This month is Baby Safety Awareness Month. Whether you have a newborn on the way or a small child already in your home, or just in your life, New Canaan Pediatrics reminds you to reacquaint yourself with some easy steps and up-to-date information to keep children safe.
Babies aren’t born with the intellectual and physical skills to keep them safe, and so the first step in any baby safety preparation is to create a safe home environment for small children.
HOME SAFETY
The CDC says that unintentional injuries account for the 4th most infant deaths in the United States annually. Because babies tend to spend most of their infant life in the home, baby-proofing your home is essential to minimize the risks to the child. Experts recommend you assess a few common dangers including water, fire, toxins, furniture, fall risks, and strangulation risks.
Drowning and Burning
Always keep watch on a child in the bathtub – don’t leave the room or turn your head away for a second. Keep your home free of pools, puddles, and other collections of water, or keep those areas gated and locked. Similarly, keep babies away from open flames, avoid using candles, keep the child away from ovens and stoves, and use outlet covers to save curious kids from electrocution and electrical fires.
Poisoning
While we can turn the stove off and blow out a candle, most of the household cleaners and medicines we use don’t have an off switch and, when used inappropriately, they become deadly. Keeping medicines, cleaning supplies, and other chemicals away from children is essential to their safety. Experts recommend using layers of protection. Store chemicals on a high shelf where the child can’t reach, not under the sink. Use cabinet locks on the cabinets holding chemicals. Use door knob covers and gates to keep children out of rooms where chemicals are stored.
Falls and Falling Objects
Those same door knob covers and gates can keep children in safe spaces and limit their risk of falls. Gates are a must for staircases and are useful for blocking off rooms that aren’t baby-proof. Furniture in these baby-safe spaces should be free of sharp-edges; use furniture bumpers to minimize injuries in the event of a fall. In addition to watching for falls, make sure baby is safe from objects that can fall on them. Anchor furniture to the walls with appropriate hardware and keep heavy and unsafe objects off of furniture.
Suffocation
While drowning, fire, poisoning, and falls account for a lot of unintentional injuries in babies, the leading cause of unintentional injuries for children under the age of 4 is suffocation. Use cord-free window treatments and inspect your home for other thin dangling cords, cables, and strings, securely them tightly.
CRIB SAFETY
Make sure you make baby-safe choices in the one space in your home the baby will send most of their time: the crib. The third leading cause of death for infants in the United States is Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome, which includes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and accidental suffocations in a sleeping environment. While research is still uncertain of the exact causes of SIDS, studies show that a clean and clear sleeping environment reduces the risk of airway disruptions in sleeping infants. To achieve a safe environment, use a firm, tight fitting mattress with a tight fitted sheet in a crib with slats no more than 6 cm or 2-3/8” apart. Babies should sleep on their backs and the crib should be completely empty of blankets, bumper pads, stuffed animals, toys, books, or pillows.
CAR SAFETY
Once you’ve got a baby-proof home with a safe sleeping environment, all that’s left is to keep your baby safe in the car. Select the appropriate style car seat for your child’s weight and height and be sure it is installed correctly. If you are unsure about the installation of your child’s care seat, visit your fire station for a car seat check from a certified care seat technician. Infant car seats should be rear facing. In the event of an accident, replace the car seat, even if there is no visible damage.
Keeping your children safe all year round is just as important as keeping them safe this month. If you ever have questions about child safety, message your New Canaan Pediatrics provider. We will be happy to help!