Did
you know that hundreds of children younger than 1 year die every year in the United
States because of injuries — most of which can be prevented?
Often,
injuries happen because parents are not aware of what their children
can do. Your child is a fast learner and will suddenly be able
to roll over, crawl, sit, and stand.
Your child may climb before walking, or walk with
support months before you expect. Your child will grasp
at almost anything and reach things they could not reach before.
Falls
Because
of your child's new abilities, he or she will fall often. Protect your child from
injury. Use gates on stairways and doors. Install operable window guards
on all windows above the first floor. Remove sharp-edged or hard furniture
from the room where your child plays. Do
not use a baby walker. Your child will tip it over, fall out of it, or fall
down the stairs in it. Baby walkers allow children to get to places where they
can pull hot foods or heavy objects down on themselves. If
your child has a serious fall or does not act normally after a fall, call your
doctor.
Burns
At 6 to 12 months
children grab at everything. NEVER leave cups of hot coffee on
tables or counter edges. And NEVER carry hot liquids or food
near your child or while holding your child. He or she could
get burned. Also, if your child is left to crawl or walk around
stoves, wall or floor heaters, or other hot appliances, he or
she is likely to get burned. A safe place for your child
while you are cooking, eating, or unable to provide your full
attention is the playpen, crib, stationary activity center,
or buckled into a high chair.
If
your child does get burned, put cold water on the burned area
immediately. Keep the burned area in cold water for a few minutes
to cool it off. Then cover the burn loosely with a dry bandage
or clean cloth. Call your doctor for all burns. To protect your
child from tap water scalds, the hottest temperature at the faucet
should be no more 120°F. In many cases you can adjust
your water heater.
Make sure
you have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home, especially
in furnance and sleeping areas. Test the alarms every month. It
is best to use smoke alarms that use long-life batteries, but
if you do not, change the batteries at least once a year.
Drowning
At
this age your child loves to play in water. Empty all the water from a bathtub,
pail, or any container of water immediately after use. Keep the door to the bathroom
closed. NEVER leave your child alone in or near a bathtub, pail of water, wading
or swimming pool, or any other water, even for a moment. Drowning can happen
in less than 2 inches of water. Knowing how to swim does NOT make your child water
safe at this age. Stay within an arm's length of your child around water. If
you have a swimming pool, now is the time to install a fence that separates
the house from the pool. The pool should be fenced in on all 4 sides. Most children
drown because they fall into a pool that is not fenced off from the house. Be
prepared — install a fence around your pool now, before your child begins
to walk!
Poisoning
and Choking
Your child will explore the world by putting anything
and everything into his or her mouth. NEVER leave small objects or balloons
in your child's reach, even for a moment. Don't feed your child hard pieces of
food such as hot dogs, raw carrots, grapes, peanuts, or popcorn. Cut all his or
her food into thin slices to prevent choking. Be
prepared if your child starts to choke. Learn how to save the life of a choking
child. Ask your doctor to recommend the steps you need to take.
Children
will put everything into their mouths, even if it doesn't taste
good. Many ordinary things in your house can be poisonous to
your child. Be sure to keep household products such as cleaners,
chemicals, and medicines up, up, and away, completely out of sight
and reach. Never store lye drain cleaners in your home. Use safety
latches or locks on drawers and cupboards. Remember, your child
doesn't understand or remember "no" while exploring.
If your
child does eat something that could be poisonous, call the Poison
Help Line at 1-800-222-1222 immediately. Do not make your child
vomit.
Strangulation and Suffocation
Place your baby's crib away
from windows. Cords from window blinds and draperies can
strangle your child. Tie cords high and out of reach. Do
not knot cords together.
Plastic
wrapping and bags form a tight
seal if placed over the mouth and nose and may suffocate your
child. Keep them away from your child.
And
Remember Car Safety
Car crashes
are still a great danger to your child's life and health.
Most injuries and deaths caused by car crashes can be prevented
by the use of car safety seats EVERY TIME your child is in the
car. An infant must always ride in a rear-facing car safety
seat in the back seat until he or she is at least 1 year of
age and at least 20 pounds. A rear-facing car safety seat should
NEVER be placed in front of a passenger air bag. Your child,
besides being much safer in a car safety seat, will behave better
so you can pay attention to your driving. The safest place
for all infants and children to ride is in the back seat.
Do
not leave your child alone in a car. Keep vehicles and their trunks locked. Death
from excess heat may occur in a closed car in warm weather in a short time.
Remember,
the biggest threat to your child's life and health is an injury. | 
