Are you aware that one child dies every nine hours in Canada due to a preventable injury? The Cost of Injury in Canada report, released June 2015, indicates that preventable injury is the leading cause of death in Canadians ages 1 to 44. It further adds that preventable injuries claim the lives of more children than any other cause in Canada. These injury costs add up to $26.8 billion dollars a year across the country, with Alberta leading the way with $4 billion in costs in 2010, the highest number in all provinces.
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Extracurricular activities are a great way for children to make new friends, develop new skills, and have loads of fun. As you and your child begin to select which activities your child will be participating in the New Year, the Alberta Association of Optometrists wants to remind you to keep eye safety in mind. Eye injuries like retinal detachments, ultraviolent (UV) light exposure, and foreign objects in the eye can be easily prevented by wearing protective eyewear.
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When it comes to home disasters, children are most likely to experience a fire. Preparedness and planning saves lives, but many families have never developed or practiced a home fire escape plan. I know what you are thinking: ‘The chances of my house catching on fire are remote. House fires only happen on the news. To other people.’ That’s what I thought, too, until my husband and I stood shivering in the snow while firefighters crashed through our burning home and reporters buzzed around. A brand new lamp shorted out while we were at work, turning our bedroom into an inferno that blasted out our windows. Energized by gulps of air, it proceeded to lick its way toward the roof.
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Break and enters, car prowling, and stolen vehicles are most often crimes of opportunity. In an ideal world, forgetting to lock a door or to close a window is just that. In today’s reality, it’s common for thieves to take advantage of those forgetful moments, which can result in very real consequences for unwitting citizens. Luckily, there are some steps you can take to prevent yourself from being targeted.
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