Please continue to cover your cough and keep your germs to yourself.  The flu is still lurking around and even with the vaccines you are able to contract another strain of the flu...so stay safe!

Just a quick reminder that the Flu and RSV are still in our communities.  Please make sure to keep sick children home from school and daycare.  Also make sure you are practicing hand hygiene and that you are teaching your children this important step to germ control as well.  Let's keep our germs to ourselves!

Santa Claus is Coming to North Central Baptist Hopital

Cyber awareness is a very important part of our lives and our responsibility to our children.  Please make sure you know where and what your children are doing online as well as on their cell phones.  We must keep our kids safe. 

Check out this link for 12 rules of cyber safety for your child:  http://www.cyber-safety.com/parents.html

Dawn Mitchell, RN
Director of Pediatrics and PICU
North Central Baptist Hospital

Driving around this weekend, I was sadly made aware that there are so many children not in car seats or booster seats.  Let's keep our kids safe...

AUSTIN, TX - (September 1, 2009) - Texas' new booster seat law will help save the lives of children by ensuring that they are appropriately restrained in vehicles.  It requires children under 8 years of age to be in a safety seat unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches.  Texas is the 47th state, including the District of Columbia, to enact a booster seat law.

The law does not specify what type of car seat has to be used, but in general, most children outgrow car seats with a harness system at 40 lbs, usually around 4 years of age.  Some car seats now have harnesses with higher weight limits.  Once a child grows out of the car seat, a booster seat should be used.  Booster seats work with the vehicle's lap and shoulder belt.  There are two types of booster seats:  high back (for use when the car does not have a headrest in the child's seating position) and no-back (for use when the car does have a headrest).  Booster seats are widely available at area retailers and range in cost from $15 to $45.

The law takes effect on September 1, 2009 but the warnings will be issued until June 1, 2010, in order to allow parents enough time to obtain the booster seats they need.  After June 1, 2010, law enforcement officers can begin issuing $25 citations for the first offense; second offenses can cost up to $250.

Safe Kids Austin, led by Dell Children's Medical Center, is a city-wide grassroots coalition dedicated to preventing child injury.  Safe Kids Austin provides frequent child safety seat inspection events and workshops in the community.  At these events parents can work with Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians to ensure their child safety seats and booster seats fit properly and are installed correctly.  These events are listed on the Dell Children's website.

For more information about the new booster seat law, families can call (512) 324 - TOTS (8687)

Dawn Mitchell, RN
Director of Pediatrics and PICU