by Tripp Underwood on December 1, 2011
By Lois Lee, MD, MPH, an emergency medicine physician at Children’s Hospital Boston.
Now that the turkey and pumpkin pie are long gone, children have turned their holiday attention to what they think matters most—toys. But as you glance over those ever- growing wish lists, how can you be sure which toys are safest for your family? Fortunately for the safety conscious gift-giver in all of us, the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) recently released Trouble in Toyland, their annual report on toy safety. This is the non-profit consumer organization’s 26th report, which for years has provided safety guidelines for consumers, as well as highlight toys currently on store shelves that could be potentially dangerous. It’s a great guide for parents, but by no means a rulebook; when shopping for your family, keep in mind that a little common sense goes a long way. Full story »
by Tripp Underwood on October 26, 2011
How accessible are the medications in your house?
A new survey shows that as many as one in seven Massachusetts parents have given their kids prescription painkillers that weren’t prescribed to them. Considering how dangerous a practice this is, those numbers are pretty shocking. Remember waiting in line for coffee this morning? If this survey is accurate then at least one of the people in front of you may have risked their child’s life to alleviate discomfort.
“There’s no question that in some cases this type of behavior could be fatal,” says Lois Lee, MD, MPH, an emergency medicine physician at Children’s Hospital Boston. “Any time you give adult strength medication to a child you increase the chance of an unintentional overdose.”
Taking prescription medication without a doctor’s approval is dangerous for anyone, but the risks are far greater for children. The dosage of most painkillers are based on the size of the patient, so what’s considered a mild painkiller for a full grown adult can have a much more pronounced effect on a child. Full story »
by Lois Lee, MD, MPH on July 11, 2011
Did you watch the Today show this morning? If so you probably saw a segment on trampoline safety featuring Thriving safety expert, Lois Lee, MD, MPH. Here, Dr. Lee goes into more detail about how to keep your children safe should they use a backyard trampoline.
One of the activities my sister and I enjoyed as children was jumping on our neighbor’s trampoline. The trampoline was your standard backyard kind–rectangular and black with only mesh on the sides. There was no such thing as netting around the trampolines back then. Most of the time we loved to jump on it and do somersaults, but there were other times when we would just lay on the warm black surface and watch the clouds drift by.
Lois Lee, MD, MPH
If my mother knew then what I know now, we’d have spent a lot less time on that trampoline. Actually, knowing my mother, we wouldn’t have spent any time on it at all.
In response to NBC Today Show’s inquiry about any recent trampoline-related injuries at Children’s, I did a quick search of patients figuring there would be only a few from the scattered sunny days we have had this spring. Boy, was I surprised to find out that the emergency department at Children’s Hospital Boston has seen at least 20 children with trampoline related injuries in the last 8 weeks. Most of the children had fractures of their arms or legs after falling while jumping on the trampoline in their own backyard. Nationally, over 90% of the trampoline injuries seen in the emergency department occur on a home-based trampoline—not at a gymnastics facility. Full story »
by Lois Lee, MD, MPH on September 30, 2010
MA drivers younger than 18 are banned from using phones in any capacity while driving.
Lois Lee, MD, MPH, works in Children’s Emergency Department Injury Prevention Program
CRUNCH!! The sickening sound and subsequent lurch forward were undeniable: the dreaded sound and feel of another car running directly into the back of mine. At first I was shaken, then utterly confused as to how it could have happened. Sure, the roads were a little slick from the rain, but that had lightened up a long time ago. Not only that, but traffic at the time was standing still! How, with dry roads and street congestion, did a driver manage to bump into my car? Full story »
by Tripp Underwood on May 18, 2010
Lee addresses state officials on the dangers of ATVs and young riders
Lois Lee, MD, MPH of Children’s Hospital Boston’s Emergency Department Injury Prevention Program, spoke at a meeting this afternoon along with State Representatives Peter Koutoujian, Thomas Calter and Viriato deMacedo to brief members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives on proposed legislation that would tighten laws pertaining to the operation of all-terrain vehicles by children. If passed the proposed ATV bill would raise the legal age of operation from 10 to 14, and require parental supervision for any ATV driver under the age of 16.
Full story »
by Tripp Underwood on April 8, 2010
Lois Lee, MD, MPH
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 16 not operate All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), many children still ride them—and some are killed or seriously hurt. Lois Lee, MD, MPH, who specializes in pediatric emergency medicine at Children’s Hospital Boston, spoke out yesterday in support of a Massachusetts bill that would raise the legal age requirement to drive an ATV. Current laws mandate that a child as young as 10 can ride an ATV with adult supervision, but the new bill would increase the minimum ATV driving age to 14.
Click here to see Lee discussing ATV safety for kids on Channel 5 News.
Lee’s support of stricter age restrictions on ATV operational laws isn’t new. Click here to read a 2009 Thrive post, where Lee and David Mooney, MD, MPH, talked about the dangers of younger children driving ATVs. Full story »
by Lois Lee, MD, MPH on January 13, 2010
Lois Lee, MD, MPH works in Children’s Emergency Department Injury Prevention Program
You often hear about children being left in cars in the middle of the summer, but did you know that it can be equally dangerous during the winter months?
Many parents probably understand the temptation to leave their young child in the car for “just a second” to run a quick errand, especially if the child is sleeping. But no matter how quickly you think you will be back to your car, you should never leave a child in the car alone. Full story »
by Lois Lee, MD, MPH on January 5, 2010
Lois Lee, MD, MPH works in Children’s Emergency Department Injury Prevention Program
Having grown up in Florida, I never 
understood the appeal of winter sports until my son took up skiing. Now, to keep him and his sister active in the winter, we enjoy skiing, sledding and ice skating. These are great family activities, but they do carry some risk. Read on for safety tips to keep healthy while having fun in the cold! Full story »
Now that the turkey and pumpkin pie are long gone, children have turned their holiday attention to what they think matters most—toys. But as you glance over those ever- growing wish lists, how can you be sure which toys are safest for your family? Fortunately for the safety conscious gift-giver in all of us, the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) recently released Trouble in Toyland, their annual report on toy safety. This is the non-profit consumer organization’s 26th report, which for years has provided safety guidelines for consumers, as well as highlight toys currently on store shelves that could be potentially dangerous. It’s a great guide for parents, but by no means a rulebook; when shopping for your family, keep in mind that a little common sense goes a long way. Full story »
