Safety for Children- Newborn
By: Janey Madden and Sydney Terrill
Choking Prevention
- Supervise your baby when he or she is eating or playing.
- Children under five should not eat small, round, or hard foods.
- Parents should learn CPR
- Check toys for small parts, or other potential choking hazards.
- Keep an eye on small game pieces.
Fall Prevention
- Keep babies strapped in when using high chairs, infant carriers, swings and strollers.
- Secure furniture and tvs to prevent tip-overs.
- Properly install window guards to prevent unintentional window falls.
- Use approved safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs and attach them to the wall, if possible.
- If you are placing your child in a shopping cart seat, use a harness or safety belt.
Fire Safety
- Create and practice a home fire escape plan.
- Designate one person to get infants out safely.
- Remember to keep space heaters at least 3ft. away from anything that can burn.
- Don't hold a baby while carrying anything hot or while cooking.
- Avoid plugging several electrical cords into the same socket.
Medication safety
- Put all medicines up and away and out of sight including your own.
- Close medicine caps up tightly after every use.
- Use dosing device that comes with the medicine.
- Educate grandparents. 38% of ER visits involving medicine poisoning, the medicine belonged to a grandparent.
- Be alert to visitors' medicine.
Swimming Safety
- Remember to always use waterproof diapers and change them frequently.
- Learn CPR.
- When using inflatable or portable pools, remember to empty them immediately after use.
- Never leave your child unattended around water.
Sleep Safety
- Lay your baby on his or her back to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome!
- A firm matteress covered with a tight-fitting crib sheet is all you need to make your baby... sleep like a baby.
- If you are worrried about your baby keeping warm, try using a sleepsack.
- Babies should not sleep on soft surfaces like beds, sofas, etc.