December 2023
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#KidsProductSafety Outreach Week
Today is the first day of our outreach week for our new product recalls toolkit! Many parents and caregivers think that products must be safe for kids before they’re allowed to be sold. The truth, though, is that many products aren't tested before sale to make sure they meet safety standards, and many products aren’t regulated at all. This means that the hot new toy might end up being a fire hazard or a choking risk, but you won’t know until a problem happens. Our new product recalls toolkit educates parents and caregivers on product safety and how to report problems with items their family uses. If you haven’t done so already, please add product recalls to your social media plans for this week.
Toolkit link: www.PreventChildInjury.org/Toolkits/Product-Recalls
Monthly Spotlight: Something to Keep Your Eye On!
Prevent Blindness America designates December as Safe Toys and Gifts Month. Whether you're shopping for your own children, nieces, nephews, your classroom, friends, or others, there are a number of toy safety tips for holiday shopping that keep your holiday safer and memorable. Consumer Reports, a nonprofit organization working towards truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace, has created a toy safety guide for consumers this holiday season. Learn about what you need to know before shopping for the items on your child's wish list with their article, "Important Toy Safety Tips for Holiday Gift Buying" written by their manager of shopping, Mary Beth Quirk.
Plans for 2024
The Prevent Child Injury team has 2 toolkit topics and outreach weeks scheduled for next year. Add the following dates to your calendar:
Choking Hazards: February 26 - March 3
Bike Safety: May 6 - 12
As a member, you get advanced access to these new toolkits. More details coming soon.
Coming Up
On Our Twitter Calendar
Dec. 4 - Dec. 10: Outreach Week: Product Recalls
Dec. 11 - Dec. 17: Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Dec. 18 - Dec. 24: Winter Travel
Dec. 25 - Dec. 31: Sledding/Winter Activities Safety
*2024 Social Media Calendar coming soon!
Events
Event: Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Date: December 1-31, 2023
Each year, thousands of children aged 14 and younger suffer serious eye injuries, even blindness, from toys. To address this, Prevent Blindness America has declared December as Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month.
Webinar: Substance Misuse Prevention Strategies to Improve Public Health: A Focus on State Practices
Hosted by: Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Date/Time: December 6, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET
Join the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET for the next Healthy People 2030 Webinar Series event focused on substance misuse. This webinar, Substance Misuse Prevention Strategies to Improve Public Health: A Focus on State Practices, will highlight progress to date on three Healthy People 2030 objectives:
MPS-02: Reduce emergency department visits related to nonmedical use of prescription opioids
SDOH-05: Reduce the proportion of children with a parent or guardian who has served time in jail or prison
SU-11: Reduce the proportion of motor vehicle crash deaths that involve a drunk driver
Webinar: Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Hosted by: National Child Passenger Safety Board
Date/Time: December 12, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET
Booster seats are important safety restraints for children which help to improve the fit of the seatbelt, increase comfort, and prevent slouched postures. During this webinar, Booster Seats and Belt Fit: Recent Research Findings from Volunteer Studies and Sled Testing (eligible for CEUs), you will gain an understanding of optimal belt fit for children in boosters and learn to evaluate child posture across different booster designs. Additionally, results will be presented from a recent sled-testing study which investigated the influence of difference aspects of belt fit on dynamic outcomes during simulated frontal impacts. Presenters: Drs. Julie Mansfield and Gretchen Baker (Ohio State University).