Author Archive
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Car Seat Safety
Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics advised all parents to keep their children in a rear-facing car seat until the age of two, kids to sit in the backseat until the age of 13, and sit in a booster seat until the height of 4’9 or weight of 80 lbs”. Keeping your child in a car seat as long as possible was advised as “a rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash, because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body,” Dr. Dennis Durbin said of the new AAP guideline.For those who have outgrown their car seats, there are several manufacturers that now increased weight guidelines to accommodate this new safety regulation. When choosing a car seat, ensure that they meet the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) and that purchasing your car seats in the US will not necessarily meet this requirement.
Remember, if you have any questions, Vancouver has a list of Child Safety Car Seat Clinics you can attend for professionals to inspect your car seat installation and answer any questions you may have. For a list of clinics, visit this website.
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How Safe is Your Day Care?
Just a few days ago, the Vancouver Sun released an article on day care ratings in the metro Vancouver. For over a decade, health authority inspectors visit 2,000 licensed day cares each to review 6 categories which included everything from safety to management. These categories include incidents & history abuse, management effectiveness, staff qualifications, facility physical plant, policies & procedures, self-monitoring/quality improvement. Out of 65, each day care received a report card with their own scores from each category. The higher the number indicated a higher risk, and areas where attention is needed immediately. The Vancouver Sun revealed that over 200 day cares in metro Vancouver was considered to be in high risks, and will be receiving over 3 visits this year for follow-up. At the DDA, we are proud to announce that all our 8 facilities have been rated to be in the low risk category. We take extensive measures to ensure our children are safe, respected, and guided by our caring and qualified staff and are excited to see that this is recognized.
Unfortunately for some day cares, since they report has been released, have been shut down. For some, it had taken health authorities almost a decade to remove the license because Vancouver Coastal Health Authority gives several warnings and assistance to day cares in making significant improvements to keep their license. What children are exposed to at a young age can shape the way they see the world in future, and we are fortunate this system exists in supporting the welfare of our children. We encourage you to review the list of day cares on this database prior to selecting a day home for your children. To stay abreast of day cares, please visit Vancouver Sun’s website that dedicates an entire section on this.
For the list of DDA’s daycares for both typical and children with special needs, please visit our website or contact Kathy Moncalieri at 604-233-5466 or email kmoncalieri@develop.bc.ca.
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Vote for Meaningful Causes on Facebook!
We are excited to be participating in Regency Auto Group’s “UltimateMoments” contest on Facebook. To qualify for the contest, we needed to submit a memorable moment, one of which that represented that when we work in a team, incredible things happen.
It was tough finding a memorable moment to highlight in this contest as there are so many incredible opportunities that and inspirational stories that happen every day at DDA.
After extensive research, I felt most intrigued by Trey Purcell’s family story. Trey was only 4 1/2 when he was diagnosed with Hunter’s Syndrome, an extremely rare disorder that can be lfe threatening, progressive and severe. At the time when Trey was diagnosed, there was only one other child diagnosed with this syndrome in BC. Upon hearing the news, everything changed in the Purcell family. Specialists, naturopathy, Chinese medicine, and supplements, began to take over what was considered to be “normal” within the family. Trey was eventually introduced to Enzyme Replacement Therapy, otherwise known as ERT, and fortunately things started to brighten up. Hope was on the horizon and with the successes of the treatment, the Purcell family decided to host “Tacos for Trey”, a family-friendly, Mexican themed fundraiser. Great things happen to great people and within 3 years, the Purcell family raised over $200,000 to research grants in efforts to find a cure for Hunter’s Disease.
We do everything we can to lead a happy lifestyle, but life seems to always throw you curveballs when you least expect it. The Purcell family taught us that you pick up the ball and make the best of what you have. You may not be able to change the memory that has already been created, but we are all empowered to change and create memorable moments for others.
”Although I started this journey off wanting to go buy a cabin in the woods and curl up with Trey, loving and hugging him until he died. I have come full circle. With ERT, supplements, alternative therapies, and the healthy life he’s living, I fully and completelly believe Trey will live a long and fulfilled life. It’sa nice place to be. I’ve got hope.” writes Trey’s mother. ”Got Hope” is now part of theier family motto and have striking emerald green t-shirts to prove it.
Please take a minute and celebrate and revel in this inspirational moment by voting for us on facebook!
1. Log onto your Facebook account
2. Visit www.facebook.com/RegencyAuto and “like” their page (button on the bottom left)
3. Visit http://bit.ly/gbQcx7 and “like” the photo
The winner with the most “likes”/votes will receive $4,000 and another $4,000 for a BC charity of their choice. As we are a non-profit organization, DDA will potentially win $8,000 that can provide funding for their programs and upcoming initiatives.
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Vancouver Brings Home the Gold… again
For the fifth year, Vancouver has been ranked as one of the world’s best place to live. Taking home the gold medal, Vancouver finishes first with Toronto and Calgary finishing in fourth and fifth place respectively. At the Developmental Disabilites Association, we are thrilled to hear that the world is recognizing how beautiful the city is and the many opportunities its promises. Every day, we work with people of all shapes and sizes and ethnic backgrounds with various needs because we are all different and deserve individuality. Vancouver is a hub for cultural diversity, set in scenic and naturally-inspired surroundings. Whether you are a sports-enthusiast, nature-lover, foodie, or a city slicker, Vancouver is the city that caters to all tastes and preferences.
Amongst the 140 cities The Economist reviewed, Vancouver ranked at the top of its class with a 98% score which covered health care, infrastructure, culture, environment and education. The reports identified the Olympic Village fiasco, drug trades and homelessness, to have very little impact on our scores.
Just a year ago we opened our doors to the world at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Big kudos to those who went through years of preparation to improve our infrastructures for a successful Winter games. To celebrate such ahonour, enjoy a few of our locally authentic photos from around our stunning city.
Find the list of the top livable cities here.
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