Providing a safe environment for babies and young children is a high priority for me at the studio. I have electrical plug protectors, no exposed cords, secured furniture…and the list goes on. I know that my moms and dads hold safety in high regard when it comes to their child.
I am sure that most of us are familiar with the typical safety measures that need to be addressed in your baby’s nursery. We have all heard about:
- Inserting plug protectors in unused electrical outlets and the dangers of exposed cords,
- Installing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on each level of your home,
- Eliminating curtain or window blind cords,
- Securing furniture to the wall,
- Using toy boxes with no lids,
- Keeping all supplies within reach of the changing table, and
- Maintaining a crib with no frills and closely spaced slots.
In addition to these safety measures, I read an interesting study that addresses how nursery products can be a safety issue, as well. The study indicated that every eight minutes a baby is injured using a nursery product, with over 66,000 children treated annually at emergency rooms for these types of accidents. That just made me stop and read it again to be sure I had not misread that statistic. The great majority of these cases involved the baby falling out of the product – bouncer, walker, stroller, changing tables, and cribs. The study included a recommendation for parents – use the four “Rs” to reduce the possibility of a product accident. Research the product before making a purchase, check for recalls, register the product, and read the manual carefully. You can check www.recalls.gov for recall information. I was quite surprised to learn that over 80% of recalled children’s products are not returned.
Let’s be sure that we are all diligent in keeping babies safe.
What other baby nursery/product safety tips do you have? Please, share.
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