This investigation examined whether the mode of locomotion matters in how 8-, 10-, 12-, and 14-year-old children (N = 91) judge dynamic affordances in a complex perception-action task with significant safety risks. The primarily European American children in the sample came from the area of Iowa City, Iowa and were balanced for gender. The same…

Children tend to make more last-minute locomotor adjustments than adults when avoiding stationary obstacles. The purpose of this study was to compare avoidance behaviors of middle-aged children (10-12 years old) with young adults during a head-on collision course with an approaching virtual pedestrian. Participants were immersed in a virtual…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are known to experience emotional hypo/hypersensitivity, aside from exhibiting restricted and repetitive behaviors. These behaviors prevent them from perceiving and simultaneously responding to environmental stimuli, meaning that they may not notice potential hazards. Children with ASD are in the risk…

This study aims to develop a valid and reliable assessment tool for the assessment of safety skills of individuals with intellectual disabilities, examine the effectiveness of the Safety Skills Instruction Program (SSIP) in teaching safety skills to these individuals, determine the preservation of skills after instruction by observation, and…

Statement of Purpose: Pediatric firearm access is a significant risk factor for unintentional injury and suicide. This study investigated parents' perspectives on an adapted firearm safety program, "S.A.F.E. Firearm," to ensure acceptability and optimize effectiveness prior to the launch of an upcoming hybrid effectiveness-implementation…

While firearm-related injuries are the leading cause of death among US children between 1-18, and account for nearly half of suicides among young people, public health experts continue to struggle in identifying efficacious mechanisms to reduce and prevent firearm access for children. Currently 4.8 million children live in a home with a loaded and…

Little is known about the knowledge and perceptions that inform children's safety in the aquatic environment. This paper reports on 8-9 year old children's critical thinking of water safety and safety strategies at the beach. One-to-one interview data with Year 4 students from across New Zealand, collected as part of the National Monitoring Study…

We assessed 5-to 11-year-olds' (N = 76) judgments of straightforward moral transgressions (prototypical harm) as well as their evaluations of complex, hypothetical scenarios in which an actor transgresses in order to prevent injury (necessary harm). The nature of the actor's transgression (psychological or physical harm) varied across…

The authors point out a basic contradiction: On one hand, we want to keep children as safe as possible; On the other, they suggest, learning to take risks is a normal part of childhood and child development. In Norway, research has shown that early-childhood education and care (ECEC) practitioners have, in the past, taken a permissive approach to…

No parental instinct is as intense and fundamental as protecting one's child from harm. For parents of children with autism, safety risks become magnified because of challenges resulting from fixations with narrow interests, limited situational awareness, and sensory and communication issues. So why should parents expect to do it all alone? We…

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from some 15,000 products, including cribs, toys, and a host of other products used in early childhood and school-age programs. Smart early childhood professionals act on those recalls promptly, working in partnership with the…

Background: Injuries are the leading cause of death among Canadian children and are responsible for a substantial proportion of hospitalizations and emergency department visits. This investigation sought to identify the factors associated with the likelihood of sustaining an injury at school among Ottawa-area children. Methods: Children presenting…

This study examined the effectiveness of Devereux's Safe and Positive Approaches training curricula (SPA) in the reduction of injury and restraint. Several data points were collected including utilization rates of restrictive interventions, number of youth injuries, number of staff injuries, and whether the program/organization is a user or…

A program undertaken in Sweden to teach young children how to cross the street in safety is described. (CK)

We evaluated the effects of systematic application and removal of protective equipment on three topographies of self-injurious behavior (SIB) exhibited by a girl who had been diagnosed with autism. Results showed that when protective equipment was applied, SIB decreased to near-zero levels. In addition, withdrawal of protective equipment for…