As you care for your little one, you should be mindful of everyday items in your home that can be a risk to their safety. Just because an item was made for babies, does not mean it is completely safe. Cribs and strollers can still be a safety risk to your baby. However, this means if you use them, use them safely.
Your baby’s stroller can be a significant risk to their safety. A Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report estimates there were 13,400 reported cases of stroller-related injuries that required a visit to the emergency room. Many of these injuries were caused by a fall or strangulation. Between 2012 and 2014, an average of two children died per year from stroller-related accidents. Many stroller-related injuries or deaths occur when infants are left to sleep while the stroller’s back is in the recline position.
While strollers can provide a safety risk, you can take measures to ensure your baby is safe while using one. Make sure to read any instruction manuals included. Carefully follow the manufacturer’s assembly instructions. Follow manufacturer use and care instructions as well. Do not overload the stroller because this can cause it to collapse or tip over. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to properly restrain your child with straps. Close the leg openings while using the stroller in the reclined position.
When selecting a stroller, make sure you are also aware of what strollers have been recalled by the CPSC. If you have a recalled stroller, contact its manufacturer as soon as possible. You should also contact the CPSC through their website or call them at (800) 638-2772.
Cribs are responsible for more deaths than any other nursery-related product. Within a two-decade span, an estimated 1,100 infant deaths were attributed to crib-related injuries. Crib-related injuries were responsible for over 12,000 visits to the emergency room in 2011. These deaths have been attributed to the crib’s drop-side and mattress support, which may create gaps large enough for an arm or head to fit. This increases the risk of suffocation. Cribs slats and side rail gaps can also entrap your baby as well.
You can take steps to ensure that your baby’s crib is safe to use. When looking for a crib, the best thing you can do is find one manufactured after June 28, 2011. Any crib manufactured after that date had to adhere to stricter federal safety standards that were implemented. Make sure that a soda can is unable to fit in its slats. The cribs’ screws and bolts must not be loose or missing. Make sure that all the bolts, knobs, and wing nuts are not protruding as well. The mattress must also fit tightly in the crib as well.
Upon purchase of a crib, you must follow its instructions to ensure safety. Read directions for crib assembly, use, and care. Use a tight-fitting fitted sheet. Do not hang items above or on the crib with a ribbon or string.
Baby walkers can also be a serious hazard to your little one. According to Healthychildren.org, there are no benefits to put a baby in a walker. In fact, many walker injuries happen while the baby is being supervised. Walkers accelerate your child’s movement, which can increase the injury risk. Do not buy your child a walker, as it is also unnecessary for aiding your child’s movement. These things are an injury risk, and not worth the purchase.
Baby slings may cause death because of its shape. It can keep your baby in curled up in a “C” shape, which can cause breathing difficulties. Children born prematurely, with a low birth weight, or with breathing problems are at a significantly higher risk of suffocating in a baby sling.
You can use a baby sling, but you must take measures to ensure your baby’s safety. As with any other product, always follow instructions. Follow the weight requirements for the baby’s sling. Make sure that your baby’s breathing is not obstructed. Ensure their face is not covered by either the sling or your body. If you are breastfeeding your baby while they are in the baby sling, change their position after feeding to make sure their head is facing up and clear of the sling and your body. Make sure your baby’s knees are bent, and rather than their waist while they are inside the sling. This allows them to be set securely inside. Always check your baby frequently while they are in the sling.
Baby powder, especially talc-based ones, can be a risk, as its particles can be accidentally inhaled by your child. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the baby powder may cause breathing difficulties and even lung damage. It can be difficult to keep baby powder out of the air.
It may not be the best idea for you to use baby powder for your child. Even tiny amounts may irritate your baby’s lungs. This is especially true if they are at high risk for respiratory problems. Premature babies, babies with congenital heart disease, and babies with Respitory Syncytial Virus (RSV) are all at high risk for respiratory problems. If your baby is not at high risk and you decide to use powder, use it sparingly. Apply the powder on your hands first, while keeping a good distance from your child. Never apply it directly on or near them.
According to ConumerHealthDay.com, kiddie pools can be a drowning-risk for your child as well. Even water levels of only a few inches are enough to drown your baby. Over ten percent of pool-related deaths happen in kiddie pools. It encompasses inflatable ones, plastic wading pools, and even above-ground ones. Portable pools are especially a drowning risk for children younger than 5.
You can prevent kiddie pool deaths by taking several measures. The most important thing is to never leave your child in or near a kiddie pool unsupervised. You must also be mindful of the pool’s water levels. Make sure that you have access to a phone, in the event of an emergency. You should also carry a life preserver by the pool. Learning CPR can be very helpful as well. When your kiddie pool is not in use, make sure to drain it. Remove toys in the pool as well. Your child might be distracted by toys that are in the pool and may feel tempted to get in the water to retrieve it.
While you may not think bedding can be a hazard to your child, it poses a risk of serious injury or even death in infants. Thick blankets, quilts, and pillows can block an infant’s airway, which may result in suffocation. It can also increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). SIDS occurs when an otherwise healthy baby dies in their sleep, usually because they have stopped breathing.
“To prevent your child from bedding-related injuries or death, always place your baby on their back. Always keep soft objects, toys, crib bumpers, quilts, comforters, and loose bedding outside of your baby’s sleep area. You and your baby should sleep in the same room as well.
Window blinds can also provide a serious injury risk to your child as well. According to a National Safety Council study, 17,000 children six or under-visited the emergency room for window blind-related injuries between 1990 and 2015. Dangers can come from using inner, operating, and continuous loop cords which can cause strangulation in younger children. Cords are a significant risk because children between 1 and 4 can reach them, while not recognizing the danger of becoming entangled by one.
To prevent window blind-related injuries and deaths, never leave your child unsupervised around a window. If you will be away from your child, even for a minute, make sure that someone else is around to supervise them. Try to also replace your corded blinds with cordless blinds, blinds with inaccessible cords, or shutters and draperies.
Cotton swabs are the most common method to clean your ears. However, doctors do not recommend that you put them in your ear canal. According to a 2017 study published in The Journal of Pediatrics, over 250,000 children went to the emergency room in the U.S. alone between the years 1990 and 2010. Around two-thirds of these children were under eight. Cotton swabs-related injuries include ear canal and eardrum damage.
Try not to use cotton swabs when attempting to clean your child’s ears. Instead, you can use other alternatives. They include a plastic tool or even earwax drops. However, you should continue to use these products with care. If your child’s ear wax issues are severe enough, you should contact an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor who can remove your baby’s earwax in a safe and professional manner.
Latex balloons have become the leading cause of choking fatalities in children in the United States. According to a St. Louis Children’s Hospital study, 38 percent of toy-related choking deaths between 2001 and 2014 were attributed to latex balloons. Many of the incidents involved children under six, but older children should still be warned as well. These accidents involve children putting balloons in their mouths. Some children may accidentally swallow a balloon while attempting to inflate it. Uninflated balloons or pieces from a broken balloon are even more of a choking hazard,
To prevent your child from choking on a balloon, follow age-appropriate guidelines. Latex balloons are not recommended for children under eight. For children over eight, your child must have adult supervision. You must also discourage them from putting random items in their mouth in general.