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Keeping Kids Safe and Healthy
 Keeping your kids safe and healthy may seem like a full-time job. Between school, sports, scouting, music lessons and religious activities, who has time to think about prevention? Regular check-ups by your child's doctor and dentist are an important part of keeping your children healthy. Children also need security, attention and affection. The first step in keeping your kids safe and healthy is proper preventive care like following safety basics, getting immunized, eating healthy and staying fit. |
Safety Basics
Automobile Safety:
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- Children under 4-years-old or 40 pounds are in a safety seat.
- Safety seats are used following the manufacturer's directions.
- Children between 40-60 pounds use Booster seats following the manufacturer's directions.
- Children are always buckled in the back seat.
- Click here to learn about Boost'em Before You Buckle'em
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Bicycle Safety:
- Children always wear a helmet on a bike.
- Children stop before riding out into traffic from a driveway, sidewalk, alley or parking lot.
- Children look left, right and left again before entering a roadway.
- Children ride on the right with traffic.
- Children obey stop signs and red lights.
- Parents follow the rules of the road.
Pedestrian Safety:
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- Children always stop at the curb or edge of the road.
- Children look left, right and left again before crossing the street.
- Children use the sidewalks whenever possible.
- Parents follow the walking rules.
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Water Safety:
- Children are always supervised when near water.
- Children always swim with a buddy, never alone.
- Children always wade into water first to avoid hitting a shallow bottom.
- Parents are prepared for an emergency.
Sun Safety:
Being outside on a warm, sunny day is one of life's greatest pleasures, but getting too much sun can be dangerous. It is critically important to protect your child -- and yourself -- from the sun's UV radiation. To learn more about sun safety, see these HOOAH 4 HEALTH resources:
Fire Safety:
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- There are smoke detectors outside all sleeping areas and on every level of your home.
- Smoke detectors are tested monthly (following the manufacturer's directions).
- Batteries in smoke detectors are changed at least once a year.
- Children know and practice two ways to get out of every room in the house in case of a fire.
- Children know the outside meeting place in case of fire.
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Poison Safety:
- Medicine, household cleaners and other chemicals are stored out of reach of young children.
- Poison control center and other emergency phone numbers are written and taped on every phone.
- First aid supplies are readily accessible in your house.
Getting Immunized
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Immunizations (shots) are an important part of your child's preventive and general health. Shots protect your children against many serious childhood diseases like measles, whooping cough, hepatitis and meningitis. If your child gets the right shots at the right time, the chances of catching any of the diseases will be much less. Following the immunization schedule will help you keep your children healthy. If you have questions, check with your child's primary care provider or your local health clinic for answers.
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Eating Healthy
 Making healthy food choices is an important part of your child's development. You can help create positive associations with food and a lifetime of good habits by making food and meal times pleasurable and offering healthy choices.
- Encourage your child to eat a variety of foods.
- Introduce new foods one at a time.
- Set meal times and stick with them.
- Plan for healthy snacks.
- Let children explore, prepare and taste new foods.
- Remember that children's odd behaviors like food "jags" or food "strikes" are a normal part of growing up.
- Drink water!
Following the Daily Recommended Servings can help you provide a healthy balanced diet for your children.
Fats, oils and sweets - use in moderation (serving size = 1tsp. margarine, butter, salad dressing)
Milk group - 2 or more servings (serving size = 1 cup)
Meat group - 2 servings (serving size = 2-3 ounces)
Fruit and vegetables group - 5 or more servings (serving size = 1/2 cup or small whole fruit)
Bread, cereal, rice and pasta group - 6 or more servings (1 slice bread, 1/2 cup rice or pasta)
Getting Fit
Fun and activity are a part of growing up. However, if you find your kids in front of television more often than they are out riding a bike or playing ball with friends, then they might not be as active as you think. We all need to be fit to meet the demands of everyday life. By making fitness and exercise pleasurable, you can help instill healthy habits for a lifetime.
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- Make exercise a Family affair.
- Choose something you and your child enjoy doing.
- Don't compete, help each other reach a common goal.
- Make sure you and your child are active everyday.
- Play at your child's level (they are not as strong as you are).
- Play games and make it fun, kids don't need to "work-out."
- Drink water!
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Also see these HOOAH 4 HEALTH safety articles:
Food Safety
Food Safety: Summer Picnics
Internet Safety: Tips for Parents
Toy Safety
Personal Safety Skills
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