The home is full of an abundance of safety concerns when it comes to children. As parents, grandparents, neighbors and sitters there is much we can do to prevent a tragedy. Choking and Strangulation hazards - Make sure your baby’s crib meets the current safety standards established by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. - Make sure there are no broken or missing hardware in cribs - Use tight fitting mattresses and mattress covers so baby cannot become wedged between the mattress and the side of the crib or become wrapped up in the sheet. - Children can strangle on blind cords. Make sure all cords are kept out of the reach of children and furniture is moved so a child cannot climb to reach a blind cord. - Only allow children to play with toys labeled for their age group. We know babies love to put everything in their mouths, including the 3year old’s Legos. Drowning Prevention - Never leave a child unsupervised in a bathtub, even for a second. Most siblings are not old enough to properly supervise a young child in this situation. - Never leave a child alone near a pool/spa, bathtub, toilet, water-filled bucket, pond, or standing body of water. A child can drown in as little as 2 inches of water. Toddlers are head heavy and can easily fall into a bucket of water and be unable to get out. - An unclimbable fence, five- foot fence should separate the pool/spa from the residence. - Gates should be self- closing and self-latching above the child’s reach. - Avoid swimming after dark. - Use a buddy system when swimming or boating. Gun Safety Store firearms unloaded and locked with a firearm safe, locked box trigger or chamber lock. Store and LOCK ammunition in a separate place from your firearms. Remove firearms from your home if you have a depressed or suicidal family member. Talk to your children about the risk of firearm injury in places they may visit or play Teach your children that if they find a firearm, leave it alone and let an adult know right away. Instruct your child to leave the room immediately and tell an adult if another child shows him or her a weapon. There are so many enjoyable things we have around our homes. We just have to remember to use them, safely and responsibly. It never hurts to learn CPR and First Aid either. Thanks to the Virginia Department of Health Injury Prevention division for the above information.
