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| CREDIT: Library photo via Shutterstock |
Parents are often faced with a wide number of choices for products for
their children, from essential safety items such as car seats to optional, but
potentially useful, health items such as pedometers.
Two of the major questions parents must weigh are durability and cost.
Children only use or need most products for a limited amount of time, and many
are available cheaper on the secondhand market. But in many cases, the safety
features of secondhand products have been worn down, new standards have been
introduced since the product was purchased, or the products have even been
recalled, so it's almost always better to buy new, said Sandra J. Gordon,
author of "Consumer Reports Best Baby Products" (Consumer Reports,
2009).
Gordon said the few items she would consider buying secondhand are those
that can be well-cleaned, and are not primarily used for a child's safety, such
as plastic toys or play sets, and clothing. "Everything else, I'm pretty
cautious about," she told MyHealthNewsDaily. While the price of new
products is higher, Gordon said some of that cost can be made up for by reusing
a product for later children. "At least if it's yours, you know the
history of the product," she said.
Gordon recommended two websites for parents to use when checking out
products. The first, recalls.gov, is where
the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) lists its recalls. The second, saferproducts.gov, lists
recalls and also reports filed by parents who are disgruntled with a particular
product. In addition to giving you a better idea about the product, Gordon
said, that site can help you understand if the problem is the product or the
user. "Sometimes, it's the way the parents are using the product that's
the issue, and you can kind of tease that out from what the parents are
writing," she said.
Here's a look at seven gadgets aimed at improving kids' health, along
with expert tips for what parents may want to consider when making a purchase.
1. Video baby monitors
Gordon said two important things to take into account are how far you
want the monitoring to extend, and how far you are from other monitors. If you
have close-by neighbors who also have babies, "Definitely go with the
digital model, because interference is a big deal with baby monitors," she
said. Neighboring parents will sometimes get the same baby monitor, and then
find they can see a neighbor's baby when they turn it on, which presents both a
security risk and a privacy violation.
Certain other electronics can interfere with monitors as well, Gordon
said, so parents should check the frequency of other devices they use in the
home (such as Bluetooth) and test the monitor right away. "You want to
make sure you can return the product if you can't deal with the
interference," Gordon said. "Know the return policy for the
store." One other thing to look out for, she said, is a long cord attached
to the monitor —because baby monitors are often placed near the crib, a long
cord presents a strangulation risk.
Some monitors offer the possibility of watching even when you are away
from home and a sitter is caring for the child, but, Gordon cautioned, "I
would say, 'How connected do you want to be?' That can drive some parents
crazy, because they feel the need to be hypervigilant, and sometimes when you
put your baby down, you just need a break."
2. Car seats
The most important test with a car seat, Gordon said, is ensuring that the model you want fits in your car, so
see if the floor model at the store can be taken out to see that it does. "Car
seats can be kind of big, and with small, fuel-efficient cars it can be a tight
fit," Gordon said. "If you're buying a convertible car seat [where
size can be changed as the child grows], they can be pretty big, so you want to
test it in the forward- and rear-facing position."
Gordon added that she would advise parents to buy an infant-size car
seat at first, because it has a snugger fit, and buy a larger size when the
child grows, remembering that the infant seat can be used with future children.
However, she said, parents should be mindful and read the product information,
as car seats have expiration dates even if they are not involved in accidents,
and do need to be replaced. The next step after buying a car seat is taking it
to a police station or another location in your area where a knowledgeable
person can help you ensure the seat is installed properly.
3. Baby
carriers
For parents who opt to buy a baby carrier, Gordon recommends against slings, where the baby is lying down, as many were recalled in
March 2010 because of the suffocation risk they pose. One thing many parents
don't think about, she said, is that heat can make the baby carrier unbearable,
and so for parents who live in a hotter climate or who will be using their baby
carrier during the summer, "you want to buy one that's meshier." One
example she gave was the Baby Carrier Air from BabyBjorn, which costs more, but
is made with mesh material.
In general, Gordon said, parents should look for extra padding for their
own back, shoulder straps that are fairly wide to better distribute the
infant's weight and buckles that are easy for them to use, but not so simple
the baby can undo them. Carriers should only be used until a baby reaches 20
pounds. "An older baby could just start fiddling with it," Gordon
said. "One minute you could think you're secure, and the next minute
you're not."
4. Strollers
Many parents do not need a stroller immediately after a child is born,
so Gordon recommended purchasing a stroller that is simply a frame that can be
paired with the infant's car seat, giving the parents time to delay the
decision about what stroller they need. Strollers especially are worth spending
money on, she said, as kids will often still be using them when they reach age
5, and long trips to the mall or an amusement park mean they can't stay on
their feet all day.
One thing to look at, she said, is the storage area, as it often gets
used like a shopping cart. The area needs to be accessible, even when the seat
is reclined, and it needs to be large enough. "If the storage basket is
too small, or you can't get to it, you're going to use the handles for all your
stuff," she said, which presents a tipping hazard. Another thing to
consider is the environment where you will be using the stroller, she said.
Parents who live in colder climates with snow or rocks will need bigger tires,
while parents in the city need to find a lightweight model that can easily be
moved on and off public transportation.
5. Online safety software
An important issue regarding software aimed at keeping kids safe online
is the amount of devices that will be used. For families with one or two
computers, the best option may be software designed for the computer alone. For
larger families, or families with older children who may have their own
computers, the best option may be software that works with the internet router, which is the hub through which all the
Internet traffic in the house passes.
Some programs are designed with specific aims in mind. Parental
monitoring software generally lets parents keep an eye on their kids' browsing, while Facebook control software is
specifically for protecting kids while on Facebook. Recent concerns have also arisen regarding ads that
track online behavior, as many will track children under 13, despite existing
legislation. Most browsers allow these to be blocked.
However, given children's ability to access the Internet in many places
outside the home, software is unable to replace teaching children what
constitutes safe and unsafe online behavior. There is also software that works on cell phones that can help parents keep an eye on their kids'
mobile life.
6. Pool alarms
Parents with pools should check state laws, because a number of safety
measures are likely needed if you have a pool. Pool alarms can be an added
safety measure, designed to signal if a child falls into a pool or enters a
gated area. Testers have recommended against models where children be must
wearing a special wristband to activate the alarm, as they will not help a
child who simply leaves the house to go to the pool, and will not prevent a
drowning if a neighbor's child happens to fall in.
Consumer Reports and Good Housekeeping have both tested pool alarms, including whether an alarm sounds fast enough and whether it
sounds a false alarm under heavy winds. Both testing groups rated the Poolguard
line of alarms well, and Good Housekeeping, which tested more pool alarms, rated several other brands highly as well.
7. Kid-friendly pedometers
When discussion turns to childhood obesity, the topic of diet often
arises. But physical activity is typically a more constructive step. "Being
active is very important, and even if your weight doesn't change, you can be
healthy [from a cardiovascular standpoint]," said Dr. Stephen Pont, a
pediatrician at Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin, Texas, and chair of
the American Academy of Pediatrics' Provisional Section on Obesity.
As far as pedometers go, Pont said, "I think they can be a helpful
tool for some kids to track what they're doing and to help them do more." The type of pedometer that may work best for you will likely depend on your family
and your child, as activity monitors — which can include pedometers along with
more expensive accelerometers, which measure all activity and not just steps —
can range in price from under $10 to more than $100, and run higher with
software.
Pont noted that a recent trend by some companies had been linking a
pedometer or accelerometer to a computer program that tracks progress and can
award prizes. But, he said, "I think that a lot of kids will enjoy them
for a bit, but might become bored with them." For parents who want to use
a pedometer, he said, gauging how interested their child is, and finding ways
to motivate them to be physically active is a larger part of the challenge. Pont
recommended introducing a pedometer as part of a new family activity, rather
than as a weight-loss program, which children may find discouraging.
Source: Live Science
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