Accidents are the major source of death and disability in children over age 1, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. This September, celebrate Baby Safety Month and the importance of keeping infants safe from harm.
St. Mary’s Hospital’s Health Connections offers an infant CPR class in which you can learn lifesaving CPR techniques and actions to help a choking infant. Two classes, one at 5:30 p.m. and one at 7 p.m., are offered on Sept. 18, Oct. 23 and Nov. 13. Classes are $10 per person. Call Health Connections at 301-475-6019 to register; classes fill quickly.
Below, tips from the Home Safety Council on how to protect your baby in and around the home:
- Put babies to sleep alone on their backs. Keep pillows, blankets and toys out of cribs. Do not hang anything with strings or ribbons over cribs. Mobiles should be removed once the baby starts to sit up.
- Use safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs. For the top of stairs, gates that screw to the wall are more secure than “pressure gates.”
- Put cleaners, medicines, alcohol and other poisons in a cabinet with a child safety lock or latch. Have child safety caps on all chemicals, medications and cleaning products.
- Babies and young children have thin skin. Install special tub spouts and showerheads that prevent hot water burns.