Safety Tips from Arizona Childproofers: October 2020

Important Dates

SIDS AWARENESS MONTH
PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS AWARENESS MONTH
10/4 - 10/10 Fire Prevention Week
10/9 - 10/15 Baby Loss Awareness Week
10/23 Breast Cancer Now's WEAR IT PINK DAY
10/31 Halloween

It's FALL YA'LL!

October can be an exciting time for children and adults alike! The weather is cooling down, spooky decorations are being put up, and kids are deciding on their costumes and dreaming of sugar! This month's blog is providing some trick-or-treating tips for a fun night to remember. We are also raising awareness about SIDS and how to reduce the risk. We hope this information helps you and keeps your little pumpkins safe.

According to Safe to Sleep,

SIDS is a sudden and silent medical disorder that can happen to an infant who seems healthy.
SIDS is sometimes called "crib death" or "cot death" because it is associated with the time when the baby is sleeping. Cribs themselves don't cause SIDS, but the baby's sleep environment can influence sleep-related causes of death.
SIDS is the leading cause of death among babies between 1 month and 1 year of age.
About 1,360 babies died of SIDS in 2017, the last year for which such statistics are available.
Most SIDS deaths happen in babies between 1 month and 4 months of age, and the majority (90%) of SIDS deaths happen before a baby reaches 6 months of age. However, SIDS deaths can happen anytime during a baby's first year.

Ways to Help Protect your Baby from SIDS

Ensure the crib is properly assembled.
Always place baby on their back to sleep.
Remove everything from the crib other than the mattress and fitted sheets (i.e. stuffed animals, pillows, blankets and bumpers.)
Use a firm mattress.
Do not overdress your baby when they sleep.
Use a sleep sack, not sheets.
Baby sharing parents room for at least the first 6 months can reduce the risk of SIDS.
Baby should not sleep with other infants in the crib or in a bed/on a couch with adults.
Keep a pollutant/ smoke-free room.
Breastfeeding or using expressed milk for the first 6 months can reduce the risk of SIDS.
Limit baby's exposure to persons who have colds or other respiratory infections.

CDC Safety Tips

Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses. There are several safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween. If you may have COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters.

Wear masks

Wear a mask at all times when around people who don’t live in your household to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Avoid singing, chanting, or shouting, especially when not wearing a mask and within 6 feet of others.

Do not use costume masks in place of cloth masks

Do not use a costume mask (such as for Halloween) as a substitute for a cloth mask unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers your mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around your face.
Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.

Social distance and limit close contact

Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet or more from people you don’t live with. Be particularly mindful in areas where it may harder to keep this distance, such as restrooms and eating areas.
Avoid using restroom facilities at high traffic times, such as at the end of a public event.
Minimize gestures that promote close contact. For example, do not shake hands, elbow bump, or give hugs. Instead wave and verbally greet others.

Halloween Safety Tips

BEFORE YOU LEAVE

EAT A HEALTHY MEAL
REVIEW the safety rules (see below)
DO a safety check on the costumes to be sure everything works, there are no tripping hazards and if wearing a mask the child can see forward and sideways

HALLOWEEN NIGHT SAFETY RULES

NO running
Stay with the group
KIDS UNDER 12 should 'Trick or Treat" and cross streets with an adult at corners and crosswalks.
Establish a route you will be going on
Stay on the sidewalk, do not dart into the street
LOOK BOTH WAYS before crossing the street
WATCH FOR CARS turning or backing up.
Stop at only familiar houses and only those with a porch light on.
NEVER go inside a house to get a treat, stay on the porch
Don't play near lit Jack 'O Lanterns
No eating candy till you get home and check it

CANDY

Try to get reflective candy bags or buckets to make kids more visible
INSPECT all candy BEFORE your child eats even one piece
- Toss candy with faded wrappers, with holes or tears or no wrapper at all
- Remove candy that can be a choking hazard especially for those under 3 years old
DO NOT eat food products - from people you don't know, set aside and discard later
LIMIT the amount of candy your child eats to avoid a tummy ache
Keep the candy up and out of the way

DRIVING

SLOW DOWN... especially in residential neighborhoods
BE ALERT! Children are excited on Halloween
TAKE EXTRA TIME to look at intersections, medians, and curbs
Enter and exit driveways or alleys carefully and slowly
ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS inside your car - be hyper vigilant
Turn headlights on early to see children sooner

DO NOT drink and drive. DO NOT talk on the phone or text and drive. WATCH for kids!

See LOWER, MODERATE, and HIGHER Risk Activities suggested by the CDC here.

Give us a call for more information at:

480-634-7366

or contact us through:

Safety Tips from Arizona Childproofers

Pages

Thursday, October 29, 2020

HALLOWEEN NIGHT SAFETY CHECKLIST from Arizona Childproofers

Thursday, October 22, 2020

CDC Safe Sleep Tips Video

Monday, October 19, 2020

Fun and Safe Halloween Alternatives

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

SIDS, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month 2020