Tips and News for Parents and Caregivers
Quick fact
Iron deficiency is affecting approximately 750 million children worldwide.
Source: theironmaiden.ca
Make your own squishy bag
A sensory squish bag is a fun tool to help develop a child’s sensory skills and make them more comfortable around different textures. It can even calm behavioural reactions to sensory overload. Consider a drawstring bag that includes:
• A stress ball or beanbag for squeezing
• An oral or motor toy, such as a whistle, without the sound function
• Clay or Play-Doh, for pressing
• A bag of marbles or dry lentils (if they aren’t a choking hazard)
• A plastic bag or jar filled with sand
Source: verywell.com
Fabulous confetti quinoa
Ingredients (for four)
• 1½ cups of low-sodium vegetable stock or water
• 1 cup of quinoa, rinsed and drained
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of frozen, colourful mixed veggies (e.g., peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
• Preparation
1) Bring the vegetable stock or water to a boil over a medium–high heat.
2) Stir in the quinoa, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the water has evaporated and the quinoa is cooked (about 15 minutes).
3) Turn off the heat and stir in the mixed vegetables. Replace lid and let the heat cook the vegetables for a few minutes.
4) Serve when the veggies are cooked.
Source: kidshealth.org
Safer cycling
The majority of bicycle injuries do not involve motor vehicles. Most are falls or collisions with objects, other bikes or pedestrians. If your child is going to be riding, be sure their bike and helmet are the right size. He or she should be able to straddle the bike with both feet on the ground, and the bike should be equipped with a bell and reflectors.
For young children, set the following hard and fast rules:
• No playing or riding on the road.
• No riding at night.
• Stop for all stop signs.
• Ride on the right with traffic.
Source: canadasafetycouncil.org
Toying around
Many children needlessly end up in emergency rooms because of eye-related injuries caused by unsafe toys. Here’s how you can create a safer play environment.
1) Avoid toys with sharp points/edges.
2) Steer clear of toys with play arrows, bullets and missiles. Projectiles can cause damage if they hit the eye, no matter how soft they are.
3 )Discard (or repair) old or damaged toys. Loose parts and broken pieces are dangerous.
4) Have your child wash their hands after playing with slimy gel and gooey plastic toys. The chemical residue can easily cause irritation.
Source: cnib.ca
How to prevent stroller accidents
Stay close. Don’t leave your baby unattended in the stroller.
Be careful with hanging toys. Make sure they’re securely fastened.
Buckle up. Always fasten your baby’s harness and seat belt before leaving.
Use stroller brakes. Engage the brakes whenever you stop.
Properly store belongings. Don’t hang a heavy bag from the stroller’s handle bar. It might make the stroller tip over.
Take caution when folding. Keep your baby away from the stroller as you open and fold it, to avoid fingers getting caught in the stroller hinges. Lock it open before you put your child in.
Keep it out of the sun. The plastic and metal pieces can become hot enough to burn.
Check for recalls. Return the stroller warranty card. You’ll be notified in case of a recall.
Source: mayoclinic.org
Equally dirty
Withdrawing money from a cash machine is something we do regularly, but how many of us wash our hands afterwards Cleanliness tests carried out in Britain have found that ATMs are as dirty and have the same germs as public toilets. Swabs taken from cash-machine keyboards and washroom facilities found each to contain pseudomonads and bacillus, bacteria known to cause sickness and diarrhea.
Source: digitaljournal.com
