Keep It Safe

Dietary supplements may seem like harmless health boosters. But while some have proven benefits, many don't. Unlike drugs, dietary supplements aren't evaluated or reviewed by FDA for safety and effectiveness, and even "natural" supplements can be risky depending on the medicines you take or the medical conditions you have. * *

Freezer burn is a food-quality issue, not a food safety issue.

Most parents assume their home is safe for their young children once electrical outlets are covered and sharp edges are padded. Still, many don't consider the hidden dangers that lurk in everyday household and child-focused items.

Emmy Sasala, trauma prevention coordinator at Penn State Health Golisano Children's Hospital, says even the most prepared parents may not realize the hazards that live in their homes. Since the toy market is constantly flooded with new items, Sasala recommends looking for specific safety issues and keeping a close eye on children, no matter what they're playing with.

"The overarching theme, especially with infants and toddlers, is active supervision," Sasala says. "Parents may rely on cameras, or even if they're in the room, they may be distracted by their phone or other activities."

The top 5 dangers lurking in your home

Active supervision is always essential, but Sasala says parents can protect their infant or toddler by watching out for five specific items.

1. Batteries

You may have seen button batteries in the headlines – according to the National Safety Council, 2,800 children are treated in emergency rooms each year for swallowing them. Not only are button batteries a choking hazard, but they can also cause life-threatening internal burns when saliva triggers chemical leaks in the batteries, destroying tissue in as little as two hours. By the time a child complains of pain, serious injuries often have already happened.

Sasala says button batteries are particularly dangerous because they're everywhere – in key fobs, remote controls, Apple AirTags and musical greeting cards and books.

"Parents like to keep musical greeting cards since they are typically for a birthday, and children like to play with them," she says. "Musical greeting cards aren't super sturdy, and children can rip or chew them apart."

Sasala warns against any battery-operated item that doesn't include a battery compartment secured with a screw. Remember to check the compartments on remotes for sound machines, lights and TVs, too.

2. Sensory Toys

Sensory toys can encourage exploration, but they require close supervision for children under four. Items like water beads or small fidget toys with loose parts can quickly become enticing for toddlers to chew on.

"There are benefits to sensory toys, but they can be a potential choking hazard. Does it have small parts? Does it have magnets? Is it really made for your child's age group?" Sasala says.

3. Toys for Older Siblings

The holidays are right around the corner, and families with children in several age groups should keep an eye on where their older children's toys are stored.

"It can be tricky to keep younger children away from older kids' toys," Sasala says, "But older developmental ages can handle things with small parts, where toddlers and infants can't."

She recommends making sure toys are cleaned up immediately and, if possible, having older children play with small or hazardous toys in a separate area from younger siblings.

Parents hosting friends with younger children should also look at their space with a critical eye, especially if they've relaxed their baby-proofing as their own kids have grown. Put away anything small, including earbuds and jewelry.

4. High Chairs or Swings

Used as intended, high chairs and swings can give parents some much-needed hands-free time to make a meal or fold the laundry. However, using them as directed is essential for safety. Sasala says parents may assume that a child doesn't need the straps on a high chair or swing, but these restraints prevent falls.

She also warns parents that while swings may lull infants to sleep, infants should be moved to a safe sleep space that is flat and free of blankets, diapers and toys.

5. Walkers

As babies get more interested in the world, parents may be tempted to let them "stretch their legs" in a walker. Sasala says walkers can eliminate many baby-proofing measures by giving children new reach and mobility.

"Once they're in a walker, they can get to that poisonous plant on the counter or the electrical cord they couldn't reach before," Sasala says. "They have much more access to stairs and all the other things you put out of their reach."

She recommends a stationary activity center instead, which lets babies interact with the features while building balance and stability – without increasing their reach when used properly.

No doubt you've seen the ads for computers for "free" or next to nothing in the Sunday papers or online. The offers look mighty tempting. But how do you know if the deal is a good one? There are some important facts to keep in mind.

The more unpredictable an environment is for children, the more likely they are to exhibit mental and physical health issues when they hit their teenage and early adulthood years.

A University of Georgia study linked impulsive behaviors from parents, frequent partner changes, child care instability and overall chaos in households to poor behavior and mental instability in children as they grew up.

Homes with consistent co-parenting and routines were associated with better youth outcomes.

A Family Routine

"Giving children a script to understand how daily events unfold helps set them up for success," said Kalsea Koss, corresponding author of the study and an associate professor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences' Department of Human Development and Family Science. "Having a family routine or consistent caregiver that's very predictable in their behavior is helpful for children to have an understanding of what to expect and then to be able to build their own behavioral regulation strategies around that."

The study relied on data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, which followed more than 4,800 children from birth to age 15.

Children in less stable homes were more likely to exhibit impulsive or delinquent behaviors as teens, likely due to unregulated emotions, the researchers found.

A Tipping Point for Negative Outcomes

The youth also reported higher levels of depression and anxiety.

"We don't have to have really strict, predictable, stable environments always," Koss said. "Small amounts of changes in our lives are OK because they help us learn how to be flexible and practice emotional and behavioral regulation strategies.

"But when they start to pile up and accumulate across childhood, there's a tipping point. It becomes more problematic and leads to more of these lifelong negative outcomes."

This translated to physical issues as well. Many of the youth in unstable homes had higher body mass index, or BMI, likely due to stress.

Family Income Is a Factor

The researchers identified additional factors that were outside parents' control that also negatively impacted their children's development, such as family income.

For example, more than one in three of the families were at or below the federal poverty line. As a result, these families often moved more frequently and lived in less safe neighborhoods.

"Chaotic or unpredictable environments in and of themselves don't seem like they would be a form of childhood adversity compared to things like maltreatment, abuse or neglect," Koss said. "But we compared our findings relative to other adverse childhood experiences and found the same outcomes.

"This study expands what we think of as childhood adversity, and it shows what is important for lifelong health and well-being."

^{Source: Koss, KJ, et al. "Childhood Environmental Unpredictability and Adolescent Mental Health and Behavioral Problems." Society for Research in Child Development 3 June 2025.}

If you put less than 20 percent down on a home refinance, lenders often require you to have Private refinance Insurance (PMI). PMI protects the lender if you default on the loan. The Homeowners Protection Act of 1998 - which became effective in 1999 - establishes rules for automatic termination and borrower cancellation of PMI on home refinances.

Cents-off coupons are providing big bucks for scam artists who offer business opportunity and work-at-home schemes featuring coupon certificate booklets and coupon clipping services. Using the Internet to market these so-called opportunities, fraudulent promoters are promising entrepreneurs, charity groups and consumers earnings of "hundreds per week" and "thousands per month" simply by selling coupon certificate booklets or cutting coupons at home.

Here are some tips to help you select the best, freshest seafood:

Ads for seized cars and foreclosed homes in newspapers and magazines, on television and the Internet, and in coupon mailings to your home may sound like the ticket to your dream home or car. They offer the chance to buy a big ticket item at auction - for well below its market value. What deals! Just call the toll-free number for more information.

You can find work-from-home ads everywhere - from the street light and telephone pole on your corner to your newspaper and PC. While you may find these ads appealing, especially if you can't work outside your home, proceed with caution. Not all work-at-home opportunities deliver on their promises.