IT is summer in Sofia and temperatures will top 30 degrees C this week. Everyone is scurrying for shade and some respite from the sun. Hiking and biking in the higher elevations are popular choices as well as a dip in the Black Sea or a few laps at a local pool. No matter where you go though, summer safety is an important factor for every family.

Parents are reminded to slather on sunscreen and mosquito repellent, but this is also a good time of year to upgrade your child's car safety seat and find a bike helmet that fits properly. There are some great new resources for parents that provide tips and advice for all the usual summer safety obstacles and a few you might not have considered.

Did you know you should never bring a charcoal grill inside because burning charcoal produces deadly carbon monoxide? That is according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) summer safety tips. Their advice ranges from home playground safety (use at least 23 cm of wood chips or mulch to cushion a fall because falls cause 60 per cent of playground injuries) to the danger of open windows on hot days (use window guards to keep little ones from falling out) to preventing swimming pool tragedies (use layers of protection. This includes placing barriers completely around your pool to prevent access, using door and pool alarms, closely supervising your child and being prepared in case of an emergency.)

The CPSC also maintains an international recall alert web page. Recalls are issued when products are deemed dangerous. Toy manufacturers and international suppliers must meet rigid safety rules for any products used by children. A quick scan of recent recalls includes a recall of Catlike Kompact bike helmets manufactured by the Spanish firm Monarch Velo, LLC. Though no incidents or injuries were reported, the helmet failed impact testing required under the CPSC's safety standard for bicycle helmets. The recall also involves Catlike Kompact adult bicycle helmets. The web site is quite valuable and offers search engines by product, product description or company name.

Another great resource for parents is the Safe Kids Campaign web site (and the Safe Kids Worldwide organisation). Recently they launched a "Defeat the Heat" public service campaign to educate adults about childhood dehydration. According to their web site, "A child can lose up to a quart of sweat during a two-hour sports game and children absorb more heat from their environment than adults and cannot dissipate that heat through sweat as quickly." They list the "ABCs" for preventing dehydration: Always drink before, during and after activity to replace what you've lost through sweat; Bring the right fluids. Research shows sports drinks hydrate best; Consider fluids as part of the essential safety equipment for sports.

Typically summer fun means more freedom and adventure for kids. Mom and Dad though, might have a different idea. I found several new high tech products on the market designed to help you keep tabs on your tikes. The easiest answer of course is to issue a mobile phone. Parents of a beautiful teenage girl told me "we won't fool with pay phones and don't want to hear all the excuses why she couldn't call us. With a cell phone, we can always call her!" For those parents who not only want to talk to but also instantly locate their children, there is the GPS Locator for Kids. It's a tracking system designed specifically for kids and costs around $400. It has a self-setting watch to adjust to changes in time zones, a numeric pager and a tamper sensor.

Another great invention is called The Safety Turtle. This device was designed to prevent "the silent accident" when small children fall into unattended pools. It comes with a wristband that the child wears when not in the pool (and the wristband has a childproof lock for enterprising youngsters). A base station is used and if the child touches the water an alarm goes off. It costs about $200 and the manufacturer recommends having multiple bands available for pool parties.

Bike riding, skateboarding and horseback riding are all sports that require helmets. The trouble with helmets though is finding the right size. No parent wants to spend big bucks buying larger helmets for a growing child. If you are having trouble finding a safety helmet that fits, you might want to try the new Giro helmets. These helmets are hardshell and CPSC certified and they have a special fitting system called ACU LOC that "grows with your child."

Speaking of growing with your child, when was the last time you thought about a car seat upgrade for your baby? According to the Safe Kids Campaign, the guidelines fall within weight measurements: "Infants should be in rear-facing seats until at least nine kg and one year old; children over one year old and between nine kg and 18 kg should ride in forward facing seats; children ages four to eight between 18 kg and 36 kg should be in a booster seat and restrained with lap and shoulder belts every time they ride. Adult safety belts alone do not adequately protect children this size from injury in a crash."

Have a great summer and be carefree. If you take care of your kid's safety, you'll keep your cool!





Additional Resources:



http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html- Consumer Product Safety Commission. Press release and recall page. This site allows you to search by product type, product description or company name.



www.safekidscampaign.org - Safe Kids Campaign is a non-profit organisation devoted to preventive child safety education. Their web site contains summer safety tips for kids and families. It also includes www.defeattheheat.com, the Defeat the Heat public service campaign, and links to www.safekidsworldwide.org.



www.wherify.com - web site for ordering the GPS Locator for Kids



www.safetyturtle.com - web site for ordering The Safety Turtle



www.giro.com - website for ordering Giro adjustable helmets. They recommend that children three to six years old consider the Rodeo model for $30 and children six years old and up consider the Kickfire model for $40.