Preview Newsletter
MALM DAY 6, JULY 7/2 COVERAGE
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A child dies every week from a preventable accident in the home
Jul 2, 2016 | Stuff (NZ)
By Marika Hill
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What you need to know about the Ikea dresser recall
Jul 2, 2016 | My Dayton Daily News
By Rachel Murray
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China is Still Selling Dangerous IKEA Furniture That Was Recalled in North America
Jul 1, 2016 | Next Shark
Saturday, July 2
Friday, July 1
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A child dies every week from a preventable accident in the home
Jul 2, 2016 | Stuff (NZ)
By Marika Hill
A Christchurch mum knew their lives had changed forever as she stared at her toddler's skull crushed beneath his dresser.
Yvonne Palmer said her "little climber" had used the drawers as stairs to climb up the scotch dresser after being put to sleep, she said.
"I heard this almighty crash . . . when I opened the door I saw the little top of his head laying under the drawers. I had no idea how bad internal injuries were.
"There was blood coming out of his nose and mouth."
Swedish furniture company Ikea's recall of 36 million Ikea dressers in the United State and Canada this week shone the light on child safety in the home.
In New Zealand, 84 children were admitted to Starship Children's Hospital after suffering serious injuries from falling objects between January 2010 and April 2015.
A quarter of these children were struck by falling televisions, with multiple skull fractures and brain injuries the most common injury, according to Safekids Aotearoa.
Palmer's son may be 45-years-old now, but she said the effects of having his lower skull crushed still lives with them.
The bones healed, but his brain never fully recovered.
He struggled with school, can't tolerate loud music and crowds, suffers insomnia and can't follow complicated instructions.
"His life could have been totally different. We have to think about it and live with it every day."
She is now calling on parents to not put off those small safety jobs in the home, like fastening dressers and cabinets to walls.
About 48 children die each year and 231 preschoolers are hospitalised every month due to serious accidents in the home, according to the latest Safekids Aotearoa statistics.
It comes at a big financial cost too. ACC Injury claims for preschool cost $29 million in the 2014-15 financial year.
Toppling televisions, slamming doors, hot water and paracetamol overdoses are among the risks in the home.
Safekids director Ann Weaver said the country needs to bring down the preventable accident statistics.
"Compared to other countries we rate really poorly," she said.
"As a country, we don't have the regulation and enforcement as other country's have."
Kids should be able to take risks and explore, but this must be balanced against lowering the risk of serious injuries in the home.
"Children reach a development age where they start to explore and want to be independent. They see adults playing with things on the top of cabinets or with the TVs.
"Parents need to be ready for that next development stage and prepare their home to keep them safe, because often parents learn the hard way.
The injury statistics are just the tip of the iceberg because they only show the most serious incidents where kids are hospitalised for at least 24 hours, she said.
Plunket National child safety advisor Sue Campbell said preschoolers are more likely to be injured in the home than anywhere else.
Campbell said parents should secure furniture that can be climbed to the wall and not place heavy objects - like televisions - on objects at risk of falling.
MOST COMMON ACCIDENTS IN THE HOME
Falls: 19 children are hospitalised each week from falls in the home, while one child is killed every six months. Window safety latches, gates and safe use of trampolines would reduce this.
Caught or jammed: Four children are hospitalised each day after being crushed, cut or jammed by objects. Fingers caught in doors is one of the most common injuries. In extreme cases children need to have fingers amputated.
Poisoning: Two children die each year and one child is hospitalised every day after accidentally poisoning themselves. One and two-year-olds made up two-thirds of all children's hospital admissions. Medications, pesticides, chemicals, alcohol and gases were among the toxic substances ingested.
Burns: Four children are hospitalised each week for burns. Hot food, drinks and oils were the most common cause of burns, followed by tap water, appliances and heaters.
Struck by or against: 84 children were admitted to Starship Children's Hospital after suffering serious injuries from falling objects between January 2010 and April 2015. A quarter of these children were struck by falling televisions. Multiple skull fractures and brain injuries are the most common injury.
*Source: Latest Safekids statistics on child deaths and accidents.
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What you need to know about the Ikea dresser recall
Jul 2, 2016 | My Dayton Daily News
By Rachel Murray
Posted: 12:09 a.m. Saturday, July 2, 2016
The recall of 29 million Ikea dressers due to deadly tip-over accidents involving children leaves many parents wondering what they should do.
Here are the steps you should take, according to Kitalena Mason, Ikea West Chester marketing specialist:Check this list to see if you dresser is on it.Stop using the dresser or put it where a child can’t get to it.Contact Ikea by phone at 866-856-4532 or email secureit@ikea.com to get a refund, a free anchor kit, or to schedule an Ikea worker to come to your home and anchor the dresser to the wall for you, or to haul the dresser away.
You will get a full refund on dressers purchased after 2002, and a partial refund for purchases prior to 2002. This recall is raising awareness of all types of tip-over accidents involving children.
One child dies every two weeks from a television or furniture tip-over, said Jessica Saunders, director of the child health and wellness center at Dayton Children’s Hospital.
She recommends anchoring all furniture that poses a risk.
“Take five minutes, go through your home, get on your child’s level and see where there might be some temptations for them and make a point to affix these things to the wall,” Saunders said. “This is a good opportunity for parents to take what they see in the news and do something about it in their own home.”
Furniture anchor kits cost about $10 and can be purchased online or at hardware stores.
Summer learning apps for kids
Let’s face it, your child will be playing on a phone or a tablet a lot this summer, so you may as well trick them into learning something.
Many children lose up to two months of math and reading skills over the summer months and there are apps that can help combat this so-called summer slide, according to PBS tech expert Sara Dewitt.
Her top five summer learning apps for kids are Telestory, Sago Mini Road Trip, PBS Kids Games, Toca Tailor Fairy Tales, and Ready Jet Go Space Explorer.
“Using apps is a great way to boost skills, but also inspire kids to go explore other topics on their own throughout the summer,” Dewitt said.
Beavercreek mom Bessie Capristan says she limits screen time for her kids, but apps like these are beneficial.
“I feel like they learn a lot from the different apps. Even my 3-year-old knows how to navigate a phone or tablet,” said Capristan.
Whatever app you choose, experts recommend avoiding those with in-app purchases, and checking privacy policies to see what information is collected before you download.
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China is Still Selling Dangerous IKEA Furniture That Was Recalled in North America
Jul 1, 2016 | Next Shark
Following related deaths of six children, IKEA recalled over 30 million chests and dressers in North America. However, the furniture in question is still being sold in China for one lawful (and awful) reason.
The recalled furniture failed to comply with safety standards of the United States, but as it turns out, they are acceptable under China’s terms. Chinese IKEA stores can continue selling the furniture without legal question. According to Shanghaiist, many expressed that the country’s standards are too low.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall for chests and dressers that “that do not comply with the performance requirements of the U.S. voluntary industry standard.” About 29 million chests and dressers are to be recalled in the U.S., while 6.6 million must be returned in Canada.
Customers will get a full refund for products made between January 2002 and June 2016, while items purchased before the complete refund window will get partial compensation.
The problem is that these chests and dressers become unstable when not properly anchored to the wall. The CPSC warned that such pose “a serious tip-over and entrapment hazard that can result in death or injuries to children.”
If not a refund, customers have the option to repair the furniture and will be given free wall-anchoring repair kits, which can be installed by themselves or through IKEA personnel.
In a statement, CPSC Chairman Elliott Kaye stressed that tipped-over furniture or television sets kill an American child every two weeks, Reutersreported. IKEA has sold nearly 150 million chests since 1998.
While China appears lenient in the eyes of some, IKEA urges customers to inspect the anchor of its chests and dressers to walls — directions on how to use the restraints are provided on the packaging.
Parents are also encouraged to prevent children from climbing or hanging on drawers, doors and shelves. The company points, “Accidents can happen, especially when you have kids. But being prepared can stop the most serious accidents from happening.”
IKEA stores in Beijing recently made headlines as they’re found to let people take naps on their beds and sofas. Apparently, these folks are taking advantage of free air-conditioning, which relieves them from the worsening heatwave.
How do you feel about deadly furniture staying on the Chinese market?
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