By Heather DugeAs families start their summer traveling, water safety vigilance is key at all ages and no matter where your family might be. Swimming pools, lakes and beaches all pose risks but with the right preparation, you can avoid tragic outcome...
Story by Ashley Antle. Video by Tom Riehm.Kids everywhere are counting down the days until they can take their first leap into the water for summer swim season, which has parents on the hunt for the perfect swimsuit. But before you purchase those cut...
By Jean YaegerBy buckling their children into car seats and lifejackets, parents are taking steps to protect against tragic accidents. Safe sleep practices fit into that same mindset.Taking precautions in an infant’s sleep space -- just like the prec...
The Center for Community Health led by Cook Children's joins many community events for parents and families to share safety and parenting information. The Center for Community Health provides education and resources to reduce injuries and share great...
By Heather DugeCook Children’s has treated nine drownings so far this year, one of which was fatal. As the weather warms up, parents and caregivers should take time to review how to keep their young children safe around water. With the recent news of...
By Heather DugeWith Christmas around the corner, parents are scrambling to find the perfect gifts for their kids. December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month, and many of the toys sold in stores and online pose significant dangers to kids of all a...
By Eline deBruijn WigginsChild Passenger Safety Week is Sept. 18 through Sept. 24. National Seat Check Saturday is Sept. 24, 2022.Choosing a car seat for your baby can be overwhelming. There are so many different colors, styles and price points. But ...
Earlier this month, a 3-year-old Ohio girl made headlines after she swallowed a button battery and her mom gave her honey while they were on the way to the hospital.The family finished eating dinner when the girl told her mother, Katie Jacobsen, that...
By Ashley AntleAs summer draws to a close, one mother, Dana Gage, is sharing her journey to making her son’s tragic drowning death matter.On Aug. 31, 2012, Dana's son, Connor, left for a friend’s birthday party at a rented lakehouse. Little did eithe...
By Brittany Kirk, Cook Children's Family TherapistAs we settle into a new school year, many parents and caregivers may find themselves unsettled about the need for increased security measures in our schools. Given recent gun violence events in Texas ...
Story by Eline deBruijn Wiggins. Video by Tom Riehm.From Aug. 22 to Aug. 28, Cook Children’s treated five patients who were struck by vehicles in separate incidents.As the new school year gets underway for many districts across North Texas, it’s cruc...
By Ashley AntleTen years ago this week, Connor Gage blew his mother a kiss as he left for a friend’s birthday party at a rented lakehouse. Little did either of them know, it would be the last kiss he’d ever give her and the last time Dana Gage would ...
This summer, there were fewer drownings treated compared to 2021. As Labor Day festivities get underway this weekend, keep in mind to stay vigilant and Lifeguard Your Child.From May to August, there were 47 drownings treated at Cook Children’s Health...
By Emma PignatoParents and caregivers should ensure that a home swimming pool has an effective swim safety plan and extra layers of protection. Most drownings seen at Cook Children’s happen in a swimming pool during the least expected moments. Drowni...
By Heather DugeWith the temperature reaching 104 the other day, I was shocked to see a toddler by himself in the car outside of a restaurant. I rushed inside and found his mom, who waited in line for her to go order. As soon as the mom unlocked the c...
By Ashley AntleThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning parents, caregivers and health professionals about the dangers of inflatable neck floats after the death of one baby and the hospitalization of another. The flotation devices are especi...
By Emma PignatoWhile you’re having fun by the pool this summer, ensure your pool safety plan includes a Water Watcher: an adult who is designated to watch children around the pool at all times. Drowning is silent, so it’s vital to designate a Water W...
By Ashley AntleIt’s never too early to teach children to be safe around water. After all, if a baby can crawl, they can make their way to a pool or open body of water. Any number of things can lure them there — a floating toy or sheer curiosity as th...
By Ashley AntleViolet Gomez admits she didn’t know much about water safety and drowning prevention when she had her first child nine years ago. It wasn’t until after the birth of her second child that she began to take the dangers of water seriously,...
By Eline de Bruijn and Linda DiazThe Fourth of July is a time for celebration and getting together with family and friends. Cook Children’s experts are sharing safety tips and information to remember as people gather this weekend. Keep in mind that d...
Texas leads the nation in hot car deaths among children. From January to June 20, 2022, there have been five vehicular heatstroke deaths in the country – two of those were in Harris County, Texas. They were a 5-year-old (June 20) and a 10-month-old (...
Fifteen swimsuits and five rubber duckies hang on a clothesline in front of Cook Children’s Medical Center today. They represent the more than 20 children who have been treated for drowning injuries at the hospital since the beginning of 2022. Unfort...
Cook Children's has treated 17 drownings so far in 2022 through April 13, three of which were fatal.This is an alarming increase compared to January through May 1 in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017, according to Cook Children's data.This year, 11 dro...
Cook Children’s Aim for Safety® program has zeroed in on a new way to educate families on gun safety using an interactive kiosk that teaches children what to do if they discover a firearm in a home — all while reinforcing safe-storage techniques for ...
Cook Children’s has seen 12 drownings, two of them fatal, since the beginning of the year, starting 2022 off at an alarming pace for drownings even before summer swim season. Nine of those drownings in the stretch from January through middle March oc...
Though often thrilling for children, off-road motorized vehicles — including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), ATV mules, go-karts, and even golf carts — can be extremely dangerous for them to ride, especially if they don’t use safety measures once they g...
Are you thinking about purchasing a car seat online? Beware. Counterfeit car seats may look just like the real thing, but they can put your child in serious danger. “I'm aware of eight fake car seats that have been found by car seat technicians at ho...
We all know the infamous quote from Ralphie’s mother in “The Christmas Story” after he asked for the toy BB gun of his Christmas dreams.“You’ll shoot your eye out,” she said.Toy guns have changed since the release of that 1983 classic depicting a 194...
Within a three-day span this week, Cook Children's medical staff treated three patients for drowning-related accidents with ages ranging from 15 months to 2 years old. One was fatal. The drownings were unrelated and all took place at home pools after...
Twenty-one in a series.Over the last six months, Cook Children's has released 20 articles regarding mental health, suicide in youth and teens, and resources to help young people in crisis. Recently, we spoke with experts to learn more about what fami...