Child Safety - Infants and Toddlers

When children are very young, there's a lot parents can do to promote child safety, especially at home. It's exciting when an infant starts to crawl and a toddler begins to walk - and challenging as well. Parents must find a way to balance protecting youngsters and giving them a chance to explore the world around them. Accidents are bound to happen - it's a good idea to take a First Aid course to learn what to do. These child safety tips could help as well.

Child Safety - Bathing Infants and Toddlers

Before bathing an infant, check to make sure the water isn't too hot by moving a hand or elbow from one end the tub to the other. Don't rely on a bathtub ring or another flotation device - keep at least one hand on the baby at all times. An infant should never be left unattended in or near water, not even for an instant. When taking infants out of the tub, wrap them quickly in a towel to avoid accidentally dropping a baby who is wet and slippery.

Toddlers might seem capable of some independence while in the bath, but many of the same rules apply. Check the water temperature before they get in the tub. Never leave a toddler alone in the bathtub, not even for a minute or two. If a toddler is playing in the tub, stay within arm's reach at all times. Keep a lid lock on toilets to prevent accidents and lock lower bathroom cabinets, especially those containing any potential choking or poison hazards.

Child Safety - Bedtime for Infants and Toddlers

Infant crib mattresses should be firm and fit snugly, with the space between slats no wider than 2 3/8". Don't be tempted by hand-me-down or heirloom cribs made before national safety standards were introduced in 1991. Bedding, toys, stuffed animals and pillows in a crib are fine for decoration, but remove them when the infant is put down to sleep, as they can pose suffocation risks. Don't hang mobiles low enough for infants to reach and pull down. Blankets can get dangerously tangled if a sleeping infant moves around, so use a sleep sack instead. Most importantly, babies should sleep on their backs, to help prevent SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

It's generally safe for toddlers to sleep with blankets and have a toy or two in the crib with them, as they're past the age where these could pose a suffocation threat. But it's still important that no crib spaces have gaps of more than about 2", to ensure that the toddler's head cannot get stuck. Keep cribs far from windows, especially once the toddler can stand up. Hanging mobiles should be removed then as well, as a standing toddler could perhaps pull parts off and ingest them. Lower the crib mattress so the child can't climb out, and remove the crib bumpers to give the growing toddler more room to stretch.

Child Safety - Infants and Toddlers in the Car

Infants must ride rear-facing in an infant-only car safety seat (or one designed to later convert to front-facing) until they're at least one year old and weigh at least 20 pounds/9 kilos. When shopping for a car seat, test convertible car seats both rear-facing and front-facing. In a car or SUV with a front passenger air bag, the car seat must be in the back seat, to protect the baby in case of an accident that causes the air bag to inflate.

Once toddlers are old enough and weigh enough to ride forward-facing, it's recommended that they continue to ride rear-facing, until they've grown to the maximum height or weight allowed by the manufacturer. Toddlers can then ride in a forward-facing car safety seat with a snug harness until they weigh about 40 pounds/18 kilos (usually about 4 years old). Vehicles should have a tether strap to firmly attach the forward-facing car seat to the back seat. Some vehicles now come with built-in forward-facing car seats; owner's manuals will have instructions on how to use these seats.

Child Safety - Choking Hazards

As soon as they're able, infants reach for anything close by - and often automatically try to put things in their mouths. Coins, jewelry, safety pins, other small objects or plastic bags should never be within a baby's reach. If a crawling infant is on the floor, make sure no small objects or pieces of random trash are anywhere nearby. When an infant starts eating solid food (about 8-10 months), it should be soft and mushy with pieces no larger than a dime.

Toddlers can chew more solid food, but cut it first into small, bite-sized pieces. Avoid round, hard candy, whole grapes, peanuts, mini hot dogs and any other food that can be swallowed whole and cause a choking episode. Keep food away from toddlers when they're playing or running. Don't allow toys with any parts small enough to be swallowed. Small magnets are particularly hazardous; if two are swallowed they can attract each other inside the stomach and cause serious internal damage.

Child Safety - Poisoning

Always keep the phone number of the local Poison Control Center handy. Make sure that all cleaners, chemicals, medicines and anything with potentially toxic ingredients are out of reach and in locked cabinets. Don't carry medicine in purses or pockets. Whenever possible, use products that come in child-resistant packaging. Check to see if any household plants might be poisonous if ingested.

Lead was a common ingredient in house paint prior to 1977, and one chief cause of lead poisoning in infants and toddlers is ingesting paint chips in older homes.  If infants and toddlers live in or frequently visit an older home, a simple blood test can determine if they're at risk for lead poisoning. Other risk factors for lead poisoning include living in a home with lead pipes, living or playing near a hazardous waste site, heavily traveled highway or battery manufacturer or youngsters who often chew on dirt or keys (which can contain small amounts of lead).