Baby Monitor Hacking - Keeping control of your nursery technology

We keep hearing more cases about baby monitors being hacked by predators and it’s certainly a very scary and creepy thing.  The most recent case in the news was in Cincinnati, Ohio where parents heard a male voice coming over the monitor screaming at their child trying to wake her up.  Last fall in Huston, Texas a couple heard a male voice screaming at their daughter by name over the monitor.  The child’s name was spelled out over the crib on the wall.  Obscenities were used in both cases. The monitor, which is supposed to follow movement in the room, was panning the room being controlled by the hacker. Parents say if the intruder hadn’t spoken at all they would have never known he was watching and it could have been going on for a while. 

                                  

Parents in both cases immediately unplugged the monitor, which is certainly your first inclination however, powering off  the camera wipes it’s log of IP addresses and therefore any evidence that police had to go on to find out who these people are.  As you can imagine, both families felt very violated and horrified.

Police are not certain whether this could be the same person or a copycat but the monitors in both cases were the brand Foscam (one of which is shown above).  The company had released a firmware update for the camera fixing the problem however people who bought the item through a reseller may not get/be aware of the updates.

Experts say any digital video device that is monitored wirelessly, whether by cell phone, hand-held receiver, TV, tablet or PC, is vulnerable to hackers.   Some newer models of monitors have technology that jumps from frequency to frequency, making them more secure, while older ones do not.  Most newer models also have password capability which is definitely a must.  (Incidentally, anyone with the old analog type of monitors need not worry)

To keep your family as safe as possible, follow these rules:

1.       Enable and use the password capability on the monitor using strong passwords

2.       Use a different password for the monitor than you use for the Wi-Fi

3.       Change the manufacture default settings on both monitor and Wi-Fi

4.       Check with the manufacturer website for current updates frequently

5.     Be aware and pay attention to the monitors movements

Technology is a wonderful thing in this day and age but never let your guard down to keep your family safe.  These two families have decided to go “unplugged”.

Slippery when Wet: Newborn Bath Safety and Skin Care

Bathing and caring for a newborns skin can be intimidating for new parents. A daily bath is not necessary for the first year; experts recommend 3x week so as not to dry out their delicate skin. When it’s not a bath day, it’s fine to wipe the baby’s face and body with a soft damp washcloth.  Plain water is optimal but if you use a product, stick with ones made especially for babies with no dyes or perfumes and one that’s PH balanced, rinsing thoroughly when done.

Get your bathing area ready and all your items needed handy. Make sure there are no electric appliances anywhere near the tub.  Use only 2 to 4 inches of water and never leave an infant alone, even for a second.

It’s a good idea to immerse the baby completely in the water except for the neck and head to allow them to retain their heat during their bath.  Always support the baby the entire time during the bath and test the water on the inside of your wrists for temperature beforehand. It’s a good idea to set your water heater to 120 degrees or below to avoid scalding trouble.

Change diapers every 2 to 4 hours or when soiled and try to use plain water here too. If wipes are your only option, choose PH balanced hypo-allergenic wipes without lanolin or alcohol.

Babies also can get rashes and eczema and cradle cap. Use zinc-oxide for diaper rash as a barrier between the skin and acidic stool and urine. For the eczema, depending on the severity, a topical cream may do the trick. Cradle cap may be treated by brushing the scales with a soft-bristled brush while bathing and shampooing with a mild shampoo, then rinse. For any skin condition that persists, see your pediatrician.

Bath time is a special bonding time for you and your baby. Keep it fun and safe by following these important tips.

For information on these topics and more visit the American Academy of Pediatrics website at http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/bathing-skin-care/Pages/default.aspx  

We Can’t be too Safe

Of course, I’m going to start this by saying I don’t ever remember this happening when I was a kid. Thank goodness. I’m sure it happened but it was much more rare. I realize then it was a simpler time but the world is getting scarier and scarier these days. Children being abducted. Not just when they wander off, out in the woods, playing in a vacant lot or behind a dark building, but on our streets, in front of the school, broad daylight, in our yards and right under our noses.

Today we fight it harder. We have tighter security at schools, neighborhood watch and other wonderful programs like the Amber Alert and it still happens. Parents have to be more diligent than ever, even if we’re busy, even if it’s inconvenient. Even if we’re lucky and it’s never happened to us or anyone we know.

Sometimes a miracle happens and the child is found unharmed as in a recent case in Toulon, Illinois where a 3 week old baby was found under a bridge within 24 hours of abduction.

http://www.fireengineering.com/news/2012/10/01/missing-baby-found-alive-and-healthy.html

Sometimes we don’t get the miracle that we pray so hard for, as in the case just this week in my area, Westminster, Colorado of Jessica Ridgeway, 10 yrs old, found dismembered, one week after her abduction.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/12/14396130-body-found-in-colorado-is-that-of-missing-girl-jessica-ridgeway-authorities-confirm?lite

We used to leave Saturday morning on our bikes and not come home until 5 o’clock for dinner. That cannot be any more. That time is over. Never leave a young child alone, not even for a minute. Know where your children are and what they’re doing. Arrange for supervised play, escort to school and know the people that they'll be around.

If these stories don’t scare you, nothing will. If you send your kids out to play, go with them, play with them or grab a cup of coffee and sit on the deck. Keep a watchful eye on them. So what if the floor needs mopping or the laundry needs to be done, the floor can wait, your children can’t.

For statistics on the number of children abducted each year, visit the website for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children:

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=2810#1

Baby Sign Language

Many mom these days are using baby signs with their infants and successfully opening the lines of communication well before word skills are attained. Baby sign language allows children to use their hands to bridge the communication gap.

Most babies start to verbalize at around 4-6 months although at this point, it’s just babbling. The vocalizing will continue to progress as your baby’s “receptive” language builds where they can understand more of what you’re saying to them and will try to imitate sounds, around 8-12 months. Generally around 1 year is when you’ll hear their first words.

Studies reveal that babies can learn to sign starting at 8 months, with some starting as early as 5 months. In these studies, not only did it help babies learn to talk and jumpstart their intellectual development, a number of very important social-emotional benefits were also revealed:

1. reduces frustration

2. helps parents and teachers be more observant and responsive

3. builds trust between babies and their parents and caregivers

4. allows babies to share their worlds revealing just how smart babies really are

5. promotes positive emotional development

Some babies who start out signing actually learn speech faster. It’s a wonderfully bonding experience too.

So will you be trying this out? Check out the web for lots of information on the topic. Here are a few trusted sites to start you out:

Mayo Clinic website:  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/baby-sign-language/AN02127


Signing baby basics dictionary:  http://www.signingbaby.com 

...And a delightful video of a 12 month old signing quite a vocabulary on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gSZfW4gVhI

Night Terrors - What is going on?

Night terrors can be scary for both toddler and parent. These sleep episodes are fairly rare and affect only a small percentage of children and are characterized by crying, flailing, whimpering, screaming or even bolting out of the bed. Even when their eyes are open, they are not awake. Night terrors usually start at the age of about four, however, they can start as early as 9 months and go into early adolescence.


It’s hard to know what to do when this is happening to your child. Your first instinct will be to comfort them however, they won’t respond since they are asleep. It’s best to just stay with them and make sure they don’t hurt themselves. The episode should pass fairly quickly; most last between 15 to 20 minutes, and your child should go back to sleep. The good news is, they won’t remember it in the morning.

There are a few things you can try to head off these night terrors. Make sure they are getting enough sleep. Overtired children are more likely to experience sleep disturbances. Also, watch the pattern; most kid’s night terrors start in the first part of the night, about 90 minutes after falling asleep. Try waking up your toddler gently about 15 minutes before an episode usually starts to interrupt the cycle.

An occasional sleep episode is not cause for alarm. See your pediatrician if it becomes a frequent thing. For more information on night terrors, there’s a great article on the Mayo Clinic’s site at:  http://tinyurl.com/3lya4uz