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Household Product Safety for Children

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A child’s natural curiosity may lead them to explore potentially dangerous household products. Exposures or ingestions of these are a very common cause of emergency department visits for kids, resulting in over 16,000 such visits annually due to household cleaning products alone. Here are steps you can take to help keep your child safe.


  • Cleaning products: These can be poisonous and very attractive to kids, like laundry and dishwasher pods. Ingesting detergent can cause choking, nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing and damage to the esophagus. Bleach accounts for about 30% of all injuries from cleaning products and can result in severe intestinal damage and even death if a high concentration is swallowed. Many cleaning product injuries occur from the product being sprayed into the child’s eyes. Opt for products with child-resistant caps. Keep all cleaning products secured and out of reach, ideally in a locked cabinet. Consider choosing less toxic, natural products instead- most grocery stores have a good selection of these.
  • Batteries: Button batteries found in fobs, remotes, singing greeting cards, toys,etc. can be deadly if swallowed due to the electrical current from the battery and its chemical seeping into the intestinal tract. Store batteries safely, keep items with batteries out of reach, and tape over the battery compartments to prevent children from accessing the battery.
  • Nicotine products: Nicotine can be very toxic to children. Nicotine products like pouches, patches, vapes, and e-liquid may be attractive to children because they can look like candy or juice. Toxic effects include high heart rate and blood pressure, tremors, seizures, and even death from cardiac arrest. All nicotine products should be locked up and out of reach of children.
  • Medications: All medicines, both prescription and over the counter, should be secured and out of reach. Be mindful of any visitors or houseguests who may have unsecured medications in their backpack, purse, etc.
  • CBD/THC and edibles: Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are compounds found in the cannabis plant. THC causes euphoria or a “high” while CBD has been shown to have various health benefits such as helping with pain, anxiety, sleep, and depression. Symptoms of cannabis toxicity may include drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties, and seizures. Edible cannabis products like snack foods, candies, and baked goods may be enticing to kids. Cannabis edibles should be stored as any potentially toxic medication would be. Avoid buying edibles that look like candy and make sure guests do not bring in unsecured cannabis products.

Keep in mind your child’s age and natural curiosity as you seek to make your indoor environment safe. Remember to use child-resistant locks to help keep your child away from potentially dangerous household products. In addition to taking the above steps, be sure to have the National Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222) posted on your refrigerator and in your phone.

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Dr. Elise Herman

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Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman mostly retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.

E-bike Use and Safety Issues for Children

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E-bikes, which have an electric motor and a rechargeable battery, can make bicycle riding more accessible to lots of people, as they can assist when the ride gets more challenging. However, e-bikes are more akin to a motorcycle than a traditional bicycle and present some risks especially for younger riders. 

family riding bikes on street

There are 3 classes of e-bikes. On Class 1 bikes, the motor only works if the rider is peddling. Class 2 bikes have a throttle that enables the motor to work without peddling and can go up to 20 mph. Class 3 bikes may or may not have a throttle but can go as fast as 28 mph. 

Laws vary by state regarding at what age a class of e-bike may be used. Age 14-16 years is the typical age allowed to use a Class 1 or 2 e-bike, with the cut-off commonly being over 16 years of age for Class 3. The Consumer Protection Safety Commission recommends no motorized vehicle use over 10 mph for kids under age 13 years.

Because e-bikes are heavier and faster than traditional bicycles, they are more dangerous with injuries to the head, neck, face, and internal organs more common. There are more than 20,000 US emergency room visits annually due to e-bikes with about 3,000 hospitalizations.  Adolescent males under age 16 are at particularly high risk of injury. Bike helmets are not sufficiently protective for e-bike riding; a helmet designed for motorcycle or motorized scooter use is recommended.

In view of the risks, what can parents do to help protect their kids regarding e-bike riding?

  • Do not allow e-bike riding under age 13 years.
  • Help your child learn about e-bike use and safety before riding.
  • Pay attention to state laws regarding age limits based on the class of e-bike.
  • Insist your child wear a helmet appropriate for a motorcycle or motorized scooter.
  • Make sure your kiddo knows not to ‘give a ride’ to someone else or be a passenger themselves on an e-bike.
  • Encourage protective clothing like close-toed shoes, long sleeves and pants, wrist guards, etc.
  • Do not allow the dangerous practice of modifying an e-bike to increase maximum speed.
  • Help your child learn about basic e-bike maintenance.
  • Make sure your child follows traffic rules for a standard bike if Class 1 or Class 2; there may be stricter rules for Class 3 (check local regulations on-line).
  • Have serious discussions about the responsibility and risks that go along with e-bike use.

Of course, e-bike riding is not essential, and you may feel it is not appropriate for your child given the risks. Knowing we cannot control everything our kids do, particularly as they become teens and beyond, having conversations about the potential dangers of e-bikes will encourage them to make a more informed decision about if and how they might use them. 

more about The contributor

Dr. Elise Herman

Blog Posts
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Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman mostly retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.

Dog Safety for Children

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Most kids have a natural attraction to dogs, but we need to teach our children to be safe around them. Of the roughly 4.5 million dog bites annually in the US, the most common victims are kids, and their injuries tend to be more severe. In general, people are most likely to be bitten by a dog they know as opposed to a stray. Talk to your child about dog safety (starting when they are very young) and be a good role model when interacting with dogs. Basic dog safety includes:

  • Always be gentle. This applies to all animals and is a valuable lesson for our kids. Keep voices calm and reassuring as raised voices or screaming are understandably upsetting to dogs and may cause unpredictable actions. Praise your child when you see calm, kind behavior towards any animal. Practicing gentleness at home with a stuffed animal makes kids more confident when interacting with the real thing!
  • Never disturb a dog when sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies. No grabbing at dogs, touching eyes, pulling on ears or tail- even the most patient dog has limits. Stay away from the food bowl, treats, or special toys as any dog can become protective.
  • Never leave a young child (under age 5 years or so) alone with a dog.
  • When out and about, greet a dog’s owner first, and ask about the dog’s temperament and tolerance for children. You or your child can then ask for permission to pet the dog and after greeting the dog by name, can offer the top of a closed hand for a sniff. Stand to the side of the dog and pet gently on the back or side. Keep interactions brief. Commend your child for behaving kindly and gently.
  • If your child is fearful, do not force an interaction. From a comfortable distance, you and your child can chat about the dog, its size, cuteness, etc., to encourage positive feelings.
  • Any treats should be offered with a flat hand. Never tease a dog by offering a treat and then whisking it away.
  • Notice body language: A tucked tail, laid back ears, and a stiff stance may indicate fear. If a dog is trying to hide behind its owner, it is not ready to be social. A wagging tail often indicates friendliness but, in some dogs, may signal being on alert.  If you have concerns, you can say, “It looks like this doggy isn’t ready to meet new friends. Let’s give him some space.”
  • Stay away from strays. If approached by a stray, turn away, avoiding eye contact with arms crossed. Sometimes saying, “Go home!” emphatically will work. Do not scream or run away.

It is important to teach our kids to be kind to animals, and dog safety is particularly vital given the fact that about 65 million US households include at least one dog. So even if you are dogless, your child will undoubtedly have lots of opportunities to interact with them—and you can help those interactions to be positive and safe.

Resources:

more about The contributor

Dr. Elise Herman

Blog Posts
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Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman mostly retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.

Preventing Hearing Loss in Kids

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Excellent hearing is crucial to a child’s health and development. Poor hearing, even if mild, can cause problems in communication, learning, speech, and social skills. There are multiple reasons a child may develop hearing loss, including chronic ear infections, trauma, certain medications, and vaccine-preventable serious brain infections like meningitis.

In 2023 the American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement concerning one of the most preventable causes of hearing loss—excessive noise exposure, calling this a “largely unrecognized … serious public health hazard”. This type of hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. Over 12% of kids aged 6-19 years and 17% of adults under age 70 have permanent hearing damage from loud noise exposure.

Because children have smaller ear canals, higher frequency sounds are more intense and potentially more damaging. Think of noise as ‘dose-related’; the longer the exposure, the more risk even if just slightly louder than what is considered safe. Sounds over 75 dB for older children and adults can cause damage, depending on length of exposure. Noises we consider routine like city traffic, TV, and lawnmowers can harm children’s hearing. Concern has also been raised about infant sound machines used to help babies fall asleep. Since infants can have damage beginning at 60 dB, it is recommended to keep a noise level at 50 dB or lower, but sound machines may exceed this.

Depending on your child’s age, hearing loss can present differently. They may not meet developmental milestones. A 3-month-old should alert to a sound and babble back and forth. By 6 months, you should hear some consonants (“mamamama”, “dadada”, etc.). A 1-year-old will follow simple directions like, “Look at Mommy!”. Toddlers and older kids with hearing loss may have unclear speech, say “Huh?” a lot, and want the volume of TV or music turned up. Acute loud noise exposure can also cause ear pain and ringing in the ears (“tinnitus”).

Personal listening devices (PLDs) such as iPods, smartphones with earbuds, and headphones for watching TV can magnify the risk. The World Health Organization estimates 1.5 billion people worldwide are risking hearing damage from ‘unsafe listening practices’.

We can start early to protect our child’s hearing. Checking decibels in your child’s environment is helpful although decibel apps on phones are not 100% accurate. Anything over 85 dB can harm an adult’s hearing, and over 70 dB can impact a child. The louder the noise, the faster it can cause damage. 

Infant sound machines should be at least 7 feet away from a baby and at 50 dB max. Consider avoiding loud noise exposure (concerts, fireworks, etc.) but if unavoidable, younger children can wear sound protecting earmuffs (plastic cups connected with a headband) over their ears. Ear plugs are safe for older kids and there are different types; ‘musician earplugs’ dampen volume yet preserve audio quality better than foam earplugs from the drugstore.

Be a good role model by setting good rules for hearing protection and wear ear plugs yourself when appropriate. Set clear expectations for protecting every family member’s hearing. Loud background noise can also be distracting, worsen a child’s mood, and disrupt learning, so routinely having a quiet home at times can be a benefit. If you have concerns, talk to your child’s health care provider about getting a formal hearing evaluation by an audiologist.

more about The contributor

Dr. Elise Herman

Blog Posts
Profile

Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman mostly retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.