Reflection Hour #1

Today we had our first reflection session. Not many people have done community service hours, but the ones that have had interesting stories to tell. There were a few health fairs where students checked the blood pressures and blood sugar levels for local Haitian residents. Some people who were found to have high blood pressure were in denial and did not want to hear anything on reducing the possible complications of hypertension. Some children were also found to have hypertension, with one boy fainting in the process (thank goodness the nursing students were there to aid him!).
We also had a guest speaker from the injury-free mobile of the Miami Dade County Health Department. She passed out a survey on injury prevention in the home, litting things parents fail to notice until their children are hurt. For example, I didn't know that placing a crib near a window with blinders can lead to a tragic hanging if the child puts his/her head through the cords that raise/lower the blinds! It was also good to hear about car safety, as there's alot of misinformation going around as to when we should switched children from rear seats to front-facing seats.
We also learned about choking hazards, how we can tell if a toy is safe if it doesn't fit into an empty toilet paper roll (fancy that!).

I would've loved to hear more about the injury-free mobile and volunteering opportunities, but sadly, we ran out of time. I did learn a few things that I can implement in my own home to keep my 11-month-old safe from burns, posionings, drownings, and choking hazards.