Protect Your Child

Consumer Product Safety Commssion

Protect Your Child

CPSC Document #241

EACH YEAR, MORE CHILDREN DIE IN HOME ACCIDENTS THAN FROM ALL CHILDHOOD DISEASES COMBINED. WATCH YOUR CHILDREN AS THEY PLAY - NOTHING CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR CAREFUL SUPERVISION.

HOUSEHOLD DANGERS

Know where the "danger" items are- medicines, toxic bleaches, oven and drain cleaners, paint solvents, polishes, and waxes. Look for items packaged in CHILD-RESISTANT containers. Don't leave them under a sink or in plain view in a garage - lock them away in a secure place, out of your child's sight and reach.
Keep all thin plastic wrapping materials, such as dry cleaning, produce, or trash bags away from children. NEVER USE THIN PLASTIC MATERIAL TO COVER MATTRESSES OR PILLOWS - the plastic film can cling to a child's face causing suffocation.
Guard against electrical shocks. Cover unused outlets with safety caps. DISCONNECT electric rollers or hairdryers when not in use; some children have been electrocuted when hairdryers that were left plugged-in fell into bathroom sinks or tubs.
Keep children away from open windows to prevent falls. Don't depend on screens to keep the child from falling out of the window. They are designed to keep insects out, not children in. Avoid placing furniture near windows to keep children from climbing to a window seat or sill.

NURSERY EQUIPMENT

Many nursery products have a long life and may be stored in anticipation of future use. When choosing USED or NEW nursery equipment, check for sturdy construction and stability. Avoid exposed screws, bolts, or fasteners with sharp edges or points; avoid scissor-like mechanisms which could crush fingers; and avoid cutout designs that could entrap a child's head.
Safety straps on high chairs and strollers are a must. Look for straps that are easy to fasten and unfasten so that you will be sure to use them properly each time.
Mesh playpens and portable cribs SHOULD NEVER BE USED WITH A SIDE LEFT DOWN. They can pose a serious hazard to newborns and infants because the mesh forms a loose pocket into which an infant can roll and suffocate.
Use baby walkers only on smooth surfaces. Edges of carpets, throw rugs, or raised thresholds can cause a walker to tip over. Remove throw rugs when a walker is in use, and block the tops of stairways. Children have fallen down stairs in walkers.
If cribs or playpens are placed near a window, make sure there are no drapery or venetian blind cords hanging within your baby's reach. Don't hang objects with strings or elastics (toys or laundry bags, for example) around cribs or playpens where your child might become entangled and choke to death.
When children begin to climb and explore, they can become caught in small or narrow openings. Some have been strangled when they caught their heads or necks in the open "V" shapes atop expandable wooden gates or enclosures, or in decorative cutouts in cribs.
NEVER TIE PACIFIERS OR OTHER ITEMS AROUND YOUR BABY'S NECK. Cords and ribbons can become tightly twisted, or can catch on crib cornerposts or other protrusions, causing strangulation.

TOYS, TOY CHESTS AND LABELING

Keep small objects out of your child's reach. Tiny toys, and toys with small, removable parts can be swallowed or become lodged in a child's windpipe, ears, or nose. Check to see that toys have not broken or come apart at the seams, exposing small pellets that might be swallowed or inhaled. Even such common items as coins, pins, buttons, or small batteries can choke a child.
When choosing toys, look for labels that give age recommendations such as "Recommended for Children Tree to Five Years Old." Some toys or games which are safe for older children may contain small parts which are hazardous in a younger child's hands.
If a toy chest, trunk or other container for storing toys has a freefalling lid, REMOVE THE LID. A lid can drop on a child's head or neck, and some children have been killed or seriously injured. Look for a chest which has supports to hold the lid open an any position, or choose one with sliding panels or a lightweight, removable lid.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, you can go to CPSC's forms page and use the first on-line form on that page. Or, you can call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or send the information to [email protected]. Consumers can obtain this publication and additional publication information from the Publications section of CPSC's web site or by sending your publication request to [email protected]. If you would like to receive CPSC's recall notices, subscribing to the email list will send all press releases to you the day they are issued.

This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced without change in part or whole by an individual or organization without permission. If it is reproduced, however, the Commission would appreciate knowing how it is used. Write the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Information and Public Affairs, Washington, D.C. 20207 or send an e-mail to [email protected].