Health and Safety
Health Canada Warning: Water beads may pose life-threatening risks to young children
Health Canada is warning parents and caregivers about the risks of water beads. These tiny beads, also known as jelly beads, hydro orbs, crystal soil, sensory beads, or orb beads, are water-absorbing gel beads that can grow up to 1,500 times their size when placed in water. Water beads can be very harmful if swallowed or put in the ears or nose. If ingested, water beads can continue to grow inside the body leading to potentially life-threatening injuries. Water beads and products containing them should be kept out of sight and reach of children; if you suspect that your child has ingested a water bead, call the Canadian Poison Centre hotline at 1-844-POISON-X (Quebec residents call 1-800-463-5060 to reach the Centre antipoison du Quebec).
Active Supervision
The most important way that caregivers can ensure children are safe is through active supervision. But what does active supervision actually mean?SUMMER WATER SAFETY RULES
For many Canadian families, summer includes activities such as boating and swimming. But each year, tragic and avoidable water-related fatalities occur across Canada. Here are some helpful summer water safety guidelines, and our multilingual Learn about Swimming Safety "New in Canada" brochure that you can share with parents. For more information about water, boating and backyard pool safety, you can also visit the Canadian Red Cross.Did you know that drowning doesn’t look like drowning?
Drowning doesn't always look as you might expect. In ten percent of child drownings, an adult actually watches the child drown without having any idea of what is happening. Here's what parents and caregivers need to know and watch for.
Food Allergy Awareness Month
May is Food Allergy Awareness Month in Canada and we encourage you to participate in the “Know it. Treat it.” campaign. This campaign is about de-mystifying anaphylaxis and empowering all Canadians to “Know” what the signs and symptoms are and how to “Treat” anaphylaxis. Here are some fact sheets that you can post and share in your CNC program!Canada’s New Toll-Free 1-844 POISON-X Number for Poison Centres
Health Canada, in collaboration with poison centres servicing most provinces and territories, is implementing Canada’s toll-free number, 1-844 POISON-X (or 1-844-764-7669), to facilitate access to poison centre services. Poisoning is a major cause of illness and death in Canada and internationally. In 2020, Canada’s poison centres managed 215,589 cases, of which more than one-third involved a child aged 5 or under. Be sure to share this new number with parents and colleagues so they know who to call in a poison emergency!