Parents & Teachers
View this week's video to learn important tips on hiring the right babysitter for your child, and click on the link below to download the firm's Emergency Response Guide for Babysitters. This guide will help you prepare your sitter for a wide range of situations and includes important emergency contact and other information to help your sitter respond to an emergency should one occur while you are away.
Emergency Response Guide for Babysitters
Additional Resources: Safety Links
About 21/2 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year. The good news is that many of these incidents can be prevented by using simple child safety devices that are on the market today.
Any safety device you buy should be sturdy enough to prevent injury to your child, yet easy for you to use. It's important to follow installation instructions carefully. In addition, if you have older children in the house, be sure they re-secure safety devices. Remember, too, that no device is completely childproof; determined youngsters have been known to disable them.
You can childproof your home for a fraction of what it would cost to have a professional do it. And safety devices are easy to find. You can buy them in hardware stores, baby equipment shops, supermarkets, drug stores, home and linen stores, and mail order catalogues.
Here are some child safety devices that can help prevent many injuries to young children:
For infants under 12 months of age, follow these practices to reduce the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and prevent suffocation:
Placing babies to sleep on their backs instead of their stomachs has been associated with a dramatic decrease in deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Babies have been found dead on their stomachs with their faces, noses, and mouths covered by soft bedding, such as pillows, quilts, comforters and sheepskins. However, some babies have been found dead with their heads covered by soft bedding even while sleeping on their backs.
Check Your Crib for Safety
There should be:
For mesh-sided cribs or playpens, look for:
Crib Corner Posts May Be Dangerous
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns of a strangulation hazard that may exist with some cribs that have projections on the corner-posts. Decorative knobs or corner posts which extend above the crib end or side have caught clothing, necklaces and pacifier cords as the child moves about in the corner areas of the crib. These knobs or posts have been implicated in two cases of brain damage and 48 deaths due to strangulation. The CPSC urges that parents never tie pacifiers around a child's neck.
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), after being alerted to this hazard by the CPSC, developed a voluntary standard that restricts the height of crib corner post extensions to 1/16 inch unless the posts are high and the tops are out of reach of a child, such as where the posts are supports for a canopy. Most crib manufacturers have already ceased to produce cribs with post extensions. However, there may be thousands of such cribs still in consumers' homes, at garage sales, or in second-hand furniture stores.
If you already own a crib with corner post extensions more than 1/16 inch in height, the Commission urges that you remove the extensions and discard them. Some may be removed merely by unscrewing, while others may have to be sawed off and sanded smooth. If you are purchasing a new or used crib, look for one that has corner post extensions less than 1/16 inch above the top edge of the end or side.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that babies can die if they are left unattended to sleep in strollers. They may slip feet first, through a leg opening, and become entrapped by the head between the seat and the hand rest bar.
In a recent one-year period, an estimated 14,400 children under age 5 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with strollers. Most of the injuries resulted from falls, and almost 90 percent of the fall injuries were to the head. On average, about two children die each year from stroller-related incidents. Many of these deaths happen when children are left unattended to sleep in strollers reclined to the "carriage" position. They may slip feet first through a leg opening and become entrapped by the head between the seat and restraint bar.
To avoid incidents of entrapment in stroller leg openings, CPSC advises infant caretakers to:
From the beginning of a child's life, products, such as cribs, high chairs and other equipment intended for a child must be selected with safety in mind. Parents and caretakers of babies and young children need to be aware of the many potential hazards in their environment - hazards occurring through misuse of products or those involved with products that have not been well designed for use by children.
This checklist is a safety guide to help you when buying new or secondhand nursery equipment. It can also be used when checking nursery equipment now in use in your home or in other facilities that care for infants and young children.
ASK YOURSELF:
If most of your answers are "NO," the equipment is beyond help and should be discarded. If the equipment can be repaired, do the repairs before you allow any child to use it.
Back Carriers
Carrier has restraining strap to secure child.
YES ____ NO ____
Leg openings are small enough to prevent child from slipping out.
YES ____ NO ____
Leg openings are large enough to prevent chafing.
YES ____ NO ____
Frames have no pinch points in the folding mechanism.
YES ____ NO ____
Carrier has padded covering over metal frame near baby's face.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Do not use until baby is 4 or 5 months old. By then baby's neck is able to withstand jolts and not sustain an injury.
Bassinets and Cradles
Bassinet/Cradle has a sturdy bottom and a wide base for stability.
YES ____ NO ____
Bassinet/Cradle has smooth surfaces - no protruding staples or other hardware that injure the baby.
YES ____ NO ____
Legs have strong, effective locks to prevent folding while in use.
YES ____ NO ____
Mattress is firm and fits snugly.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Follow manufacturer's guidelines on weight and size of baby who can safely use these products.
Baby Bath Rings or Seats
Suction cups securely fastened to product.
YES ____ NO ____
Suction cups securely attached to SMOOTH SURFACE of tub.
YES ____ NO ____
Tub filled only with enough water to cover baby's legs
YES ____ NO ____
Baby NEVER left alone or with a sibling while in bath ring, even for a moment!
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: NEVER leave a baby unattended or with a sibling in a tub of water. Do not rely on a bath ring to keep your baby safe.
Carrier Seats
Carrier seat has a wide sturdy base for stability.
YES ____ NO ____
Carrier has non-skid feet to prevent slipping.
YES ____ NO ____
Supporting devices lock securely.
YES ____ NO ____
Carrier seat has crotch and waist strap.
YES ____ NO ____
Buckle or strap is easy to use.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Never use the carrier as a car seat.
Changing Tables
Table has safety straps to prevent falls.
YES ____ NO ____
Table has drawer or shelves that are easily accessible without leaving the baby unattended.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Do not leave baby on the table unattended. Always use the straps to prevent the baby from falling.
Cribs
Slats are spaced no more than 2 3/8 inches (60 mm) apart.
YES ____ NO ____
No slats are missing or cracked.
YES ____ NO ____
Mattress fits snugly--less than two finger width between edge or mattress and crib side.
YES ____ NO ____
Mattress support is securely attached to the head and footboards.
YES ____ NO ____
Corner posts are no higher than 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) to prevent entanglement of clothing or other objects worn by child.
YES ____ NO ____
No cutouts in the head and footboards, which allow head entrapment.
YES ____ NO ____
Drop-side latches cannot be easily released by baby.
YES ____ NO ____
Drop-side latches securely hold sides in raised position.
YES ____ NO ____
All screws or bolts which secure components of crib are present and tight.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Do not place crib near draperies or blinds where child could become entangled and strangle on the cords. When the child reaches 35 inches in height or can climb and/or fall over the sides, the crib should be replaced with a bed.
Crib Toys
No strings with loops or openings having perimeters greater than 14 inches (356 mm)
YES ____ NO ____
No strings or cords longer than 7 inches (178 mm) should dangle into the crib.
YES ____ NO ____
Crib gym has label warning to remove from crib when child can push up on hands and knees or reaches 5 months of age, whichever comes first.
YES ____ NO ____
Components of toys are not small enough to be a choking hazard.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Avoid hanging toys across the crib or on crib corner posts with strings long enough to result in strangulation. Remove crib gyms when child is able to pull or push up on hands and knees.
Gates and Enclosures
Openings in gate are too small to entrap a child's head.
YES ____ NO ____
Gate has a pressure bar or other fastener that will resist forces exerted by a child.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: To avoid head entrapment, do not use accordion-style gates or expandable enclosures with large v-shaped openings along the top edge, or diamond-shaped openings within.
High Chairs
High chair has waist and crotch restraining straps that are independent of the tray.
YES ____ NO ____
Tray locks securely.
YES ____ NO ____
Buckle on waist strap is easy to use.
YES ____ NO ____
High chair has a wide stable base.
YES ____ NO ____
Caps or plugs on tubing are firmly attached and cannot be pulled off and choke a child.
YES ____ NO ____
If it is a folding high chair, it has an effective locking device to keep the chair from collapsing.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Always use restraining straps; otherwise child can slide under the tray and strangle.
Hook-On Chairs
Chair has a restraining strap to secure the child.
YES ____ NO ____
Chair has a clamp that locks onto the table for added security.
YES ____ NO ____
Caps or plugs on tubing are firmly attached and cannot be pulled off and choke a child.
YES ____ NO ____
Hook-on chair has a warning never to place the chair where the child can push off with feet.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Don't leave a child unattended in a hook-on chair.
Pacifiers
No ribbon, string, cord or yarn attached to pacifier.
YES ____ NO ____
Shield is large enough and firm enough to not fit in child's mouth.
YES ____ NO ____
Guard or shield has ventilation holes so the baby can breath if the shield does get into the mouth.
YES ____ NO ____
Pacifier nipple has no holes or tears that might cause it to break off in baby's mouth.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: To prevent strangulation, never hang pacifier or other items on a string around a baby's neck.
Playpens
Drop-side mesh playpen or crib has label warning never to leave side in the down position.
YES ____ NO ____
Mesh has small weave (less than 1/4 inch openings).
YES ____ NO ____
Mesh has no tears, holes or loose threads.
YES ____ NO ____
Mesh is securely attached to top rail and floor plate.
YES ____ NO ____
Top rail cover has no tears or holes.
YES ____ NO ____
Wooden playpen has slats spaced no more than 2 inches (60 mm) apart.
YES ____ NO ____
If staples are used in construction, they are firmly installed and none are missing or loose.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Never leave an infant in a mesh playpen or crib with the drop-side down. Even a very young infant can roll into the space between the mattress and loose mesh side and suffocate.
Rattles, Squeeze Toys, Teethers
Rattles, squeeze toys and teethers are too large to lodge in a baby's throat.
YES ____ NO ____
Rattles are of sturdy construction that will not break apart in use.
YES ____ NO ____
Squeeze toys do not contain a squeaker that could detach and choke a baby.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Take rattles, squeeze toys, teethers and other toys out of the crib or playpen when the baby sleeps to prevent suffocation.
Strollers and Carriages
Wide base to prevent tipping.
YES ____ NO ____
Seat belt and crotch strap securely attached to frame.
YES ____ NO ____
Seat belt buckle is easy to use.
YES ____ NO ____
Brakes securely lock the wheel(s).
YES ____ NO ____
Shopping basket is low on the back and directly over or in front of rear wheels for stability.
YES ____ NO ____
When used in carriage position, leg hold openings can be closed.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Always secure the seat belts. Never leave a child unattended in a stroller. Keep children's hands away from pinching areas when stroller is being folded or unfolded or the seat back is being reclined.
Toy Chests
No lid latch which could entrap child within the chest.
YES ____ NO ____
Hinged lid has a spring-loaded lid support that will support the lid in any position and will not require periodic adjustment.
YES ____ NO ____
Chest has ventilation holes or spaces in front or sides, or under the lid should a child get inside.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: If you already own a toy chest or trunk with a freely falling lid, remove the lid to avoid a head injury to a small child, or install a spring-loaded lid support.
Walkers
Wide wheelbase for stability.
YES ____ NO ____
Covers over coil springs to avoid finger pinching.
YES ____ NO ____
Seat is securely attached to frame or walker.
YES ____ NO ____
No x-frames that could pinch or amputate fingers.
YES ____ NO ____
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Place gates or guards at top of all stairways, or keep stairway doors closed to prevent falls. Do not use walker as baby sitters.
Crib gyms, exercisers, kickers, and similar toys are attractive additions to a child's environment, but they are DANGEROUS as well. The risk of strangulation begins when children are just starting to push up on hands and knees, usually about 5 months old. These children can pull themselves up to a hanging crib toy and become entangled or fall forward over it; but they cannot disentangle themselves, support their own weight, or lift themselves off the toy. The results can be injury or death.
Completely remove such toys from the crib or playpen. Do not merely untie one end and allow the toy to dangle because strangulation is still a possibility.
Keeping your child's environment free of choking hazards is so important for their safety. Montlick & Associates' Family Safety Advocate, Jacquie Palisi, shares tips to help you recognize and remove choking hazards from your home. Plus download additional safety information and guidelines, including how to respond should a choking incident occur.
Strings, cords, necklaces, and other items tied around the neck can strangle infants. In recent years, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received reports of two to three deaths annually to children under two years old who were strangled by strings, cords, ribbons, or necklaces around their necks. Most of the deaths involved pacifiers tied around the child's neck. Many of the others involved necklaces. Usually, the string, cord, or necklace became caught on some product such as a crib or playpen. In other cases, the string or cord became tightly wrapped or twisted around the child's neck.
Never tie pacifiers, necklaces, toys, or other items around a child's neck. Never leave cords of any kind near an infant. Take off bibs or other clothing tied around a child's neck before putting the child in a crib or playpen.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents and guardians of young children about strangulation hazards associated with certain toy chests and other containers.
A 13-month old boy was found dead with his head inside his toy chest and his neck over the edge. Trapped in this position by the fallen lid, he died of asphyxiation.
The agency's data indicate that since 1975, at least 45 reported fatalities and three incidents of brain damage have resulted from the lids of boxes or chests used for toy storage falling on children's heads or necks. These have included chests specifically manufactured for toy storage, as well as trunks, wicker chests, wooden storage chests, decorative cubes and similar items with hinged lids used to store toys.
Most of the victims in these accidents were under two years of age. Typically accidents occurred when children were reaching into the chest and the lid dropped on their hands or trapped them at the neck.
Another potentially fatal, but less frequent hazard is suffocation. These accidents happened when children climbed into toy chests to hide or sleep. Because the toy chests were not adequately ventilated, the victims suffocated in the enclosed space.
Since 1991, CPSC has received reports of 130 strangulations involving cords on window blinds: 114 strangulations involve the outer pull cords and 16 involve the inner cords that run through the blind slats.
In 1995, CPSC worked with the window covering industry to redesign new window blinds to eliminate the outer loop on the end of the pull cords and provide free repair kits so consumers could fix their existing blinds. Window blinds sold since 1995 no longer have pull cords ending in loops.
Last year, CPSC began a new investigation of window blind deaths. In an extensive review of incidents, CPSC found that children could also become entangled in the inner cords that are used to raise the slats of blinds. These entrapments occur when a young child pulls on an inner cord and it forms a loop that a child can hang in. All of these deaths involved children in cribs placed next to windows. In most cases, the outer pull cords were placed out of reach, but the children still strangled when they pulled on the inner cords of the blinds. The strangulation victims ranged in age from 9 months to 17 months.
As a result of the CPSC investigation, the industry has further redesigned window blinds. Newly manufactured blinds will have attachments on the pull cords so that the inner cords can't form a loop if pulled by a young child. Consumers with existing blinds should have them repaired.
Consumers who have window blinds with cords in their homes should immediately call, toll-free, (800) 506-4636, to receive a free repair kit for each set of blinds in their home. The repair kit will include small plastic attachments to prevent the inner cords from being pulled loose.
Parents should keep window covering cords and chains permanently out of the reach of children. Never place a child's crib within reach of a window blind. Unless the cords can be completely removed from the child's reach, including when the child climbs on furniture, CPSC recommends against knotting or tying the cords together because this creates a new loop in which a child could become entangled.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received an average of about 25 reports a year describing deaths to children who suffocated due to plastic bags. Almost 90 percent of them were under one year of age. Recent reports often describe bags originally used for dry cleaning or storage. Some may have been used to protect bedding and furniture, and others just were not carefully discarded.
Most dry cleaning bags and some other plastic bags bear a voluntary label such as:
"Warning: To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this plastic bag away from babies and children. Do not use this bag in cribs, beds, carriages or playpens. The plastic bag could block nose and mouth and prevent breathing. This bag is not a toy."
The CPSC has reports of children suffocating with plastic bags in cases like these:
Never put children to sleep on or near plastic bags.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents and guardians of young children about the suffocation hazard presented by uninflated toy balloons and pieces of broken balloons.
Accidents involving balloons tend to occur in two ways. Some children have sucked uninflated balloons into their mouths, often while attempting to inflate them. This can occur when a child who is blowing up the balloon inhales or takes a breath to prepare for the next blow, and draws the balloon back into the mouth and throat. Some deaths may have resulted when children swallowed uninflated balloons they were sucking or chewing on. The CPSC knows of one case in which a child was chewing on an uninflated balloon when she fell from a swing. The child hit the ground and, in a reflex action, inhaled sharply. She suffocated on the balloon.
The second kind of accident involves balloon pieces. Children have drawn pieces of broken balloons that they were playing with into their throats. If a balloon breaks and is not discarded, for example, some children may continue to play with it, chewing on pieces of the balloon or attempting to stretch it across their mouths and suck or blow bubbles in it. These balloon pieces are easily sucked into the throat and lungs. Balloons mold to the throat and lungs and can completely block breathing.
Because of the danger of suffocation, the CPSC recommends that parents and guardians do not allow children under the age of eight to play with uninflated balloons without supervision. The CPSC does not believe that a completely inflated balloon presents a hazard to young children. If the balloon breaks, however, CPSC recommends that parents immediately collect the pieces of the broken balloon and dispose of them out of the reach of young children.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents and guardians of young children about strangulation hazards associated with certain toy chests and other containers.
A 13-month old boy was found dead with his head inside his toy chest and his neck over the edge. Trapped in this position by the fallen lid, he died of asphyxiation.
The agency's data indicate that since 1975, at least 45 reported fatalities and three incidents of brain damage have resulted from the lids of boxes or chests used for toy storage falling on children's heads or necks. These have included chests specifically manufactured for toy storage, as well as trunks, wicker chests, wooden storage chests, decorative cubes and similar items with hinged lids used to store toys.
Most of the victims in these accidents were under two years of age. Typically accidents occurred when children were reaching into the chest and the lid dropped on their hands or trapped them at the neck.
Another potentially fatal, but less frequent hazard is suffocation. These accidents happened when children climbed into toy chests to hide or sleep. Because the toy chests were not adequately ventilated, the victims suffocated in the enclosed space.
Sources: The safety tips in this section were compiled from the following great internet resources: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (http://www.cpsc.gov)