Staffers at the Hennepin County Medical Center are concerned with the high rate of children falling through windows this summer. In this year alone, HCMC has treat 14 different pediatric patients after they have fallen from windows. These patients ranged from 17-months-old to 7-years-old. This number is double from 2009, where HCMC treated 7 pediatric patients who suffered injuries from window falls.

Minnesota has issued a new law that affects the construction of windows in new homes and buildings. However, this new law will do little for existing homes and buildings. If you would like to read more on this story see Windows present dangers for children.

Below are some Window Prevention Tips:
1. Use window guards or window stops.
2. Install window guards to prevent children from falling out of windows. (If you live on the 6th floor or lower, install a window guard that can be easily opened by both adults and children)
3. Install window stops to prevent windows from opening more than 4 inches.
4. Never depend on window screens to prevent your child from falling out of a window.
5. Whenever possible, open windows from the top - not the bottom.
6. Keep furniture (and other "launching pads") away from widows to keep children from crawling and climbing around windows.
7. Some jurisdictions require landlords to install guards. Check the laws in your local jurisdiction.

If you would like to read more articles about children falling from windows see Marysville, Washington Boy Suffers Injuries Falling From Window.

Vicksburg High School's head football coach, Tom Marchese believes that concussions are more serious than most people think, especially because concussions have long-term effects. Marchese may be on to something. New studies reveal that repeated concussions may cause permanent brain damage that eventually shows up with symptoms such as depression, chronic headaches, early-onset dementia, and/or adult-onset attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Because of the seriousness of concussions and in attempt to protect it teens and younger child athletes, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is making "one of the biggest rule changes ever." Starting this fall, athletes in any sport who show signs of a concussion during a game must be pulled from play and evaluated by a doctor. If a doctor is not immediately available or the doctor has concluded that the athlete did sustain a concussion, the athlete will have to sit out for the rest of the game. And, in either case, the student athlete will not be able to return to play until the athlete gets a doctor's written permission to resume play. If you would like to read more about this story see MHSAA sets stricter rules for athletes with concussions.

Teenagers and younger children are especially vulnerable physically. Therefore, concussions can have more dramatic effects upon these younger individuals than adults. It is a good start that MHSAA is taking these extra precautions and protecting student athletes.

Child safety advocates are urging for lower teacher-child ratios in the classroom. Under the current state standard, Texas permits 2 caregivers to watch 22, 2-year-olds or 30, 3-year-olds. However, the child advocates are urging for two caregivers to watch 18, 2-year-olds, or 28, 3-year-olds.

Melanie Rubin, with the Texas Association for Mental Health, says the lower ratios are for the child's protection. However, the state Department of Family and Protective Services are hearing the critics of the proposed change. Some say it could force the price of day care to increase and others fear that families will abandon licensed day care in favor of a baby sitter or leaving their child with an older sibling.

Having a low teacher-student ratio does have some serious consequences. For example, Shavon Ransom, a preschool teacher at the Bock Child Development Center in Oak Cliff, said she has had to work in conditions where she was the sole supervisor for 17 children - a very chaotic and challenging learning environment. Ransom claimed that in these unfortunate scenarios, in order to calm the children down she would resort to sitting them in front of the television or in the arcade. A method she does not support. If you would like to read more on this story please see Texas child safety advocates urge for higher teacher-student ratios.

The incident that resulting in a a 2-and-a-half-year-old girl being left behind in a Wisconsin Park has an Appleton, Wisconsin day care center reviewing their policies. The girl was left behind at the park for about 30 minutes.

The incident happened on August 5 and, according to the police report, the day care left the park at about 12:10 p.m. Police officers arrived after the park after they were contacted by other concerned mothers who noticed the girl was unattended.

Although the girl was unhurt, Karen Olson, director of the day care center, Creative Child Learning, is still devastated by the incident and claims it is just unclear how the girl was left behind. Olson says staffers repeatedly counted the children, but the child was somehow forgotten. Creative Learning received a separate state order in the spring requiring closer supervision of children. This order was the result after a child got too close to a hot iron during an art activity. If you would like to read more on this story please see 2 1/2-year-old girl left behind at Wisconsin park by day care center.

Luckily, this girl was uninjured. Day care centers have an obligation to care for the children in their custody. While on field trips, day care employees can employ easy methods to check on their children such as the buddy system. Always keeping a watchful eye will tremendously reduce the risk of leaving a child behind while on field trips.

Two Louisiana families suffered a major tragedy after teens from both families drowned. The seven teenagers were playing in the shallow waters of the Red River when one teen stepped of the slippery ledge and plummeted into much deeper waters. The other teens tried to save the boy, but they too were overpowered by the water and taken into the deeper water. The onlooking relatives, who could also not swim, desparately screamed for help as they watched their teens vanish and drown.

DeKendrix Warner, 15, was the first to fall in and was rescued by a bystander.
Those who did drown were identified as two families: the Warners and the Stewarts. The Warners who drowned were: Takeitha, 13; and her older brothers JaMarcus, 14 and JaTavious, 17. Among the Stewarts were: Litrelle, 18; LaDairus; and Latevin, 15.

The area where the drowning occurred was not a designated recreational or swimming area and no lifeguard as on duty. If you would like to read more on this story see 2 Louisiana families suffer from drownings on hot summer day.

This is a tragedy for these families and their community. It is important to understand the inherent dangers of water. Make sure a lifeguard is always on duty, do not swim in areas not designated for swimming, maintain constant supervision of child while around water and everyone who is not deemed a capable swimmer should be adorned with the proper life-saving equipment when practical and available.