Home Baby Safety

It’s difficult to make sense of what’s safe and what’s not in light of the recent flood of crib recalls. First, start by making sure your child’s crib isn’t on the CPSC’s recall list. Then, read the tips below to help ensure your child’s sleep is safe and sound.

- You already know that blankets, pillows and stuffed animals are a no-no in cribs, but what about the toys that strap onto the side of the crib? Music machines and the like should be strapped to the side of the crib that is against the wall. Otherwise your child may use them to get a foothold in his attempt to go AWOL from his crib.

- Remove mobiles when your child can sit up. If she grabs the mobile as hard as she grabs your hair you can bet parts will break off into her crib.

- Your baby monitor does not need to be right next to the crib to be effective. To keep your child safe from a possible strangulation hazard (the monitor’s cord) keep the monitor on a dresser or bookshelf instead. Even if it’s on the other side of the room your monitor is still likely to pick up on the faintest sounds, like your baby breathing.

- Check your math. You shouldn’t be able to fit more than 2 fingers between the mattress and the crib. The space between slats shouldn’t be wider than 2 3/8″. No corner posts more than 1/16″ high. If the numbers don’t add up your crib poses a suffocation and entrapment hazard.

- Even if your crib isn’t currently on the recall list be sure to check screws and bolts periodically and tighten if necessary. Also give each of the crib slats a tug to make sure none have loosened. These periodic checks become increasingly important as your baby learns to jump around in her crib or if she has a tendency to shake or kick the sides of the crib.

- Lower the crib mattress as soon as your child can sit unassisted. It takes some time to set it in the lower position so while you’re at it, put it in the lowest position possible, to save yourself the effort again when your child can pull up to standing.

- Crib sheets should fit snugly on the mattress. If a corner pops loose while your baby is in the crib, the sheet becomes a suffocation hazard. Crib sheet “suspenders” like those by Safety 1st secure the underside of each corner to keep the sheet in place.

- Avoid placing the crib near a window. Cords from window treatments such as blind cords, roman shades and tie backs can pose a strangulation hazard.

By: Carrie Kelley & Amy Arnold of Heart & Home Baby Safety.

Did you know that cooking fires are the #1 cause of home fires in the United States? Follow these simple safety tips to protect your family and your home.

Keeping Kids Safe in the Kitchen
• Create a 3 foot child-free zone around the stove and any place where there is hot food, drinks, pans, etc.
• Never hold your child while cooking, drinking, or carrying hot foods or liquids.
• Hot items should be kept from the edge of counters and tables.
• Do not use a tablecloth or placemats, as your child can pull on them, possibly pulling hot drink or food down onto themselves. Keep appliance cords wrapped up and out of reach for the same reason.
• To prevent hot food or liquid spills, use the stove’s back burner and/or turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge.
• Do not allow your child to play with pots and pans. They will see them as toys and be more likely to reach for them when they’re on the stove. Plasticware is a better alternative.
• Remove stove knobs when you are not using the stove, to prevent your child from turning on the burners. If possible, lock your oven when not in use.
• Regularly use phrases like “Hot. Don’t touch” with babies and toddlers. When children are old enough, teach them to cook safely and always with help from an adult.
Preventing Cooking Fires and Burns
• Never leave hot food or appliances unattended while cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch on fire at least 3 feet from the stove, toaster oven, or other heat source.
• Keep the stovetop, burners, and oven clean.
• Do not wear loose fitting clothes that can catch fire if you stand too close to a burner.
• If you are frying, grilling or broiling food stay in the kitchen. If you are baking or simmering check food frequently.
• Open containers that have been in the microwave slowly and away from the face. Beware of steam, as it can scald.
• Never use a damp dish towel as an oven mitt, as it presents a scald danger if the moisture in the towel is heated.

Top tips to keep your kids safe on Halloween

For parents and children:

Choose light-colored costumes that can be seen in the dark.
Decorate your children’s costumes with reflective materials. Give them flashlights and glowsticks to carry in order to see better, as well as be seen by drivers.
Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Walk, don’t run, across the street.
Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
Slow down and stay alert - watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and never dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.
Masks can obstruct a child’s vision, so choose non-toxic face paint, make-up, and wigs instead.
For drivers:

Slow down in residential neighborhoods and school zones.
Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. so be sure to turn on your full headlights.
Be especially alert and take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
Slowly and carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys.
Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
Treats

While pedestrian safety is a main concern on Halloween, parents and kids should also be careful when dealing with candy. Remind children to only eat treats in original and unopened wrappers.

Amy will be returning from maternity leave soon and will begin scheduling clients at the end of October. We have appreciated your patience and loyalty during this time. We’re looking forward to helping you keep your child safe and prevent injuries at home!

1) Many parents use plastic grocery store bags to line the bathroom trash can. Crawling children, however, love the crinkly sound plastic bags make. They can easily pull off small pieces, making the bag a potential suffocation hazard as well as choking hazard, right at a baby’s level. We suggest ditching the plastic bags. Also, remember that anything you throw in the bathroom or bedroom trash can is within your child’s reach so be careful what you throw away. If the trash can becomes too tempting for your child just keep it in a locked cabinet for now.

2) We all know to lock up the cleaning supplies that are in the cabinets under our kitchen and bathroom sinks. But what many parents aren’t aware of is how dangerous cosmetics and personal care products can be to children. Even items like soap, shampoo and perfume can be toxic. They would be toxic to us as adults if we ingested them in large quantities but it doesn’t take much to have damaging effects on a child’s little body.

3) Sometimes even heavy furniture, like changing table/dresser combos, needs to be secured to the wall. Many parents assume that because the piece is heavy their child won’t be able to tip it. But children use open drawers as well as shelves to climb. Just a little leverage is all it takes for a child to accidentally pull a heavy piece of furniture onto herself.

4) Don’t forget the basement stairs, even if you have a door. Many children learn to open doors as early as 18 months old, giving them access to a dangerous stairway. Avoid using door knob covers, as children can defeat them fairly easily. For in-depth solutions please read our article below.

5) Avoid using energy-saver light bullbs in childrens’ bedrooms, playroom and family room. They contain mercury that doesn’t pose a threat when the light bulb is intact but can be toxic if broken (more likely to happen in these busy rooms). If broken, proper clean-up is essential to avoid mercury exposure, particularly to children and pregnant women

Did you know that most young children who drown in swimming pools were last seen in the home, had been missing from sight for less than five minutes and were in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning.

Did you know that…

• Drowning is usually quick and silent.
• A child will lose consciousness two minutes after submersion, with irreversible brain damage occurring within four to six minutes.
• Entrapment can occur when a child’s body, swimsuit or hair become trapped in the drain of a pool or hot tub and the suction is too powerful for them to free themselves.
• A child can drown in as little as one inch of water.
• Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among children ages 1 to 14.

(Statistics provided by Safe Kids Worldwide)

 10 Tips for general water safety:

• When near water an adult should be within arm’s reach of children under 5 years old at all times.
• Don’t rely on water wings or inflatable toys to keep your child safely afloat.
• When swimming in a pool keep a phone nearby in case of emergency.
• Don’t rely on bath tub rings to keep your child safe in the tub. Always stay within arm’s reach.
• Empty kiddie pools after each use.
• Whirlpools should have proper covers with locks.
• Become aware of drain entrapment dangers.
• Remember to always have your child wear a proper life jacket aboard boats.
• Remember the other places a child could drown: toilet, buckets/pails, coolers containing melted ice, wells, fish ponds, fountains.
• Know CPR.

Tips to keep your child safe if you have a pool:

• Pools should have 4-sided fencing w/ auto close and lock gate. The gate should separate the house from the pool.
• After swimming remove all toys so children aren’t tempted to reach for them. Lock the gate.
• Any door that leads outside of the home should be kept locked, including pet doors.
• Pools with only one drain should have an anti-entrapment drain cover and shut-off release system should entrapment occur.

Something to keep in mind as you begin the gardening season (as if you have time to garden!) If eaten some cause rashes and upset stomach and others have more serious effects. These plants and flowers are categorized as poisonous by the MA/Rhode Island Poison Control Center….

- Azalea
- Daffodil bulbs
- Holly berries
- Hyacinth
- Hydrangea
- Lily of the Valley
- Mistletoe
- Philodendron
- Poinsettia
- Rhododendron
- Rhubarb leaves
- Wisteria

Mike Tyson’s 4 yr old daughter passed away tragically yesterday when she was strangled by a cord while playing on a treadmill (link below). According to the CPSC each year more than 25,000 children are injured by home exercise equipment. We recommend to clients/parents that any type of exercise equipment be completely off-limits to children. We’ve installed “surround” style gates around home gyms or just around one piece of equipment. Even if the machine isn’t on children can suffer burns, lacerations, finger pinching, and sadly suffocation (or possibly electrocution) from the cords. If you have exercise equipment in your home please be sure to take appropriate safety measures to insure your child doesn’t have access to it.