.”
• Avoid Entrapment: Suction from pool and spa drains can trap an adult underwater.  Do not use a pool or spa if there are broken or missing drain covers.  Ask your pool operator if your pool or spa’s drains are compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act.
• Large inflatable above-ground pools have become increasingly popular for backyard use. Children may fall in if they lean against the soft side of an inflatable pool. Although such pools are often exempt from local pool fencing requirements, it is essential that they be surrounded by an appropriate fence just as a permanent pool would be so that children cannot gain unsupervised access.

BUG SAFETY

• Don’t use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child.
• Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom.
• Avoid dressing your child in clothing with bright colors or flowery prints.
• To remove a visible stinger from skin, gently back it out by scraping it off horizontally with a credit card or your fingernail.
• Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied.
• Use insect repellents containing DEET when need to prevent insect related diseases such as ticks which can transmit Lyme Disease, and mosquitoes which can transmit West Nile Virus and other viruses.
• The current CDC and AAP recommendation for children over 2 months of age is to use 10- 30 percent DEET.  DEET should not be used on children under 2 months of age.
• The effectiveness is similar for 10-30% DEET but the duration of effect varies. Ten percent DEET provides protection for about 2 hours – 30% for about 5 hours – choose the lowest concentration that will provide required length of coverage.
• The concentration of DEET varies significantly from product to product, so read the label of any product you purchase. Children should wash off repellents when back indoors.
• As an alternative to DEET, Picaridin has become available in the U.S. in concentrations of 5-10%.

For more information on DEET: http://www.aapnews.org/cgi/content/full/e200399v1

Great Breastfeeding Resource

It’s amazing how every baby is so.. different. My first baby wanted to nurse all the time. A lactation consultant described him as a “Barracuda Nurser”. It was awful! My nipples were cracked and bleeding. I had to take tylenol before latching him on because the pain was so bad. I had to deal with thrush, plugged ducts and yucky mastitis. I would have definitely given up on nursing, if I hadn’t discovered Kellymom.com. A friend told me about the site when my son was 2 weeks old, and I called her hysterical at 1am because I just didn’t  know what to do anymore, and it gave me the answers to all my questions. Luckily, our new baby girl, is a snacker with a great latch. She like to nurse for 5 minutes at a time and so far so good.

A lot of my friends find themselves in the same boat as me. In the 1970’s and 80’s most moms in America didn’t breastfeed. When I had my son and was sitting in the hospital bed looking to my mother for advice, she had none to give me, and to make matters worse, with the recession, a lot of hospitals have cut their lactation support, leaving new moms who want to give their baby the very best, clueless as to what to do and expect.

Breastfeeding.com has a great directory of lactation consultants in the NYC area.

Fantastic Urgent Care Facility in Brooklyn

What do you do when you baby gets sick on a Sunday at 8PM? This was exactly the predicament I found myself in last week. My 3 year old, all of a sudden started pulling on his ear, telling us he was in pain, and the thermometer read 102.

I searched Google looking for a walk-in urgent care center, but couldn’t find anything open so late at night. I called our pediatrician, who said to just give him Motrin and bring him in the next day. I was going to do just that until my Aunt who used to be the head ER nurse at Victory Memorial clued me in to one of Brooklyn’s greatest secrets.

The old Victory Memorial Hospital, which has been shut down, on 92nd Street and 7th Avenue in Bay Ridge, now has a 24/7 Urgent Care Center run by SUNY Downstate, in what used to be Victory’s ER, for non-life-threatening cases.

We pulled right up to the Center, got a legal spot right in front, talk about VIP and proceeded to follow the signs to the 3rd floor. We were so…. elated when we got there, and saw we were the only patients in the place, and there was a full medical staff waiting to help us with smiles and kindness.

A wonderful nurse evaluated our little boy. She asked him questions, took his temperature and weighed him. Then a lovely young doctor checked his ears and throat, and within  30 minutes we were back in the car going to fill his prescription.

BTW….This cost us nothing. They didn’t even take our co-pay.

Here is the address and phone number

SUNY Downstate
699 92nd Street
Brooklyn, NY 11228
(718) 567-1400

Voluntary Recall Of Evenflo Safety Gate

Recall of Graco Harmony High Chair

The Harmony™ high chair was manufactured from November 2003 through December 2009 and is no longer in production. The model number can be found on the label that is located on the underside of the foot rest.

The high chairs were sold at: AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies “R” Us, Toys “R” Us, Sears, Target, Target.com, Walmart, WalMart.com, Shopko, USA Baby, and other retailers nationwide from December 2003 through March 2010 for between $70 and $120.

Consumers should immediately stop using the Harmony™ high chair and contact Graco to receive a free repair kit. To order a free repair kit, contact Graco toll-free at (877) 842-3206 or visit the firm’s Web site at www.gracobaby.com. For additional information, contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Harmony™ High Chair Model Numbers
3920BAN	3920BAN2	3920BEB	3920BEBB	3920COV	3920DOH	3920GEI
3920GEIDSP	3920GRN	3920HMP	3920IVY	3920LAU	3920PKR	3930DDH
3930DHO	3935CAL	3935OXB	3935PKR	3935PKRDSP	3935SPM	3935SPMDSP
3935THR	3935THR2	3935THR3	3940BIA	3940BIADSP	3940CAP	3940CLE	3940COT
3940DRM	3940HML	3940MCH	3940NGS	3940SAV	3940SLT	3940SPT	3940STA
3940UNN	3951CLO	3951CLT	3951COT	3951ORC	3951WLO	3955WSR	3960BGN
3960CJG	3960CNP	3960GGG	3980CNR	3E00ABB	3E00BAT	3E00DCF
3E00DCFDSP	3E00DGP	3E00DGPDSP		3E00GPK	3E01BDS	3E01BDSCA	3E01DNY
3E01DNY1	3E01ELP	3E01ELPDSP
Note: These model numbers may begin with the letter A, B, C, or D
Additional Models:		1752404	1755859	1755860	1757259	1757412	1760429

Deaths Linked to Baby Slings

(This originally was posted Wednesday March 10th, 2010 however due to our recent move to a green hosting company the database backup did not catch the last post so we’re re-posting this today, Monday March 15th 2010)

With the clock ticking and our new Baby Bodyguard family member arriving in a few weeks, I have been trying to decide whether to use a sling, a wrap or a carrier. When we had our first baby, I had registered for the Infantino “Slingrider” that was then recalled because of a defect with the ring that the fabric goes through. I had filled out the product registration card (duh) when I got he sling, was quickly informed of the recall and  was sent a new sling immediately. I think I used the sling once. Our son was a Winter baby and I didn’t walk around much, plus he got so heavy so fast!

News broke today that there are going to be new warnings on Infant Slings after more and more deaths and injuries have been linked to their usage. CPSC is mostly concerned about the so called “bag style” sling  that wraps around the adult’s neck and then “cradles the child” in what it described as a “curved or ‘C-like’ position,” which has the baby resting below the chest near the belly. Apparently, the curve is what can cause infants’ heads—and infants have minimal head and neck strength—to droop forward with their chins falling on their chests, which restricts the infants breathing

Hmmmm, I think I’ll check out the Ergo or the Bjorn, it’s not worth the worry

Comments

• Recent Posts

  • Have You Heard of the Tummy Tub?
  • Common Poisonous Plants
  • Pottery Barn Recalls Drop-Side Cribs, U.S. Plans Ban
  • Babyproofing TVs, Bookcases and Bulky Furniture
  • Baby Bodyguards is Now Working With Day Care Centers

• Categories

  • BBG Product Reviews
  • Contests
  • Events
  • Good Parenting
  • Safety/Health news
  • Uncategorized

• Archives

  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008

• Links

  • Development Blog
  • Documentation
  • Plugins
  • Suggest Ideas
  • Support Forum
  • Themes
  • WordPress Planet

• Meta

  • Log in
  • WordPress
  • XHTML