1. Small objects, baby powder and cleaners should be kept away from the baby so that he/she may not ingest these materials.
  2. Small toys should be checked for vulnerability to breakage and small loose parts that can be pulled off and swallowed.
  3. We generally discourage the purchase of an infant walker because of the risk of injury.  If one is purchased anyway, we recommend constant supervision for your child while in the infant walker, especially around stairs. The use of an infant walker will not help your child to walk alone at an earlier age.
  4. It is important to check your home for possible physical hazards such as stairs, fireplace hearths and sharp table edges.  Fireplace hearths are particularly dangerous for young children.  The child should be protected from these hazards by gates and padding as appropriate.  We discourage the use of certain expandable type gates because of the danger of strangulation.
  5. We recommend that you take a crawling tour of your home looking for possible hazards that your infant can get into.  Electrical outlets should have plugs placed; cabinet doors should have locks.  Poisons, cleaning products, furniture polish and other toxic material should be placed well out of the reach of the infant.  Other possible hazards should be identified and secured.
  6. An infant should never be left alone in the bathtub.
  7. We suggest using a playpen as an “island of safety.”
  8. Protect your infant from sunburns.  Skin cancers are more likely to occur in people who have sunburns at an early age.  Sunscreens are safe to use after the age of six months in babies.
  9. Continue placing your child in a child car safety seat.   By the time a child is twelve months of age, twenty pounds and is sitting well unsupported, the car seat may be faced forward. A child should remain in a car seat until the child is approximately 40 pounds or about three to four years of age. Make sure that the child car safety seat is the proper size for your child’s weight.  Continue to avoid placing the car safety seat in an automobile seat which is equipped with an air bag.
  10. Young children need immunizations to prevent serious diseases.
Reviewed by Dr. Byrum on 3/22/2017