Make Every Ride a Safe Ride! Booster Seats: Unsure of when your child can switch from a forward facing car seat to a booster seat? To a regular seat belt? A booster seat raises a child so the adult seat belt is properly positioned over the child’s body. To use a booster seat, a child must be over 40 lbs … Read More
Forward Facing Car Seats
Make Every Ride a Safe Ride! Forward Facing Car Seats: Unsure of when your infant can switch from a rear facing to a forward facing car seat? Having trouble installing your car seat? To turn forward facing, infants need to be: 1 year of age AND 22 lbs (10 kg) AND walking independently Even if your child meets these criteria, … Read More
Rear Facing Car Seats
Make Every Ride a Safe Ride! Rear Facing Car Seats: Make sure your baby is safe on the ride home from the hospital and every ride in a vehicle. Babies don’t have the back and neck strength to support themselves facing forward in a car seat. The rear facing position is safer because in a crash the force will be spread across … Read More
Tummy Time
Why is it important? Supervised tummy time is an important activity that needs to be part of a baby’s daily routine. It helps prevent baby flathead and tight neck muscles. It is also important in promoting your baby’s development. There has been an increase in the number of babies developing baby flathead (positional plagiocephaly), as well as tight neck muscles (torticollis). Babies’ … Read More
Is Your Drinking Under Control?
A shocking report from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health came out this month. Adults’ reporting daily drinking has increased from 5.3% in 2002 to over 9% in 2009! Daily drinking can be just as dangerous as binge drinking. You may not remember the amount consumed over the week and may even end up drinking more. With all the … Read More
New Caffeine-Added Drinks Not for Kids
New caffeine-added drinks are arriving on our Chatham-Kent store shelves and marketed to all ages, although they may contain unsafe levels of caffeine for kids. Caffeine may cause difficulty sleeping, headaches, irritability, anxiety, vomiting, and heart palpitations. The long term effects of caffeine on child and adolescent brain development are unknown. In addition, caffeine-added drinks usually have high levels … Read More
New Dad
What’s a Dad to do with a Baby? Sometimes new fathers feel a little unsure of what to do with a new baby. It can be scary holding your baby for the first time, let alone providing care. Parenting is a learning experience. New dads often think that moms know exactly how to care for a new baby, but they … Read More
WALK ‘n WATCH Challenge
Attention! All residents who have children that play or practice soccer on the field behind the Courthouse! Don’t sit – get fit while your kids also exercise and you may have a chance to win a prize! For the months of July and August, 2011, we, the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit, in partnership with the Chatham Soccer Association, challenge you to … Read More
Dad – Is it Your Right Time to Quit?
Make Father’s Day a special day. Consider quitting tobacco use. You are not alone in your desire to live a tobacco-free life. By quitting you will: Be a positive role model for your family Reduce your chances of cancer, heart disease and stroke Have more energy AND Your family will: Enjoy extra money for family activities Be less likely to … Read More
Possible Choking Hazard
Attention Parents; We have been made aware of a potential safety hazard with the book, Meow, which has been distributed to families within Chatham-Kent. The sound button at the top of the book can become loose and fall out. The size of the button is below the acceptable toy size for children. Buttons and other small objects found by young children … Read More
E.coli and produce?
Most fruits and vegetables grow in the natural environment and can be exposed to bad micro organisms like E.coli bacteria, viruses and parasites present in soil and water used for irrigation. This leads to contamination of produce. Cross contamination also occurs when produce comes in contact with raw meats during transportation and storage. If you consume this contaminated food, you … Read More
Canning Workshop Available
Are you interested in learning about the art of home canning? Join the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit and Chatham-Kent Foodlink on Wednesday, June 22nd from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the WISH Centre to learn more about how to can your own fruits and vegetables. Registration is required and spaces are limited so be sure and reserve your spot … Read More