Safer Child Products

I remember when we had our first child 12 years ago, we couldn’t wait to decorate the nursery purchase the crib bedding.  Although we knew we could not use the blanket in the crib, the bumpers were part of the décor. Of course they also helped prevent the baby from getting stuck between the slats of the crib, or bumping their heads.  Today, parents are urged not to use bumpers or any soft/ loose items in the crib.  Not even sleep positioners.  Sleep positioners have been a very popular item, whether your child has reflux, or just to hold them in position in the crib. 

Last week I saw articles all over, reporting on the renewed FDA and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warnings. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/officials-warn-against-baby-sleep-positioners/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss  “As of Wednesday, the agency is explicitly advising parents to stop using sleep positioners, and it has asked manufacturers of the devices to submit clinical data showing that the benefits of their products outweigh the risk of serious harm. In addition to avoiding the devices, experts say, parents should keep things like pillows, comforters, quilts and bumpers away from their infants and their cribs. Soft bedding can increase the likelihood of a baby suffocating.”  The American Academy of Pediatrics stated their support of the FDA the CPSC warnings back in 2010.  http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/CPSC-FDA-Warning-on-Infant-Sleep-Positioners.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token

Just because as adults we use pillows when we sleep, does not mean that babies should have pillows.  Babies are wiggly and will change their position. Heed these warnings and find other ways, outside the crib to decorate.

Let’s keep all our children safe.

Safer Child Products

My children have outgrown the “put everything in my mouth” stage, and are very into Legos and beads and toys with small parts!  However we have plenty of friends and family with small children.  When we are preparing to have them over, we go through the house looking for small pieces and removing them from reach.

It reminded me of when we first baby proofed our home and thought I’d share some insights for those of you who might first be getting to that stage.

You may wonder “When do I need to start baby proofing my home?”  As your baby begins to get mobile, working his way across the room, it’s a good time to get down on your hands and knees and see what your baby sees.

First, consider putting gates at the top and bottom of stairwells, because before you know it you will turn around and the baby will be down the hall.  With an open stairwell, the baby might fall down and get badly hurt.  You will find that stairs are very appealing to little ones on the move, and they might spend quite a bit of time trying to climb the stairs.  In time, this is a skill that you can teach them, but again, once they start up, they are likely to fall down, or to get stuck not knowing how to get down.

 Next, think about the electrical outlets. Children tend to stick things in holes, and explore anything sticking out.  You can get individual outlet plug covers, or get a new “face” for your outlet that has the holes either twisted or slid off center.  These still provide easy access for an adult to use the outlet when necessary, but does not leave the baby vulnerable.

 
Consider keeping extra outlet plug covers with you so when you travel or go to someone’s house which is not baby proofed, you can stick the outlet covers in the plugs in the room where the baby is spending time.

Drawer Latches: Baby will try to pull themselves up on tables, chairs, cabinet doors, anything they can reach.  They may also sit and open/close over and over again.  Decide which cabinets and drawers do not have potentially dangerous things in them and keep them unlocked.  Drawers that have sharp utensils, or breakable dishes in a low cabinet may need to get locked.  There are many different child safety locks on the market.  Some work with magnets, others on springs and some just need to be pushed down with some force to clear the doorframe.  Along with door latches, don’t forget to move all cleaning supplies/detergents up to a high shelf/ or locked cabinet.

 

Some other things to consider, is bolting down air vent covers, so children do not get cut or throw things down into the vent. Also, bolting tall or heavy furniture to the walls prevents furniture, books, TVs etc. from being pulled down onto a child who is just trying to stand up, or explore.

 Be aware of what type of household plants you have, as some may be poisonous and you may not want a plant that frequently drops leaves or “needles” easily accessible to a young child.

Toilet Locks can be helpful so that children do not play in the toilet, and watch out for drawstrings on window blinds which can choke a child.

You can also purchase a clear shatterproof guard for the spindles on the banister, whether they are too wide or are just in a 2^nd story foyer.  This prevents children from climbing on the spindles and from losing things through them.  If the space is too wide between spindles, it is possible for a child to get his head caught in between.

Bifold doors can easily pinch a child’s fingers.  Getting a simple slide lock goes over the top of the door and tightens to prevent door from opening.

For these and other baby proofing items check out http://www.kidsafeinc.com/?gclid=CKaZ846jsKYCFYHc4AodGifKnw

Safer Child Products

Last October, in an ongoing effort to prevent SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) made a statement that Pediatricians should Discourage the use of Crib Bumpers, stating that babies can suffocate against them, or get strangled in them. The AAP states that there is no evidence proving that bumpers prevent injury. Crib bumpers are equated with other soft bedding and toys and just don’t belong in the crib.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-10-18/news/ct-met-crib-bumper-warning-20111018_1_bumper-pads-pillows-or-medical-issues-crib-and-tie

For other tips on sleep safety see http://aapnews.aappublications.org/content/29/1/28.2.full

Safer Child Products

Be cautious when you use hand me down baby products. Be sure that you have the owner’s manual/directions and that you have all the parts.  Check products for recalls at http://www.cpsc.gov/cgi-bin/firm.aspx .

Earlier this month, a co-sleeper that was sold between Sept 1997 and Dec 20001 was recalled due to a risk of suffocation http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11187.html?tab=recalls .  Yes, even after all these years! Cribs are no longer being made with drop sides because children were getting caught between the mattress and the drop-side rail.  Car seats now have expiration dates.  Look for it on a sticker on embossed in the plastic somewhere on the car seat!

Be an educated consumer and put child safety first!

Safer Child Products

In December 2010, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) approved new stricter laws for Crib Safety relating to manufacture, sale and testing.  The newest recommendations are to NOT use a drop side crib, or one that is more than 10 years old. Only use hardware that comes with the crib or an immobilizer from the manufacturer of That Crib.  Never try to adapt or repair a broken crib on your own. Be sure that you follow all manufacturer instructions when assembling the crib and be sure that all screws and connectors are tight.   The slats in the crib must be no greater than 2 3/8 inches apart.  Use a firm mattress that fits securely in the crib, not leaving any gaps between the mattress and the rails. Keep all cords (blinds, monitors or toys) out of and away from the crib. For more details on crib safety and to see if your crib was recalled, visit the CPSC’s Crib Information Center at http://www.cpsc.gov/info/cribs/index.html and watch the video called “CPSC Moms Ask Questions About Crib Safety”.