Safety Check

It is very important to keep your child’s safety in mind at all times. For your reference, our department of Pediatrics has compiled the following safety tips.

Safety tips

Car seats

Your baby should ride in a properly installed, federally approved car seat every time in the car. According to the 2011 recommendations on car seat safety from the American Academy of Pediatrics, “Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat (infant-only rear facing car seat or rear-facing convertible car seat) until they are two years old or until they have reached the weight and height limits of their car seat. Although this means that some larger infants and toddlers might have to graduate to a rear-facing convertible car seat, there are several models of infant only seats with higher, 30 to 35 pound weight limits that should get you to the next car seat safety milestone.“

Suffocation prevention

According to a 2009 report published by the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that over that last 25 years the number of infants who have been killed while sleeping in the same bed as their parents has increased greatly. Other tips to keep your baby safe include:

• If you use baby powder, shake it onto your hand away from your baby’s face to avoid inhalation by your child, and then apply it to the body.
• Keep the crib free of all small objects (safety pins, small parts of toys, etc.) that could be swallowed.
• Don’t attach pacifiers, medallions, or other objects to the crib or body with a cord.
• Don’t place a string or necklace around the baby’s neck.
• Never leave plastic bags or wrappings where your baby or child can reach them.

Fire prevention

• Never leave small children alone in the home, even for a minute.
• Install smoke alarms in furnace and sleeping areas. Check batteries once a month.
• Plan several escape routes from the house. Plan a place to meet right after leaving the house.
• Conduct home fire drills.
• Do not smoke in bed.
• Dispose of cigarette butts, matches, and ashes with care.
• Keep matches and lighters away from children.
• Do not wear loose-fitting clothing near a stove, fireplace, or open space heater.
• Have your heating system checked and cleaned yearly.
• Check electric appliances and cords regularly for wear or loose connections. .
• Place fire extinguishers around the home where the risk of fire is greatest – in the kitchen and furnace room, and near the fireplace.

In case of fire

• Get everyone outside right away.
• Go to your planned meeting place.
• Do not stop to dress or put out the fire. (Most deaths occur from suffocation due to hot fumes and smoke, not from direct burning.)
• Call the fire department from a neighbor's house.

Most importantly, always have supervision for your child. Never leave your baby alone at anytime, including the house, yard, or car. If you have questions regarding your child’s safety, call us at 1-800-HENRYFORD (1-800--436-7936). If an accident does happen, call your nearest pediatric emergency department or poison control center. Have these numbers ready and available in case of emergency.