Virtual Children's Hospital: CQQA: Infant Safety Tips

Pediatrics Common Questions, Quick Answers

Infant Safety Tips

Donna D'Alessandro, M.D.
Lindsay Huth, B.A.
Peer Review Status: Internally Reviewed
Creation Date: June 2002
Last Revision Date: June 2002

Common Questions, Quick Answers

What are some common risks?

When do injuries usually happen?

Injuries often happen when children are not supervised. Children need to be watched all the time, especially children under age 3.
Children are not as alert when they are tired or hungry. They are more likely to injure themselves before eating or before bed.
Injuries are more likely to happen when children are somewhere they haven't been before, especially if the new place is not baby-proofed.

How can I baby-proof my home?
To baby-proof your home, point out possible risks and take steps to protect your children from them.

Explore your home from a child's point of view. Get down on the floor and look around. What could he pull on, tip over, climb up on, break, or put in his mouth?
Baby-proof your home ahead of time. Lock cabinets before children are able to climb. Put gates up before children can crawl. Recheck gates often as your baby grows.
Cover electrical outlets with plugs.
Lock windows or cover them with window guards so children can not fall through.
Set hot water temperature to 120 degrees F (49 degrees Celsius).

How can I prevent injuries?

Children are eager to try out new skills, such as rolling over, crawling, walking, and climbing. Parents need to think ahead to what new injuries could result from these new skills.
Talk to your doctor for more safety tips. As your child gets older, your doctor will point out new risks.

Supervision

Supervise your children at all times.
Never leave your child alone even to answer the phone or the door. Take your child with you or ignore the phone or visitor.
Never leave babies and young children home alone.
Go over a safety checklist with babysitters.

Emergencies

Think ahead. Be prepared for emergencies.
Have emergency phone numbers posted by the phone (poison control, fire, 911, etc.).
Learn CPR and the Heimlich maneuver.
Have an emergency plan in case of fire or bad weather.

Car safety

Children should always sit in the backseat.
Young children should always sit in a child safety seat (such as a car seat or booster seat).
Older children should always use a seatbelt.

Falls

Never leave your child alone on a high place, such as a changing table, high chair, or sofa.
Only use safety gates and walkers that are approved by new safety standards.
Cover the ground under play equipment with soft material.
Children should wear helmets when riding bikes, skateboarding, etc.
Lock windows or cover them with window guards so children cannot fall through.

Fire safety and burns

Poisoning

Keep plants that could be poisonous out of your child's reach.
To prevent poisoning, keep home cleaning products and medication out of children's reach.
Lock medications up in a small toolbox. Put a combination lock on it. Keep it stored in a high place.
Test your home for lead poisoning.

Water safety

Never leave your child alone near water (in the bathtub, pool, at the beach, or even near a bucket of water or the toilet).
Pools should be fenced in and the gate should be locked.
Always take pool toys out of the water when you're done swimming. If left in, children may try to get them and drown.
Wading pools should be emptied at the end of playtime.
Keep rainwater out of wading pools.

Choking

Keep small objects out of your child's reach. Give him small, soft pieces of food. Read about foreign bodies.
Read warning labels before giving your child a toy. Follow these toy safety tips.
Never tie any strings around your baby's neck, even to hold a pacifier.
Do not let children walk around with suckers, spoons, popsicles, etc.

Crib safety

Use a crib made after September 1986.
Keep cribs away from windows and cords.
Do not use stuffed animals and soft bedding in your child's crib.
For more safety tips about cribs and sleeping, read about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Quick Answers

Childhood injuries often result from car injuries, falls, burns, drowning, poisoning, and choking.
Injuries often happen when children are not supervised, when they are tired or hungry, or when they are somewhere new.
To baby-proof your home, explore it from a child's point of view. What could your child pull on, tip over, climb up on, break, or put in his mouth?
Children are eager to try out new skills, such as crawling and climbing. Parents need to think ahead to what new injuries could result from these new skills.
To prevent injuries, think ahead. Make your home a safe place for your child to explore. Supervise your child at all times.

References

CaringForKids. Child Safety at Home and in the Car. Canadian Pediatric Society. 2002 January 29 (cited 2002 March 28).
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Wellness: Infant Safety Tips. 1998 August (cited 2002 March 28).
Cronan, K and Dowshen S. Babyproofing Your Home. 1999 March (cited 2002 March 28).

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