Wednesday, November 18, 2020 marks National Injury Prevention Day, launched by the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, to raise awareness about the significance of injury and advocate for prevention. Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death and disability for children ages 1 to 18. Check out these tips to keep kids safe.
Secure furniture to prevent tip-overs: To prevent furniture tip-overs, purchase furniture that has a wider base, heavier back panel, and/or interlocking drawers. Anchor all furniture such as dressers, as well as TVs and TV stands. Learn how to anchor your furniture at Anchorit.gov.
ABCs of safe sleep: Suffocation, often in a sleep environment, is the leading cause of injury-related death for children under the age of 1. Remember the ABCs of safe sleep: babies sleep best alone, on their backs, and in a crib, play yard, or a bassinet that meets federal safety standards.
Check for recalls: On average, one or more children’s products are recalled each week. Manufacturers often don’t do enough to make sure everyone who has the product learns of the recall. To keep up to date on recalls and incident reports, check your products at SaferProducts.gov, and subscribe to KID’s monthly email alert including the recall digest.
Register children’s products: To be alerted to safety hazards and product recalls, register your products with the manufacturer. This is the only way to be directly notified when there is a safety alert or a product recall. Registration can be done online or by mail. Include your email when registering your products. KID has compiled a handy list of manufacturer registration sites.
A few extra safety steps can help prevent child injuries. Comment below on the safety steps you plan to take to protect your kids. You can start by sharing this blog post with other parents of young children.
