UCHealth is our leading agency and we are so thankful to be apart of such a great system. We are especially thankful this month for the partnership we have with our counterparts at University of Colorado Hospital, the Trauma/Emergency Department at Poudre Valley Hospital (PVH) and UCHealth EMS. Collaboration between these departments allowed us to pilot the Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) program at PVH with Poudre High School in March.
Throughout the program the students heard from experts in each of those departments where it was obvious the passion and commitment they have for their profession. The passion spilled over into a desire to prevent those students from ever encountering them while on duty. Hearing this made the students more aware of their actions and the ripple effect – where an action does not only affect yourself but others as well.
We truly appreciate everyone’s dedication to treating patients and taking time out of their day to educate on prevention. The P.A.R.T.Y program would not run without their help!
Poudre Valley Hospital is a level III trauma center and opened in 1925. The new Emergency Department opened in February 2017 to accommodate their growing census and provide optimum care to patients and their families. PVH and MCR are apart of the UCHealth System.
Do you work with families (or are a family!) who speaks Arabic or French? Child Safety Link has uploaded multiple car seat educational videos in Arabic, English and French. Click here for their YouTube channel link. Or view the first video in the series below:
Come out on Sunday, February 12th between Noon and 2 p.m. at Colorado State Patrol (3832 S. I-25) to dump your old car seats!
Around Valentine’s Day our thoughts turn to our loved ones, especially our children. Safe Kids Larimer County urges parents and caregivers to ensure their children are riding as safely as possible by dumping their old, unsafe car seats and boosters.
Car Seats Colorado provides a pod to place recalled, expired and/or crashed car seats. These seats are then taken to be recycled.
Although we’d love to see you at the awareness event, the pod stays at this location year round and old car seats can be dropped off Monday – Friday between 8-4:30 p.m.
Every year, the nation loses roughly 3,500 babies to sleep-related deaths. 90% of these occur before 6 months of age. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) continue to study and come out with recommendations on the best practices they know of to prevent these deaths. This October, they updated their recommendations to align with what they have seen in recent studies.
There were very few big changes but one that stood out was their emphasis on not sleeping with the infant on a couch or recliner. Many deaths they see are from the children becoming wedged in between cushions where they cannot escape and suffocate. Although bed sharing is still not recommended, it is safer than a couch or recliner. Especially if pillows and blankets are removed.
The ABC’s of Sleep – Alone, Back and Crib Environment are still as pertinent as ever. One update we saw was the recommendation that the infant should sleep in the same room as the parents, as close to the bed as possible, but in their own space meant for an infant. They recommend doing this until at least 6 months but up to a year if possible.
Finally, they continue to encourage no positioning devices since there is no FDA approved device that prevents SIDS, even if it says it is tested. Although it seems cold, there should be no soft objects or loose bedding in the crib/play yard/bassinet when baby is in it. A sleep sack is the safest option.
Here is the list in it’s entirety:
1. Place infants on their back to sleep (supine) for every sleep period until they are 1 year old. This position does not increase the risk of choking and aspiration.
2. Use a firm sleep surface.
3. Breastfeeding is recommended.
4. Infants should sleep in the parents’ room, close to the parents’ bed but on a separate surface designed for infants, ideally for the first year, but at least for the first six months.
5. Keep soft objects and loose bedding out of the infant’s sleep area.
6. Consider offering a pacifier at naptime and bedtime.
7. Avoid smoke exposure during pregnancy and after birth.
8. Avoid alcohol and illicit drug use during pregnancy and after birth.
9. Avoid overheating and head covering in infants.
10. Pregnant women should obtain regular prenatal care.
11. Infants should be immunized according to the recommended schedule.
12. Avoid using commercial devices that are inconsistent with safe sleep recommendations, such as wedges and positioners.
13. Don’t use home cardiorespiratory monitors as a strategy to reduce SIDS risk.
14. Supervised tummy time while the infant is awake can help development and minimize positional plagiocephaly.
15. There is no evidence to recommend swaddling to reduce the risk of SIDS.
16. Health care professionals and staff in newborn nurseries and neonatal intensive care units as well as child care providers should endorse and model recommendations to reduce SIDS risk.
17. Media and manufacturers should follow safe sleep guidelines in messaging and advertising.
18. Continue the Safe to Sleep campaign, focusing on ways to further reduce sleep-related deaths.
19. Research and surveillance should continue on all risk factors.
Found at: http://www.aappublications.org/news/2016/10/24/SIDS102416
Safe Kids Larimer County has been in existence since 1998, first led by the Larimer County Health Department and led by UCHealth since 2002. We work closely with a number of community businesses, agencies, and organizations to expand our reach to reduce accidental injury to children birth to 19 years of age.
We are so thankful for the support and programs Berthoud Fire Protection District offers for their town. For a smaller town, they have a big heart and care deeply about the safety of their community. We received a grant from Safe Kids Worldwide for Home Fire Drill Day and Berthoud Fire took the materials and put on a fun and educational open house for families. Our reach would not travel as far if it was not for their support. Thank you, Berthoud Fire!
‘The Berthoud Fire Protection District is responsible for fire protection, Emergency Medical Services, public fire education, and prevention duties for an area of 98 square miles within Larimer, Boulder, and Weld counties. Their mission statement is “To Serve, To Care, To Support”.
Safe Kids Northern Colorado 