Posted in Accident & Injury on October 22, 2013

October 20-26, 2013 is National Teen Driver Safety Week. To mark the occasion, Elk & Elk is issuing a special challenge this week to the parents of all teen drivers with a special “5 to Drive” campaign encouraging parents to always set the rules before their teens hit the road. Motor vehicle crashes are...

Posted in Health & Wellness on October 1, 2013

The stories have been around for decades: reports of razors, needles, poison, and even illicit drugs in kids’ Halloween candy. Thankfully, they are largely urban myths. In fact, a 2010 news report stated, “there has never been a documented case of a stranger poisoning kids' Halloween candy.” That’s not to say that parents shouldn’t...

Posted in Accident & Injury on September 10, 2013

Two Columbus area students were taken to the emergency room last Friday after a bleacher railing collapsed during a football game. Reports indicate that a large group of students had pressed up against the railing, in an effort to be filmed by a local news crew. Although no serious injuries were reported, it called...

Posted in Accident & Injury on September 4, 2013

Kids love to jump – on the bed, sofa, bounce houses, and especially, trampolines. Indoor trampoline parks are springing up across the country. Mostly housed in old warehouses, these facilities are filled with a sea of interconnected trampolines and other high-flying activities. Know the risks If time has taught us anything, it’s that trampolines...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices on August 23, 2013

New study shows children taking antipsychotics are three times more likely to develop diabetes. As if parents of children with behavioral issues didn't have enough to worry about, new research shows certain medicines prescribed to treat ADD and other disorders may lead to serious health problems. A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry reveals...

Posted in Accident & Injury on August 19, 2013

For many parents, the phrase “back to school” brings to mind #2 pencils and loose-leaf notebook paper. But for parents of older kids, the announcement of a new school year beginning evokes a very different (and terrifying) image: their teen behind the wheel. It should come as no great surprise that most teens prefer...

Posted in Accident & Injury on August 16, 2013

Scandinavian furniture chain IKEA has recalled 40,000 children’s beds. The U.S. Consumer Product Commission and Canadian officials both received reports of breakage and an increased risk of injury. IKEA announced Thursday it is recalling KRITTER and SNIGLAR junior beds because a metal rod may detach, causing partial detachment of the guard rail and exposed...

Posted in Accident & Injury on August 7, 2013

Lasers are everywhere. They allow us to listen to a CD, scan our purchases at the checkout counter and then, there is the omnipresent laser pointer. As adults we know not to shine these devices into anyone’s eyes, but what about lasers in the hands of children? In the U.S., toys are generally overseen...

Posted in Health & Wellness on July 25, 2013

Smokers of menthol cigarettes may soon be facing the difficult choice of either switching to regular cigarettes or kicking the habit altogether. A massive 153-page preliminary study released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week found that adding menthol to cigarettes may cause new smokers to pick up the habit more easily...

Posted in Accident & Injury on July 19, 2013

We've known for years that the cords of window coverings can be deadly to children. But despite voluntary efforts by manufacturers to create safer designs, about once a month a child dies from window cord strangulation and dozens more are severely injured. Recently, several safety advocate groups jointly filed a petition with the Consumer...