Vidcast:  Balloon Time Tanks Can Shoot Their Caps At You

The CPSC and Worthington Industries are recalling Balloon Time Mini Helium Tanks since the compressed helium can leak and forcefully shoot the plastic cap injuring users and bystanders.

About 121,000 of these helium tanks were sold at Meijer, Cool Kat Party Warehouse, Bradley Party and Variety, Ultimate Party Super Store, RSVP Food and Party Outlet, Party Center and select Party City stores nationwide, and online at Amazon.com.

Immediately discontinue use of these helium tanks and empty each tank of the gas by pointing it away from yourself and others and carefully removing the plastic seal and cap.  Write your name and RECALLED with a destruction code on the front of the tank.  Take a photo of the tank and upload it to recallrtr.com/miniheliumtank in order to get a refund.  Properly dispose of the empty tank. If you need information, call Balloon Time at 888-359-4833 or via email at [email protected].

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Balloon-Time-Mini-Helium-Tanks-Recalled-by-Worthington-Industries-Due-to-Injury-Hazard

#balloontime #helium #minitank #leakage #projectiles #injuries #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0QreyIrtP2/

The CPSC and Lenovo have recalled Lenovo USB-C Laptop Power Banks

since internal screws tend to loosen and create shortcircuits with overheating and fire hazards.

About 2,850 of these heavy duty lithium batteries were sold in the US and about 510 were sold in Canada at lenovo.com, newegg.com, cdw.com, insight.com, connection.com, shi.com, Softchoice.com, eBay.com and staples.com.

Immediately stop using these powerbanks and contact Lenovo at 866-989-0515 or via email at [email protected] for a free replacement and instructions regarding safe disposal of these powerbanks.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Lenovo-Recalls-USB-C-Laptop-Power-Banks-Due-to-Fire-Hazard

#lenovo #powerbanks #lithiumion #battery #shortcircuit #overheating #fire #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Qp9IyryoH/

The CPSC and PandaEar are recalling PandaEar Stainless Steel Toddler Cups, 8 oz. since the bottoms of these cups have a solder bead with unsafe levels.  In addition, the cup’s lid tends to crack creating shape edges and ingestion parts that lead to choking and laceration hazards for young children.

About 1600 of these cups were sold online at Amazon.com.

Do not permit your children to use these cups.  Contact PandaEar via email at [email protected] for a full refund.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/PandaEar-Recalls-Stainless-Steel-Childrens-Cups-Due-to-Violation-of-Federal-Lead-Content-Ban-Sold-Exclusively-on-Amazon-com-Recall-Alert

#pandaear #toddlers #cups #lead #lid #poisoning #choking  #lacerations #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0QoBvZLimM/

The CPSC and MI Windows and Doors now recall MI 1615 and 1617 Sliding Glass Doors; Window World 4000 Series and 8000 Series Sliding Glass Doors.  The glass separates from the frame in hurricane force winds leading to injuries.

About 1900 of these glass door were sold by independent window distributors and installers, including Window World, in the U.S. eastern and southern coastal regions.

If you have these glass doors installed, contact the company at 1-800-270-2913 anytime, email at the email [email protected] to schedule a free repair.  Until that’s completed, cover these doors with plywood during periods of high winds.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/MI-Windows-and-Doors-Recalls-Vinyl-Sliding-Glass-Doors-Due-to-Serious-Injury-Hazard-Recall-Alert

#glassdoors #MI #frame #injuries #wind #hurricane #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0QoBvZLimM/

Nearly one in every 5 children are taking melatonin for one to nearly two years on average.  This troubling result comes from pediatricians at the University of Colorado who surveyed the parents of 993 children 1 to 13 years of age.  The children were separated into 3 groups: preschoolers; school-aged kids; and preteens.

Melatonin was given consistently to 5.6% of preschoolers, 18.5% of school-aged children, and 19.4% of teens.  The median duration of use was 1 year for preschoolers, 18 months for the school-aged, and 21 months for the preteens. 

This level of pediatric use is a problem, since we know little about the safety of long term melatonin use.  Yes, melatonin is a natural hormone our bodies produce, and, yes, it does promote sleep.  Problem is that this over-the-counter so-called food supplement is unregulated by the FDA.  The available commercial melatonin preparations contain widely divergent amounts of the hormone ranging from 74% to a whopping 347% of the amount shown on the label.  This drug concentration irregularity may be one  reason that poison control centers report a 5-fold increase in melatonin ingestion over the past decade.

Sleep problems are common in children and are well-managed with behavioral methods.  Tons of books describe how to do it.  Skip the drugs.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2811895

#melatonin #sleep #children #parenting #poisoning

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Qm8DwLhE2/

Those continually experiencing constipation with bowel movements occurring 3 days or more apart have reduced cognitive skills equal to someone 3 years older.  Harvard Medical School investigators analyzed data from 12,696 female and male subjects in two Nurses Health Studies looking at bowel emptying frequency and cognitive skills as measured by a standard neuropsychological test battery.

Compared with those having daily bowel movements, those who had to wait 3 days or more for a movement scored significantly worse on their cognitive function tests.  Their cognitive skills equaled those of persons from 1 to nearly 5 years older.  These constipated individuals were also 73% more likely to suffer cognitive decline with aging.

This is yet another instance of an association between gastrointestinal and brain function.  Then again, we all know people with their proverbial heads up their butts.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/998412?ecd=a2a

#constipation #cognition #dementia

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Ql0KSrBZx/

This disconcerting result popped up on a national survey conducted by the Ohio State University.  The poll of 1,007  respondents by the SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus showed that about 33% didn’t feel the need to become vaccinated against CoVid, influenza, or RSV thinking they were not at high risk.  They were either unaware or didn’t care that their decision put others, particularly the very young, older individuals, or those with weakened immune systems at greater risk for severe and life-threatening respiratory infections.

This attitude is just plan selfish.  Loyal Americans support good public health.  Everyone 6 months and older should be getting both the flu and the CoVid vaccinations.  Those 60 and older and pregnant women in late pregnancy should be getting the RSV vaccination.  Those 65 and older and those ages 5 to 64 with chronic lung or heart diseases or weakened immune systems should be getting the pneumonia vaccines.

So… don’t be selfish. Protect those you love and those all of us love by getting shots to help fight respiratory diseases.  

https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/mediaroom/pressreleaselisting/respiratory-illness-season-survey

#vaccination #CoVid #influenza #rsv #pneumonia

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Qk0VGrXEc/

Pregnant women using cannabis in any form face higher risk of a preterm birth, a baby with a low birth weight, and the need for a neonatal intensive care stay.  University of Toronto investigators reached these conclusions after reviewing and meta-analyzing 57 studies.  Specifically, the pregnant cannabis users were 1.7 fold more likely to have a preterm birth, 2.6 fold more likely to bear a low birth weight baby, and 2.5 times more likely to have their baby require specialized care in the NICU.

We can’t say it often enough:  don’t use recreational drugs of any kind during pregnancy.  Try to avoid using any medications as well.  If you must, be certain that you take meds under the watchful eye of your medical team.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.16370

#cannabis #pregnancy #lowbirthweight #prematurity #nicu

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0QkAyLrN2w/

CoVid infections are on the rise again.  If you do contract the virus, the regular use of saline gargles and nasal saline aerosol irrigations will reduce your chances of landing in the hospital with a severe or a life-threatening case by nearly 70% (69%).  

Texas clinicians reports this finding after studying 55 CoVid patients using the saline washes in their throats and noses in comparison with more than 9000 (9398)infected controls who did not.  The patients studied had average ages between 39 and 45.

This is incredibly simple home therapy.  If you do get infected, be prepared with saline for irrigation as a gargle and sterile nasal saline aerosol so you can launch into action AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/998454?ecd=a2a

#CoVid #saline #gargles #nasalspray #hospitalization

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0QiYtsrqcY/

Teen guys with 2 or more concussions in a year were twice as likely to make a suicide attempt as those with only one concussion.  Teen girls with any concussions in a year were twice as likely to have tried suicide.  University of South Carolina public health and pediatric researchers report these conclusions after analyzing survey responses from 23,445 students.

The bottom line:  teens suffering concussions, particularly girls and boys with more than one such event, should be monitored carefully for depressive and suicidal ideas and behaviors.  When noted, these teens should be aggressively treated.

https://meridian.allenpress.com/jat/article/58/9/751/487667/Concussion-Exposure-and-Suicidal-Ideation-Planning

#adolescents #concussions #depression #suicide