Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death in young children. Three key ways to prevent accidents are:
Toys with long strings can cause strangulation.
Keep pillows & soft toys out of the crib during infancy.
Cribs should not have corner posts or finials & there should not be any decorative cut-outs on the head & foot boards.
Check crib slats to be sure they are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. A baby's body can slide through the slats, entrapping the head & causing strangulation.
Mattresses should fit tightly into the crib with no gaps that could entrap a baby's head.
Avoid using too many blankets during sleep; instead, consider dressing your infant in a footed sleeper.
Make sure cords from window blinds & curtains are out of children's reach.
Be aware of any furniture with rails, slats or spindles that are wide enough for a child's body to slip through, but small enough to entrap the head, causing strangulation.
Do not allow your infant to sleep on a couch or waterbed. These soft surfaces can trap a baby's face & cause suffocation.
Children's hooded sweatshirts & jackets should not have strings in the hood.
Plastic bags or plastic wrapping should be taken out of the house immediately & put in the trash can.
It is illegal to have an unused refrigerator unless the door has been removed or the latch has been disabled. Refrigerators are air-tight & death can occur when curious children crawl inside & are unable to get out.
Keep picnic/camping coolers out of children's reach.
Watch out for small, confined, air-tight containers like trunks and large plastic storage boxes. Curious children can climb in during a game of hide-and-seek without realizing the danger.
Automatic garage doors have been known to pin a child, causing suffocation.
Keep balloons away from young children & supervise older children during use.
Climbing ropes on playground equipment should be anchored at the top & bottom to prevent the rope from wrapping around a child's neck.
Check playground equipment, like rings, for small spaces that could trap the child's head.