McLEOD SAFE KIDS 11 OCTOBER 2013
Like babies, young children are very curious about their environment and will touch, taste and smell just about anything. McLeod Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal offers the following safety tips to keep your home and play areas free of hazards that could choke, suffocate or strangle your children.
Choking
- Keep small objects such as batteries, buttons, beads, marbles, coins and tacks out of reach (and sight).
- Do not let children under age three eat small, round or hard foods, including small pieces of hot dogs, cheese sticks/chunks, hard candy, nuts, grapes and popcorn.
- Buy only age-appropriate toys for your toddler. Use a small parts tester (or a toilet paper roll) to determine whether toys and objects in your home may present a choking hazard to young children.
Suffocation
- Do not allow toddlers to sleep on couches, chairs, regular beds or other soft surfaces.
- Never allow young children to play in poorly ventilated spaces such as laundry machines, car trunks and toy chests.
Strangulation
- Tie up all window blind and drapery cords out of reach.
- Avoid dressing children in necklaces, purses, scarves, helmets or clothing with drawstrings.
For more information on preventing childhood injury, please call McLeod Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal at (843) 777-5021 to speak to an Injury Prevention Specialist. You can also visit www.McLeodSafeKids.org or find the group on Facebook under McLeod Safe Kids.
McLeod Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal is funded in part by the McLeod Health Foundation.