Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death in U.S. children ages 1 to 4 years. When your child is ready to swim in a pool, in a lake or at the beach this summer, it’s important to take precautions to keep them safe.

“The most important thing to remember about drowning is that prevention is key,” said Dr. Alicia Webb, emergency medicine physician, Children’s of Alabama.

It’s not enough just to teach your children about water safety. “Always closely supervise young children and children who are not strong swimmers by being within one arm’s length of them in the water,” Webb said.

At the beach, be aware of ocean currents and weather conditions. Children should wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket while boating or around natural bodies of water. Webb also cautions against diving head first into shallow or murky water.

It’s important to note that ‘dry drowning’ is not an actual condition. “All cases that were reported as dry drowning actually have been found to be caused by something else, typically other undiagnosed medical conditions,” Webb said.

Symptoms from true non-fatal drowning can be mild but can worsen within the first eight hours after the event. “Seek medical care if, after your child has been submerged in water, they develop difficulty breathing, excessive coughing, or stop acting like themselves,” Webb said.

VIDEO: The Truth About Dry Drowning
VIDEO: Water Safety Tips
For other water safety tips, visit Children’s of Alabama’s Instructions Not Included blog.

Revamp & Refresh! After decluttering and organizing, you can move on to cleaning by room! Entryways, living room, and kitchen cleaning are the name of the game for week two.

Entryways & Whole House
– Scrub baseboards & walls
– Sweep & mop hard surface floors
– Vacuum carpet & rugs
– Dust all surfaces – ceiling fan blades, tops of doors, blinds etc.
– Wash windows & windowsills

Mopping Tip: For hardwood floors, mop in the direction of the wood grain. For floors with a more textured surface, wipe in small figure eights. Additionally, always use a neutral pH-balanced floor cleaner. Acidic, multi-purpose cleaners can leave a layer of residue and cause damage overtime.

Living Room
– Vacuum couches, sofas, & chairs
– Dust electronics including laptop & TV screens
– Dust & polish wood furniture, surfaces, mantles, ceiling fans etc.
– Dust & clean all décor – pictures, vases, floating shelves, etc.

Cleaning Hack: To remove dust from blinds (or other hard to reach places), run your fingers along each slat wearing a pair of cotton gloves. This picks up dust as you go and is easier than using a duster.

Kitchen
– Clean stove top, inside of oven
– Clean inside of fridge & freezer
– Polish/wipe down all appliances
– Clean microwave & clean out toaster
– Wipe down outside of fridge
– Wipe down & disinfect all counters
– Scrub backsplash
– Scrub & disinfect the sink area
– Wipe down cabinets & drawers

Pro Tip: Maintain a clean oven by placing a larger sheet of foil on the rack below the cookware to catch food, crumbs, and grease that bubble over. Make sure not to cover the entire bottom of the oven as this may cause an uneven distribution of heat.

If you missed week 1 and want to jump in on the challenge, you can get caught up here with week 1! 

Alabama Adventure and Splash Adventure will open for the eighth season under the ownership of the Koch Family on May 15th. The 2021 Season will see the reintroduction of fan-favorites like free soft drinks, free parking, free tubes, and free shows. The Park will also be introducing some exciting new additions including the new Rocket Racer which will be the largest water slide in Alabama, along with other new expansions, renovations, and improvements. Daily Tickets, Season Passes, and more information can be found at AlabamaAdventure.com

Also new this summer at the park… Alabama Adventure and Splash Adventure is going cashless!

As they are always looking for ways to improve the guest experience for everyone that visits, this is just another innovation they’re implementing for 2021! Don’t have a card? No worries! They have Cash-To-Card Kiosks that turn your cash into a prepaid credit card with no fees! And don’t worry, these cards can be used anywhere that accepts card payments, not just at the park! Say goodbye to nasty wet cash, and say hello to faster lines at all of our food and retail locations so you can get back to the fun even faster! More info coming to their Social Media Channels!

Your home should be a safe place for your family, but there are actually many hidden dangers. Our homes are filled with poisonous substances. Knowing the dangers and how to prevent them can keep kids safe.

Ann Slattery is the director of the Alabama Poison Information Center at Children’s of Alabama. She says parents and grandparents should do their part to “Prepare, Prevent, and Protect” kids against accidental poisoning.

PREPARE
Prepare now for the possible event of poisoning. Slattery recommends saving the toll free number for the Alabama Poison Information Center in your phone to keep it close at hand at all times. The number is 1-800-222-1222. Also, she recommends every home have a carbon monoxide detector, and that adults should prepare a list of all medications. “For adults we say have a list of your everyday medications available in case you have to call the poison center,” she said.

PREVENT
Act now to prevent the risk of poisoning. Store all cleaning products up and out of reach of children. Slattery also recommends storing prescription medicine in lock boxes. “Make sure you have child resistant closures on your medications,” she said. “Remember there is no such thing as child proof.” Slattery advises to remember this risk when visitors are in the home. You never know what guests may have in their bags, so store purses and suitcases out of reach or behind locked doors and away from children.

PROTECT
In the unfortunate event that an exposure does occur, call the Alabama Poison Information Center immediately at 1-800-222-1222. Slattery advises that if the individual is unconscious, having trouble breathing or experiencing a seizure to instead call 911 immediately.

By taking the proper precautions now, you can help keep children safe from the risk of poisoning. But if an accident does happen, be prepared to act quickly in the event of an emergency.

There’s just something about spring that has us all itching to up our curb appeal and yard game. Landscaping doesn’t have to be expensive. Whether you’re fixing up your yard for personal enjoyment or getting ready to sell, a little elbow grease and some creativity can create a beautiful outdoor space that enhances your home.

Draw a Plan: Before you do anything else, lay out the design for your outdoor space. Consider any existing plants and hardscape and decide what you like and what you want to change. Play with shapes and sizes, such as raised beds to add dimension or a round patch of grass for emphasis.

Use Color: Color is one of the easiest ways to spruce up any part of your home, and your yard is no exception. Paint can be used to freshen an old fence. Inexpensive colored flower pots can be grouped on the hardscape or in borders to add drama.

Buy Ground Cover: Fill in empty patches with less expensive ground cover or natural materials, such as mulch or pebbles. Over time, the ground cover will spread naturally and if you are intentional about the placement of the plantings, then these plants will look beautiful even during the growing period.

Add a Walkway: A gravel walkway or artistically placed pavers will draw you into otherwise unused portions of your yard. Consider an inexpensive bench or chair placed at the back of a lazy path. Yard sales and online marketplaces can be great places to find inexpensive furniture and other treasures.

Landscaping doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars. Look for native plants and inexpensive materials, then use your imagination. Your yard will reflect the same beauty as your home.

Thank you to our site sponsors, Sophia Leece and Scott Boudreaux with LAH Real Estate. For more information on what’s happening in the Birmingham Housing Market, or to schedule a free home buyer/seller consultation, you can reach them:

Sophia Leece, 205.895.9120 | sleece@lahrealestate.com
Scott Boudreaux, 205.835.9787 | sboudreaux@lahrealestate.com

Spring cleaning never felt so good! We’re here with a 4-week cleaning challenge to give you the motivation to get your home as fresh as the springtime air.

Let’s kick off week one and get organized! It’s always easier to clean when starting with a blank canvas. By organizing first, you’ll make it more manageable to clean rooms and surfaces with less clutter.

Bathroom
– Organize cabinets & drawers – Discard products no longer being used – Organize medicine cabinet & pitch expired bottles – Replace toothbrushes – Replace old towels

Pro Tip: While normally used in kitchens, Lazy Susan’s are also a great hack for bathroom storage. Never lose sight of bathroom products or cleaners!

Kitchen

– Organize food storage containers – discard any that no longer have lids – Discard expired items from fridge and pantry – salad dressings, spices, baking items, etc. – Minimize countertop clutter by storing away what you don’t use on a daily – air fryers, crock pots, etc. – Replace water filters

Life Hack: An ideal time to clean your fridge is before you go shopping, as this will allow you to dispose of any unusable food and free up more space for new items.

Living Room

– Organize entertainment center and untangle outlet cords – Pitch old magazines, used candles, etc. and store other items away – Store away seasonal decor

Did You Know: Decluttering and organizing can also help release stress. A clear space helps to also clear your mind.

Bedroom

– Clean & organize nightstands – Organize closets and donate clothes that you no longer use – Store winter wardrobe and bring out spring & summer clothes

Rule of Thumb: Don’t keep clothes that you haven’t worn in 12+ months, kitchen or bathroom products that have expired, or any inventory that has not served you well in the last 12 months

Any Part of House

– Remove items from desk drawers, clean, & organize – Organize entryway/coat closet – Discard, donate, or sell unused/damaged items – For clutter that can’t be cleared, compile like items and devise storage solutions – baskets, bins, hooks, etc. – Empty trash in all rooms

Check back next week for all things revamping and refreshing!

Schools across Alabama may now schedule virtual safety programming through Children’s of Alabama to help children avoid accidental injury.

This programming, which has traditionally been held in person, is conducted by the Safe Kids Alabama Division at Children’s of Alabama. The Safe Kids Alabama mission is to prevent unintentional injury in Alabama children under 19 years of age, with a focus on motor vehicle safety. According to the Alabama Child Death Review System, vehicular fatalities are the single largest category of accidental child deaths in Alabama.

To inquire about scheduling programming at your school or youth-focused community program, please contact Julie Farmer at 205-638-9804, via email at julie.farmer@childrensal.org or visit www.childrensal.org/SAFEKids.

Current educational sessions focus on brain and spinal cord injury and teen driver safety:

·         The Think First Alabama program addresses safety for youth through the prevention of common traumatic injuries, such as bicycle safety and helmet use, concussion awareness and All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safety.

·         The focus of the Teen Driver Program is to reduce teen driver injuries and fatalities by providing an interactive educational experience through teen driver safety events around Alabama. The program provides education for teen drivers as well as research on risk behaviors for the state.

Safe Kids Alabama programming is supported by funding provided by Kohl’s Cares. Kohl’s has been a supporter of Children’s of Alabama for nearly 20 years.

Since 1911, Children’s of Alabama has provided specialized medical care for ill and injured children, offering inpatient and outpatient services throughout central Alabama. Ranked among the best pediatric medical centers in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s provided care for youngsters from every county in Alabama and 42 other states last year, representing more than 567,000 outpatient visits and more than 11,000 inpatient admissions. With more than 3.5 million square feet, Children’s is one of the largest pediatric medical facilities in the United States. It is a private, not-for-profit medical center that serves as the teaching hospital for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) pediatric medicine, surgery, psychiatry, research and residency programs. The medical staff consists of UAB faculty and Children’s of Alabama’s full-time physicians as well as private practicing community physicians.