Children Safety Crib Safety Tips
Bringing home a new baby is an exciting time for parents, and families must plan ahead and prepare the home and nursery before an infant arrives. To help ensure the safety of your youngest children, follow these guidelines to select and maintain a crib for your new baby: > Find out if cribs, especially older models, have been recalled. Visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) website at http://www.cpsc.gov/ for recent updates.
> Make sure crib hardware is strong and secure.
> Remove soft bedding, pillows, toys and stuffed animals from the crib.
> Use sleepers instead of blankets.
> Follow the product guidelines for crib toys and discontinue use at the recommended age. If toys attach to crib railings, hang these on the wall side of the crib.
> Make sure the crib sheet and mattress fit tightly to avoid entrapment and suffocation.
> Remove bumper pads to deter children from climbing out easily.
> Keep cribs away from windows and window blind cords.
> For metal or wooden cribs, make sure slats are 2 3/8 inches apart or less. Corner posts should not be over 1/16 inch high. Avoid headboards and footboards with cutouts large enough that a baby’s head can become trapped.
> For mesh-sided cribs or playpens look for mesh less than ¼ inch in size, securely attached to the top rail and floor plate. If staples are used, make sure none are missing or exposed.
Nursery Safety Tips
The nursery should be a warm and safe environment where a baby can learn and grow. An active baby naturally climbs and crawls, rolls and rummages – and parents need to take precautions to make sure curious children avoid common home injuries. Consider the following tips to ensure that your child’s haven remains safe and welcoming: > Young children need close supervision, even in the nursery.
> Remove all plastic bags from the nursery area.
> Keep baby monitors and other cords a safe distance from the crib.
> Store diaper products and medicines up high and purchase products with child-resistant packaging.
> Never leave the baby unattended on the changing table and use harness straps to secure the baby from a fall injury.
> Purchase UL-listed nightlights and replacement bulbs.
> Use only safety nightlight styles that prevent children from pulling out the night light or gaining access to the bulb. Use the recommended wattage for the bulb and keep night lights at least three feet from bedding and other combustible materials.
> Use child safety covers for electric outlets.
> Repair or replace frayed cords or damaged lamps. Be sure to hide cords behind furniture.
> All pictures should be secured out of reach. Don’t hang pictures or other heavy decorations directly over a crib.
> Blind cords can present a serious strangulation hazard for early walkers. If your blind cords have continuous loops, call 1-800-311-7996 to request free repair kits.
> Install window guards with a quick-release mechanism that can be opened easily by an adult in case of fire.
> Keep cribs, beds, chairs and other furniture away from windows.
> Anchor unstable furniture, including dressers and bookcases.
> Install a baby gate at the nursery door.
> Choose toy chests with lid supports to prevent heavy lids from falling on children’s fingers and necks.
> Replace all door stops that have removable caps that can pose a choking hazard.
> Install finger pinch guards on doors or drape a towel over the hinge side to prevent painful pinching injuries.
Prevent Airway Obstruction
Research shows that suffocation/inhalation is the second leading cause of unintentional home injury related death for children under the age of 14. Follow these guidelines to reduce the risk of suffocation, choking and strangulation dangers in your home: > Go to http://www.recalls.gov/ to find out if your crib model was recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
> Place infants on their backs in cribs and make sure the sheet and mattress fit tightly to avoid entrapment and suffocation.
> Remove soft bedding, pillows, toys and stuffed animals from the crib.
> Consider buying a small parts tester to gauge whether objects present a choking hazard to young children. To approximate the test, use a cardboard toilet paper roll to measure objects and if they fit inside, keep them out of a child’s reach.
> Always supervise children when they are playing and eating. Do not permit children under the age of 6 to consume small, round or hard foods, such as hot dogs.
> Keep small items including jewelry, buttons and safety pins away from children.
> The Home Safety Council recommends against the use of latex balloons in homes with your children, as the balloons or pieces of balloon material can become lodged in a child’s throat.
> Make sure that rattles, squeeze toys, teething toys and pacifier shields are too large and firm to lodge in a baby’s throat.
> Look carefully at toys and pacifiers and dispose of those with small broken parts that could be lodged in an infant's throat.
> Remove squeakers from squeeze toys. Babies may detach squeakers and choke.
> Read toy labels and other packaging information and base your selection on age recommendations.
> Never hang pictures, quilts or decorations containing ribbon or string on or over a crib.
> Window blind cords can present a serious strangulation hazard. Move cribs and playpens away from windows. Tie up window cords out of a child’s reach. If your blind cords have continuous loops, call 1-800-311-7996 to request free repair kits to make them safer.
> Pull out drawstrings in children’s outerwear and remove necklaces, purses and scarves before play.
> Make sure that children under 6 do not sleep on the top bunk of raised beds. Verify that spaces between the guardrail and bed frame, as well as the head and foot boards, are less than 3.5 inches. |
