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safety

Dog Safety for Children

Elise Herman , MD · April 8, 2025 ·

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:

  • https://www.gooddoginabox.com/dog-safety-with-strange-dogs/
  • https://resources.sdhumane.org/Programs_and_Services/Programs/Youth_Programs/Pet_Safety

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.

Preventing Hearing Loss in Kids

Elise Herman , MD · January 7, 2025 ·

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.

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