ChildControls.com - Keeping one step ahead!

The vast majority of bicycle accidents are low-speed, single participant accidents, and these rarely produce more than just a scratch or scrape. However, some accidents can include multiple riders, high speed, cyclists and pedestrians, or even bicycle versus motor vehicle. These accidents have a great potential to be dangerous, and certain safety measures should be taken to reduce the risk of serious injuries while cycling.

A study released this week found the more time a child spent in daycare the more likely they were to be disruptive once they started school. If parents do not have a choice, how can they make sure their daycare is the right one?

Pet ownership could be the key to improving family stress levels. According to new research by Masterfoods, over a quarter of pet owners admit that they have been less stressed since having a pet in their lives.

Sounds like a match made in heaven!

Research has shown that what kids and adults eat is inconsistent with the U.S. dietary guidelines. Good intentions at home, where parents offer milk, juice or water most of the time, haven't been the same at school.

Once kids hit middle and high school, healthy choices compete against sweetened drinks and other nutrient-light, calorie-laden snacks. Chances are the child will push the button for the jingle that comes to mind, rather than the milk mustache.

Thimerosal, a preservative containing mercury is now largely off-limits to children younger than 3 and pregnant women in California. This new law aims to reduce the risk of neurological problems like autism, which many parents believe can be linked to Thimerosal.

The only exception to the new state law, which took effect on Saturday, is t

Disney is ending a 10 year partnership with McDonald's in which Happy Meals bore little figurines of popular Disney characters like Nemo, Mr. Incredible and 101 Dalmatians.

The breakup coincides with the increasing criticism faced by the fast food companies for promoting unhealthy food choices to kids and thereby promoting obesity amongst children.

"I think it would have impact in contributing to the cultural change that is necessary," said Dr. J. Michael McGinnis, chairman of a National Academy of Sciences panel that just released a study showing how food marketing adversely affects children's diets. "The committee thought it was important for the use of cartoon characters that appeal to children only to be used in the marketing of healthy products."

Michele Simon - The headlines certainly sound impressive: “Companies pulling sodas out of school” claimed the Associated Press; “Bottlers agree to a school ban on sweet drinks” said the New York Times.” These and hundreds of other news stories around the nation this week gave the impression that the beverage industry had an epiphany and magically, all soda will disappear from schools forever.

Only one problem: nothing could be further from the truth. On Wednesday, Big Cola announced yet another voluntary school sales policy, this time, one brokered by the Clinton Foundation (the former president has made childhood obesity one of his post-presidency causes) and the American Heart Association.

The nation's largest beverage distributors including the likes of Pepsico and Coca Cola have agreed to halt nearly all sales of sodas to public schools thereby removing the sugary, high caloric drinks from vending machines and cafeterias around the country.

This move was prompted by a slew of recent studies and regulations by school boards alarmed over the rise of obesity amongst children.

Many schools have seen as much as a 10-fold increase in takings since they shifted their menu from preservative heavy preprepared food items to fresh low calorie items. Using a small sample of students to rate the popularity of new items, these schools have successfully replaced their regular lunch items with healthier tuckshop menus.

Hot chips and greasy hamburgers have been replaced with the very popular curried chicken and rice, grilled chicken burgers and snack packs with celery and carrot sticks, dip, cheese and a few crackers. Fresh hamburgers with salad, homemade pasta bake and fried rice have proven a hit with staff and students. The only pre-packaged drinks sold are fruit juice and water. Milkshakes and smoothies are made from scratch.

Alvin F. Poussaint, MD, Susan Linn, EdD, and Josh Golin, MA Perhaps the most troubling development in a commercialized culture rife with troubling trends is the media and marketing industries’ courtship of infants and toddlers. By targeting babies, companies are not only marketing products, but potentially inculcating life long habits, values, and behaviors—hardwiring dependence on media before children have a chance to develop.

Seven years ago, we publicly criticized PBS for falsely marketing the popular television series Teletubbies as educational for babies as young as one. At the same time, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a recommendation that children under two be kept away from screen media. Little was known about the impact of media on babies’ developing brains. Given the evidence that too much screen time could be harmful to older children, it seemed prudent to urge parents to hold out as long as possible before letting their children succumb to the lure of the small screen.

McDonald's is in full gear to prepare for the movie release of the best selling book, 'Fast Food Nation'. It seems that the approach is to launch a media campaign which minimizes the possible damage to McDonald's image by focusing on the positive aspects of fast food.

Personally, I would appreciate a point by point rebuttal of the issues the author (Schlosser) raises, rather than the attempt to mask the issue by focusing elsewhere.

Many of the world's top food companies are not doing enough to help cut the salt, fat and sugar which are contributing to a global, diet-related health crisis, according to a report by London's City University. The study focused on 25 companies which are directly involved in food preparation and sales.

The study found that only 10 out of 25 companies had reported any action on trying to reduce salt levels while only five were working to reduce sugar. Four out of 25 were working to reduce fat and only two, Kraft and McDonald's had taken plans to reduce portion sizes.

The challenge for many youth today is getting them outdoors, and keeping the Game Boys, video games and computers turned off.

Each spring the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation and state Fish and Wildlife offer kids a chance to enjoy and learn about the sport of fishing.

"The reason why we do these events is that nowadays it's tough for kids to have the opportunity to go fishing," said Jim Owens, executive director of the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation, which is based in Renton.

The children of men with stressful jobs are at a higher risk of attempting suicide than others, says a study.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia and several other institutions in Canada and Britain studied approximately 30,000 men - who were working or had worked at sawmills in British Columbia - and their children, reported science portal EurekAlert.

They collected data on the men's history of employment, their physical work environment and their psychosocial work conditions - these included the level of responsibility, control over everyday tasks and time constraints, which govern levels of stress.

The International Journal of Pediatric Obesity warns that more than half of all children in North America will be obese by 2010. The figures are lower in the European Union where more than 38% of kids will be obese by 2010.

Dr. Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force, thinks that a ban on all forms of marketing would be required to make the odds better, especially considering that kids tend to carry this problem into adulthood.

Recent study contradicts the 2004 study which claimed to establish a link between watching tv and behavorial problems (ADHD) at school. The authors of the study say that the difference in the results of the two studies is due to the different methodology used in the studies.

"DOCTORS AND SURGEONS at a dermatology convention here in San Francisco have warned children and teenagers against attending tanning clinics as skin cancers in the US reach epidemic proportions."

Take Vit. D quacks warn!

Times Online, UK is running a story about the high levels of benzene found in soft drinks.

Traces of benzene have been found in soft drinks at eight times the level permitted in drinking water! Benzene has been linked to leukemia and other cancers. Professor Glenn of Long Island University thinks that benzene is formed in the soft drinks when the two ingredients, sodium benzoate (preservative) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), are used.

SPARK - Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids, is designed to increase the level of activity inside and outside the classroom.

21 teachers in Hobart, Indiana attend a SPARK conference free of charge. Suzanne Crouch, director of Coordinated School and Health Program, Indiana said, "We chose the SPARK program because it is one of two programs backed by research in physical education."

BBC News Service - In a welcome development, audio technology is being used by profoundly deaf children to hear music for the first time.

School teacher Sian Aubrey believes the experience was invaluable in helping to develop the children's self confidence.

She said: "Some of the children who wouldn't go up to the musicians when we came in are now queuing up without any support for their second and third try at an instrument."