For additional information on any of the following topics, click on the links below.

Safety & Your Child | Newborn/Infant Safety | Toddler/Preschooler Safety | Schoolager Safety | Teenager Safety | Summertime Safety

Toddler/Preschooler Safety

General:

• Never leave child unattended in house, yard, or car
• Use sunscreen – apply liberally and often
• Children over 1 year should wear a bicycle helmet when riding in bike seat or trailer, or if on a little “bike”
• Falls are common from 1-3 years – use wall-mounted safety gates on stairs
• Tall, top-heavy furniture should be tethered to the walls
• Use a locking clip to secure free-standing ranges to the floor
  

Car Seats:

• Stricter Standards Coming for Car Safety Seats

  Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for children and adolescents. Please make sure that your children are protected in a properly installed safety seat.

   The state of Illinois has tough car safety seat laws!  Some facts… 

  ·     A child under the age of 1 year should be rear facing in the backseat of the car. If a child is under 20 pounds and over the age of 1 year he/she should remain rear facing until reaching a weight of 20 pounds.

  ·     The Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act mandates the use of car safety seats until age 8. Children under the age of 8 years must be secured in an appropriate child safety seat. Child safety seats include infant seats, convertible seats, and booster seats for use with a lap and shoulder belt system. It is safest to keep your child in a 5 point harness for as long as possible. Some car seat manufacturers have seats for children up to age 80 pounds. Take the time to ensure that the car seat is installed properly. To have your car seats inspected, installed, and to receive safety tips contact safekids.org , seatcheck.net (free) or safetysquad.com (paid service in Chicago).

       ·        Children <13 years should ride in the back seat!

  ·      After age 8, Illinois law requires anyone under the age of 19 to be properly restrained anywhere in the car.

       ·        A car factory designed seat belt is designed to protect individuals who are 80 pounds and at least 4’9” in height....so if your child does not meet these requirements he/she should be properly restrained in a booster seat.

   

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  In part due to a Chicago Tribune investigation published Sunday, 3/1/09,

  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-car_seatsmar01,0,2504501.story

  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently evaluating the safety standards in place for infant/children safety seats. Until a decision is made on the stricter standards for carseat compliance, the best place for your child is in the back seat in a properly installed safety seat built to withstand your child’s weight and height. Please check out the NHTSA’s statement and their ongoing efforts at their website.  http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/  

  Also, there are a few sites that will help you ascertain which seats to buy, how to install them, and how to restrain your child.

  The American Academy of Pediatrics site has important information…

  http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/carseatsafety.cfm

  and the State of Illinois site also provides a wealth of education.

  http://www.buckleupillinois.org/default.asp

  
  

Poisoning:

• In case of accidental ingestion, call the Illinois Poison Center at (800) 222-1222
• Know the plants in your house – they may be poisonous
• If your home was built before 1978, test for lead paint
• Throw out any old or unnecessary medicines
• Have child-resistant safety caps on all medicines
• Keep household cleaners locked away from toddlers
  

Other Hazards:

• Never leave baby unattended in the tub or near a pool
• Toilets and buckets pose a drowning risk
• Pool and hot tub owners should fence the entire area
• Watch for small toys, coins, jewelry, and plants within reach of toddler
• Avoid foods such as nuts, hot-dogs, grapes, popcorn, raw carrots
• Keep plastic bags, wrappers, and balloons out of reach
• Cut or remove drawstrings from clothing
• Keep cords on window blinds and draperies out of reach
• Be aware - vaporizers and warm mist humidifiers get hot
• Keep toddlers away from the fireplace, wood stove, and space heater
• Watch electrical cords and cover outlets
• Do not carry hot liquids with a young child in your arms
• Turn pot handles in when using stove
• Keep matches stored safely out of reach
• Use life jackets when around pools, boats, and other bodies of water - Type 1 or 2 - look for the US Coast Guard approval