ne of the most important issues in today’s society is the health and safety of our children. There are many different steps that we can take to insure proper care of our children.

Pediatrician Visits

Having regularly scheduled visits with your child’s doctor is one of the most important things that you can do to protect your child. The doctor will make sure that your child is up to date on their immunizations, which protect them from various diseases, as well as ensure that your child is receiving all of the nutrition and nourishment that he or she needs. They can also answer questions that you have about other aspects of your child's health.

If you cannot afford to take your child to a private pediatrician for their vaccinations, please contact the Thomas Jefferson Health Department at (434) 972-6269 or visit them at 1139 Rose Hill Drive in Charlottesville.

Child Safety

There are many ways that you can protect your children from the dangers of today’s society. The first is to teach them the following information:

• Full name
• Phone number (including area code)
• Full home address
• How to call 911 in an emergency situation

If your child knows this information, then they will be more likely to reach you if they are lost. You should also teach them about strangers and how they can be dangerous. Tell them to always travel with a friend if they are going somewhere. Also, if they ever do get into a situation where they are uncomfortable, tell them to shout “fire” or “911”, not “help.” People will be more likely to respond and help if they hear those two words.

Safety Seats

Another important aspect of your child’s safety is their car safety seat. The law requires any child under 40 pounds (18.14 kilograms) to ride in a safety seat. They also highly recommend a booster seat for children that are too big for safety seats, but too small for regular seats. The biggest problem with safety seats is that they are often installed incorrectly or they have been recalled for a malfunction.

If you want to make sure that your child’s seat is safe, please contact the Seminole Trail Fire Department at (434) 973-1717 and arrange for a safety seat inspection. For more information about Child Safety Seats, please contact the Virginia Department of Transportation Safety at (804) 276-9600.

Please remember to never leave children unattended in a vehicle for any amount of time. Children are curious and could put the car in drive or knock the emergency brake off. Also, if it’s very hot or very cold outside, their body temperature can vary too much and the end result could be death.

If you have further questions about how to prevent crime and promote safety, please call the Albemarle County Crime Prevention Office at (434) 972-4079.