SNH baby safety

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for infants and young children in the United States, according to the latest reports (2000-06) from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, the key findings of these reports include:

• On average, 12,175 children 0-19 years of age died each year in the United States from an unintentional injury.

• Injuries due to transportation were the leading cause of death for children.

• An estimated 9.2 million children annually had an initial emergency department visit for an unintentional injury.

• Injuries due to falls were the leading cause of nonfatal injury.

Overall, motor vehicles and traffic-related accidents are the leading cause of fatal injury for children, followed closely by drowning and unintentional fires/burns. However, unintentional injuries remain the leading cause of childhood nonfatal injuries treated in hospital emergency departments.

According to St. Nicholas Hospital Emergency Department Medical Director Peg Barron, MD, “Parents, especially new parents, need to be aware of the safety hazards inside their homes.”

She adds, “They (parents) need to realize every child, including their own, is vulnerable to injuries.”

Dr. Barron is certified in emergency medicine with a sub specialty in pediatric emergency medicine.

September is Baby Safety Month. This is a good time for all parents to spend a little time each day of the month to make it safer for their infants and young children.

Following is a calendar of tips provided by www.paranoidsis ters.com:

Sept. 1: Commit to taking care of all those little safety items around the house that have been nagging at you. Sept. 2: Car seat safety check. Is it properly installed (refer to installation instructions and vehicle

owner's manual)? Install car seat in the center of the back seat whenever possible – never in front passenger side when there is an airbag. Car seat must be rear-facing for infants less than one year and 20 pounds. Your child must still be in an approved safety restraint until they are 4 years old and weigh at least 40 pounds. And in a booster seat from 4 to 8 years old or less than 80 pounds.

Sept. 3: If you have a pool or hot tub, is it surrounded by a locking 5-foot fence or completely covered with a safety cover? Are there alarms on all doors leading from the house to the pool area? Are all toys removed from the pool and the surrounding area?

Sept. 4: Have you talked to your children about guns? Tell them they are never to touch or play with guns, even if someone wants to only show them a gun, they are to leave and tell an adult immediately. If you own a gun: put the ammunition in a separate, locked place. Always unload the bullets from a gun. Keep the unloaded gun in a locked gun safe and the keys stored in a separate location unknown to your child.

Sept. 5: Do you have a fire escape plan? Write one out today and share the plan with your kids so they know what to do.

Sept. 6: Check all fire safety equipment. Are smoke alarms working? Fire extinguishers are full and adults and older children know how to use them? Flashlights are strategically placed in your home with extra batteries available?

Sept. 7: Play the “stop, drop & roll” game with your kids. If their clothes catch on fire, teach them to stop, drop and roll. Practice yelling out “I'm in here!” in case they get trapped in a room and the fire fighters need to find them.

Sept. 8: Check baby's crib. Are the slats less than 2 3/8 inches apart? All slats are secure? The corner posts should not be any higher than the end panels and never should they extend over the end panels. No holes in the mattress? Stuffed animals removed? Crib is not near any windows, electrical outlets, lamps, no pictures over the crib, etc.? Mobiles have been removed if baby can pull up?

Sept. 9: Check condition and sturdiness of toys. Discard any with sharp edges or any that are broken or falling apart.

Sept. 10: Check children's clothing for loose buttons and remove strings.

Sept. 11: Is baby's pacifier still in good condition? Be sure it isn't coming apart. Never use strings to attach the pacifier to baby's clothes or crib.

Sept. 12: Is sleepwear fire retardant? Check the labels to be sure.

Sept. 13: Review safety gates and play yards. Do not use older accordion-style safety gates (top looks like XXXXX): These are a strangulation hazard.

Sept. 14: Where do you set baby's carrier when she's in it? Not on the counter or any high surface. Babies can wiggle and tip themselves over.

Sept. 15: Are you using an old walker? It's time to throw it out. Walkers can be dangerous (especially old ones that don't meet today's safety standards); they allow baby to move very quickly and reach things they normally can't. Never use around stairs.

Sept. 16: Stroller check. If your stroller is collapsible, be sure latches are secure before putting baby in. Always check that your child's arms are out of the way when reversing handle directions so they won't get pinched. Be sure to use that safety strap. Don't hang overloaded or heavy bags on the handle of the stroller; this may cause it to tip over.

Sept. 17: Review your cooking habits. Are you using the back burners first and turning the pot handles to the back of the stove? Use the back burners for frying and boiling foods.

Sept. 18: Talk to your children about stove and oven safety. Teach them they are hot and never to touch them.

Sept. 19: If you have an unused freezer or refrigerator stored in your garage or yard, have it removed. Be sure to store it with the door toward the wall until it's gone. Children can climb inside and suffocate.

Sept. 20: How are the latches on your cupboards holding up? Have any broken off and need to be replaced?

Sept. 21: Can you name the 12 most common choking foods for kids under 5? *Answers listed at the end. Sept. 22: Don't leave a toddler alone while eating. If they begin to choke, you need to be nearby to assist.

Sept. 23: Get a piggy bank: This is a great place to put coins so they don't end up on the floor, in the couch cushions and then baby's mouth.

Sept. 24: Properly dispose of old or unused medications and ensure that others are placed up high where little ones cannot get access to them, keeping in mind, that they can climb.

Sept. 25: Never leave your child unattended in the bathtub. If the phone rings, let the machine get it, or bring a cordless phone into the bathroom with you. Wait until baby can sit alone to give baths in the tub. It's easier in the sink until then. Check that the hot water heater is not set any higher than 120 degrees.

Sept. 26: Do a quick survey of your yard every time the kids are going out to play. Is there any yard equipment that they have access to? Trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. cause injury to children every year.

Sept. 27: Check the cords on your miniblinds and draperies. These have caused many strangulations among young children. Be sure they are tied up or cut off and kept out of your child's reach. The loop of the cord should break apart if you slide your hand between the two cords.

Sept. 28: Bolt bookshelves to the walls. Climbing little ones can bring the entire unit toppling over on them.

Sept. 29: Enroll in an infant/child CPR and first aid class. This will be a valuable investment of your time.

Sept. 30: Get down on your hands and knees and crawl through your house. See what your child is seeing.

*Answers to 21: Common choking foods for children under 5 years of age: Popcorn, hot dogs, chunks of meat, raisins, ice cubes, chunky peanut butter, peanuts (nuts of any kind), hard candy, grapes, raw carrots, potato chips and corn chips.

By following these 30 tips, parents will help make their child's environment a much safer place. Parents may also enroll in an infant/child safety and CPR class offered at St. Nicholas Hospital Nov. 4. To register call 459-4636.

St. Nicholas Hospital is a nonprofit hospital sponsored by the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis located at 3100 Superior Ave., Sheboygan. To learn more, visit www.st.nicholashospital.org.