imagesAs the snow blows through the city and the temperature drops, it’s tempting to curl up inside and wait out the next few months. We here at KID encourage you to cuddle up with your kids, but while you and your family get cozy, consider these winter season safety tips to keep your children protected from both the bitter cold and hidden hazards of children’s products. 

  • Look out for drawstrings, which can be found in winter coats, jackets, and sweatshirts. These can catch on other items and pose a strangulation hazard for children. Winter coats have been recalled recently for both boys and girls for strangulation hazards as a result of drawstrings. 
  • In the crib, don’t overwrap a baby or use thick blankets; use wearable blankets instead. Blankets and other soft bedding in the crib pose a suffocation risk, and overheating has also been linked to SIDS. Make sure to follow other safe sleep practices here. 
  • On the go, clothing such as heavy coats, thick sweaters, and snowsuits create too much space between their body and the car seat harness. The harness should be as close to a child’s body as possible. A good idea is to walk to the car with coats on, warm the car up, and remove coats and then buckle up! Older kids can put their coats back on backwards once they are buckled. Make sure you aren’t using an expired or recalled car seat by checking the expiration date of the seat and monitoring recall alerts.
  • Lastly, don’t forget to check the CPSC.gov website for product recalls. If you aren’t able to regularly check the site, simply sign up for recall alerts which will be delivered right to your inbox or KID’s monthly email alert. 

Keep these safety tips in mind as you and your family prepare for these snowy, winter days. We here at KID hope you have many fun and safe winter adventures.