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Exchange your (illegal) baby bumper pads and get free stuff in return

August 5, 2015 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Baby bumpers are notoriously dangerous, says child advocacy groups. Photo by Paul Goyette.

Parents, do you have unwanted (and very dangerous) bumper pads lying around?

The local non-profit Kids In Danger is giving away Safe Sleep Kits on August 17 between 10-11am at the Humboldt Park Boathouse in exchange for your crummy bumper pads, which Illinois lawmakers continue to rankle about in Springfield.

On April 22, 2015, the Illinois House passed a bill banning the sale and manufacturing of baby bumper pads statewide because of the dangers they pose to infant children. The bill now goes to the Senate where it’s expected to face pushback from other lawmakers and industry lobbyists who feel the ban might put people out of jobs. Chicago became the first city in the country to ban baby bumpers in 2011.

Bumper pads were first introduced as a way to prevent infants from bumping their heads and getting tangled in the bars of their cribs. Safety advocates later discovered that bumpers posed a suffocation hazard, prompted by a series of tragic deaths that left parents reeling in the aftermath. Consumer Reports labeled crib bumper pads among its “13 dangerous baby products to avoid,” citing links to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The Journal of Pediatrics confirmed that 27 children ranging from 1-month to 2-years-old died as a result of strangulation related to baby pads between 1985-2005; Safe to Sleep, a public education campaign established by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, learned that more than 2,000 babies died of SIDS in 2010, the last year any such statistics are available.

Surprisingly parents still use baby bumper pads despite regular pleas from consumer advocacy groups to refrain from doing so. Some believe they prevent needless injuries while others simply believe they add a better aesthetic to a nursery. Kids In Danger—based here in Chicago—has been focused on preventable child injuries since the organization’s founding in 1998. One of its most staunch causes is alerting parents to the dangers of SIDS, the result of several deaths each year due to asphyxiation.

On August 17, you can make your home a little safer and take home a few goodies in the process. The Safe Sleep Kit comes with sleep sacks, home safety bags, and board books. You’ll also be able to enter a raffle for a chance to win a Target gift card. Take advantage while you can.

Monday, August 17, 2015 | 10–11am | Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1439 N. Sacramento Blvd with The San Lucas Produce Mobile | More details at www.kidsindanger.org

August is school preparedness month

August 3, 2015 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

It's the most wonderful (or stressful?) time of the year. — It’s the most wonderful (or stressful?) time of the year.

Are you ready for 2015–2016?

It’s hard to believe that school is almost back in session. The state of Illinois and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) are presenting several notes for the annual Back to School Preparedness campaign, in preparation for the 2015–2016 school year. We’ve expanded IEAM’s recommendations and included a few things we think could be helpful to you and your family as we inch closer to start date.

Brushing up on resources
The American Academy of Pediatrics provides great info regarding backpack safety, bullying and even homework study tips, as does Edutopia and Scholastic. Experts advise on best practices, ranging from bus protocol to proper fall attire, to keep things relatively sane before school season. Take the time to browse the web for other bits of useful information when you have a spare moment.

Discussing social media responsibilities and appropriate content
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram — they’ve all got their positives and negatives. The negatives, though, can be downright destructive. As it becomes more prevalent these days, have constructive discussions about good content and how/when it’s appropriate to use social media in a school setting, particularly if your young man/woman is a teenager.

Ensuring your current emergency contact information is on file at your child’s school
People move, change jobs, and get new cell phone numbers. Keep up so the school has all the necessary information if and when the time comes. Consider having multiple contacts on file, and make sure to pre-authorize a friend or relative to pick up your children in an emergency.

Knowing your child’s school or day care emergency protocol/plan
Schools often choose multiple meeting points, depending on the emergency. Teachers may declare a local restaurant, a spacious parking garage, or nearby a park as designated checkpoints. Knowing those spots beforehand will put your mind at ease.

Marking your calendars
Your school likely compiles family events, parent teacher conferences and additional information for its academic calendar. Making habit of inputting the important dates on your digital calendar, or keeping a school calendar in a prominent spot for weekly check-ins will help you prioritize your schedule.

Reinforcing bus safety
Crossing at a crosswalk, looking both ways before crossing—these are the moments to talk about traffic safety tips and the dangers of large vehicles. That includes school buses. Buses are designed with safety in mind, but they’re also big with limited visibility. It’s a good idea to reinforce the facts.

Teaching children with cell phones about ‘Text First, Talk Later”
Short, simple text messages, such as “R U OK?” and “I’m OK,” are more likely to get through than a phone call if phone service is disrupted following an emergency. It may not seem like much, but it could make all the difference in a bad situation.

Updating allergy medications and medical records
Prescription medications and emergency meds simply can’t be overlooked. Account for new staff changes and anyone who may not know about your child’s recent peanut allergy, for example. If possible, schedule an appointment with the school’s nursing staff so everyone is on the same page. Provide the staff with a mini stockpile of emergency medications.

Why the Tyrann Mathieu wake up call shouldn’t be a wake up call

July 29, 2015 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Tyrann Mathieu took part in a public service announcement for PETA about the dangers of leaving a pet in a hot car.

Heat stroke continues to be the leading cause of non-highway-related deaths for kids ages 14 and under.

It didn’t take long for third-year NFL star Tyrann Mathieu to call it quits. Just eight minutes total. The Arizona Cardinals cornerback recently participated in a public service campaign for PETA, locking himself inside a sweltering SUV for the better part of eight minutes in 90-degree heat. After 480 seconds, the social experiment was over; Mathieu was out the door and looking visibly shaken at how hot the temperature registered. For the record, it reached upwards of 120 degrees, hot enough to bring an elite athlete to his knees. Afterward, in an interview with ESPN, Mathieu said he was pleased at the attention the video had garnered, calling it a “no-brainer” to participate. He also said that he was “extremely surprised” at the reaction, an acknowledgement of how quickly word had spread on social media and elsewhere. Even more surprising might be the surprise.

Mathieu’s video, which currently has been seen by more than 2 million people on YouTube and shared over 69,000 times on Facebook, was meant as a reminder to pet owners, specifically, though it could just as easily have applied to parents with young kids. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said that heat stroke is the leading cause of non-highway-related deaths for kids ages 14 and under. On average, close to 40 children die in hot cars each year from heat-related deaths after being trapped inside motor vehicles. Just last week a woman was videotaped smashing the window of parked car to retrieve an infant that had been left inside with no ventilation. That video also went viral. Here in the Chicago suburbs, a seven-month-old was left inside a hot car for two hours before being rescued. The baby could have ended up a statistic.

If you take the word of Jan Null, a researcher at San Jose State University, the average number of child heatstroke fatalities every year since 1998 is 37. Of the 637 child heatstroke deaths since ’98, 53% of children were “forgotten” by the caregiver.

Venture over to KidsAndCars.org and you’ll see a fact sheet with even more distressing news:

Cracking the windows does not help slow the heating process OR decrease the maximum temperature
80% of the increase in temperature happens in the first 10 minutes
Children have died from heatstroke in cars in temps as low as 60 degrees
A child’s body overheats 3-5 times faster than an adult body
In an overwhelming majority of child vehicular heatstroke deaths, it was a loving, responsible parent that unknowingly left the child

The Mathieu video is significant on several fronts, but perhaps it shouldn’t be. These social experiments provide an initial shift in safety awareness, and understandably so, but the fact remains: these cases happen too often and too frequently. It shouldn’t take a public service campaign, boasting a high-profile celebrity, to bring the consequences back to the fore. Lawyers continuously litigate these types of safety cases involving parents, caretakers and others who act negligently. It’s tragic because it’s avoidable.

One of the world’s best athletes can only stand up to eight minutes of intense heat. It’s pretty obvious that it’s much more dangerous for an infant, a child or even a pet. We don’t need a viral video to tell us what we already know.

Non-profit spotlight: Forever Kids Foundation

July 24, 2015 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

The Forever Kids Foundation was started by three mothers who were disturbed by the severe underfunding of pediatric cancer research.

The anatomy of a non-profit

Deb Bertram remembers the moment that nearly changed her life. Her then 14-month-old son had been experiencing discomfort so they booked an appointment at the doctor’s office. The news was disconcerting: His white blood cell count was low. It was consistent with what doctors had seen in cases involving leukemia. The doctor assured her it was simply one of many variables. Nevertheless, the next half an hour after leaving the doctor’s office was unbearable.

“I remember calling the doctor and saying, ‘If you think this is leukemia you need to tell me now,’” Bertram recalls. It turned out her son had pneumonia. “It was such a miniscule drop in the bucket [in comparison to leukemia]. That fear of the possibility is just shaking. For parents it becomes a living nightmare. For 30 minutes I got a glimpse of what it would be like to have my life taken away.”

That memory stays with Bertram, founder and president of the Forever Kids Foundation, a local non-for-profit that partners with several organizations dedicated to pediatric cancer research. Bertram and her friend, Cortney Kinzler, founded Forever Kids in 2013. Bertram talks about that first meeting with Kinzler to discuss how they might do something unique. It didn’t take long. They talked frequently about wanting to help kids battling cancer, something they had seen up close on separate occasions, either through lens of a family friend or through the eyes of a neighbor’s child. They were also shocked to learn that pediatric cancer research is often underfunded — either by way of federal subsidies or private donations.

“It’s really on the shoulders of these families to raise money and it’s a very difficult battle,” says Bertram. “These kids are experiencing treatments that are decades old, and they often have side effects because of the toxins. We hope that in their lifetime there will be better outcomes.”

To improve those outcomes, the Foundation hosts several events during the year to raise money for other organizations, including the Make Your Mark, The Mark Staehely Pediatric Cancer Foundation, which will be the beneficiary of one of Forever Kids’ most popular annual events. In less than two weeks, the Foundation hosts the 3^rd Annual FORE! Kids Golf Outing at the Seven Bridges Golf Club (1 Mulligan Drive, Woodridge, IL) on Monday, August 3. Like last year, the event includes 18 holes of golf, dinner and a silent auction to cap off a fun-filled day of good food and entertainment. New this year: a special live performance by Jon Conover following the day’s round.

Forever Kids has extended the registration deadline to accommodate any last-minute sponsors. In just three years, The Forever Kids Foundation has raised more than $15,000 for pediatric cancer research, and this year’s outing will host the most golfers yet. Bertram says that next year’s goal is to take over the course entirely with Forever Kids golfers while adding a few wrinkles to improve annual registration, and grow the organization each year. The next step, says Bertram, is to establish a Board of Directors.

“It’s a learning process for us too. Every other moment is dedicated to making those calls when we can. I bring my kids with me when I have to. Every available moment is really working on the Foundation and working to make people’s live better.”

A partner organization in 2014, Levinson and Stefani is once again a sponsor in 2015, providing our namesake to one of 18 holes available for sponsorship. We hope you’ll join us in the battle against pediatric cancer. The Forever Kids Foundation is currently accepting registration for sponsors, golfers, and dinner guests. For more information on the outing, visit foreverkidsfoundation.org or call (847) 502-6775.

Next up: Mark your calendars for October 24 when the Forever Kids Foundation hosts a zombie scavenger hunt, complete with a two-hour tutorial from professional makeup artists on how to make yourself look extra zombie-ish.

No formal recall for dangerous IKEA drawers?

July 23, 2015 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Consumer Product Safety Commission says “safety alert”

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Swedish furniture conglomerate IKEA have issued a safety repair program for IKEA’s MALM 3- and 4-drawer chests and two styles of MALM 6- drawer chests, and other chests and dressers, following the deaths of two children in 2014.

According to a statement from the CPSC, buyers are being offered free repair kits to prevent tendencies for tipping over, which has already proven fatal. In response to the deaths, IKEA issued a safety campaign dubbed “Secure it!,” even though some are now saying the furniture has been recalled.

The statement from the CPSC and earlier reports from other news outlets did not categorize this latest issue a recall, instead opting for a safety alert and detailing the components of “Secure it!,” which IKEA had hoped would raise awareness of securing furniture to walls, per IKEA instructions. The less formal approach has IKEA offering to replace tip over restraints and anchoring kits for free, as opposed to halting production.

But USA Today and Mother Jones are now reporting that IKEA has officially recalled millions of drawers and chests, following the safety alert issued Wednesday by the CPSC, warning consumers to stop using IKEA children’s chests and dressers taller than 23.5 inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29.5 inches, unless secured to the wall.

Recall or not, the old adage applies: buyer beware.

Here’s what happens when hackers infiltrate your car wirelessly

July 23, 2015 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

WIRED Senior Writer Andy Greenberg struggles to control his Jeep Cherokee, no thanks to some crafty hackers.

You could end up in a ditch like Andy Greenberg. Or worse.

Stop us if you’ve heard this before. Two computer engineers have successfully infiltrated the Wi-Fi connection of a Jeep Cherokee remotely, drawing intense interest from lawmakers, according to an article and video published on Tuesday by WIRED magazine.

The video—produced by WIRED reporter Andy Greenberg—shows cyber experts controlling the Jeep from a remote location, even while being driven by Greenberg. The simulated stunt is part of an ongoing project developed by hackers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek. The engineers have been working on cyber automotive infiltration for the past two years. Their efforts have seemingly entered a new level control.

In 2013, Miller and Valasek managed something similar. Again with Greenberg behind the wheel (this time in a Ford Escape and Toyota Prius), the duo dismantled the brakes and took the reigns of the steering wheel, among other things, from the backseat of the car while using their laptops, which had been plugged into the car’s diagnostic port.

Now it appears Miller and Valasek have gone one step further, upping their capabilities to directing the vehicle from a different location via a wireless connection. They tested the technology with Greenberg as their Guinea pig. Long story short: Greenberg ended up in a ditch after Miller and Valasek killed the controls of the Jeep as Greenberg was driving on the highway.

The experiment has apparently piqued the interest of Washington legislators. According to various news outlets, including NPR and CBS News, senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal have already introduced a new automotive security bill to the floor. Markey had previously taken note of Miller and Valasek’s work in 2013.

The success of Miller and Valasek’s hack is bringing up new concerns of vehicle vulnerability, and you can be sure we’ll be following up as the story picks up steam. In the meantime, you can watch Greenberg’s ditch adventure here.

UPDATE: In light if WIRED’s recent article, Chrysler has voluntarily recalled 1.4 million vehicles that may be be vulnerable to hackable software. The company issued a statement earlier today announcing the recall, stating that the company is “unaware of any injuries related to software exploitation…” The company listed several models equipped with 8.4-inch touch screens, the size with which hackers were able to infiltrate. Below is the complete list from the statement:

2013-2015 MY Dodge Viper specialty vehicles
2013-2015 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups
2013-2015 Ram 3500, 4500, 5500 Chassis Cabs
2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Cherokee SUVs
2014-2015 Dodge Durango SUVs
2015 MY Chrysler 200, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans
2015 Dodge Challenger sports coupes