Baby Safety Awareness Month - September 2022

 

 

BABY SAFETY MONTH

According to Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, "JPMA initiated Baby Safety Month to educate parents and caregivers on the importance of the safe use and selection of juvenile products. The campaign started when JPMA initiated "Expectant Mother's Day." In 1986, it was extended to a week-long celebration, until 1991, when JPMA sponsored the first "Baby Safety Awareness Month." Since then, every September has been designated as Baby Safety Month."

Important Dates

9/1 - 9/7 National Childhood Injury Prevention Week
9/15 Tackle Kids Cancer Day
9/18 - 9/24 Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week
9/26 National Seat Check Saturday

Having a baby is such a wonderful experience and can impact your life for the better. There are also many new responsibilities to make sure your child is in a safe environment to learn and grow. This month's blog is focused on baby safety and ways to keep your child safe in different environments, so you can enjoy watching them discover the new world around them.

or put your purse in the back seat

Child Passenger Safety

   

All 50 states require the use of a car seat. 

Your responsibilities include choosing a safe car seat, installing it properly, and using it for every car ride from baby's first ride until they meet the requirements of your state law that say it is safe to remove them.
Please FOLLOW THE THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS!

Children should be rear-facing until they meet the maximum height OR weight requirements allowed by the manufacturer's instructions. Then, they should be front-facing with a harness until they meet height OR weight limits per manufacturer's instructions. After that, they should ride in a booster seat until seat belts alone fit CORRECTLY (usually around 4' 9").

Do not use a car seat or booster car seat that:

• is used, especially if it is more than eight years old
• is past the expiration date
• has ever been involved in a crash.
• is missing the manufacturer's label showing the name of the manufacturer, model number, and date of manufacture. 

Car seats expire! Check your labels for the expiration date

This and more information was found at JPMA.org.

Child Safety Tips

The A B Cs of Safe Sleep

• Baby sleeps ALONE, not with anyone else in their bed.
• Baby sleeps on their BACK, not on their side or stomach.
• Baby sleeps in a CRIB, with only a firm mattress and tight-fitting sheet.
• BARE IS BEST! No pillows, blankets, toys in the crib that could create suffocation or choking hazards. 
• Nothing should be hanging over the crib or be within 3 feet of it.

Childproofing
When thinking about in-home safety hazards, think

1. If my child got a hold of this, could it hurt them?
2. If they got a hold of this and it broke, could it hurt them? 
3. If they got a hold of this and destroyed it, would I be sad?

Some common things to keep in mind and best practice are:

• sharp, glass, and toxic products like cleaning supplies should be locked away with magnetic cabinet locks
• stairs should have hardware-mounted gates at the top and bottom (not a pressure gate)
• anchor all heavy furniture (if it is taller than it is wide, ANCHOR IT)
• use outlet covers in all of baby's areas (single plastic plug-ins are a choking hazard, best practice is to use sliding outlet covers)

When thinking about safety hazards in the pool area, think LAYERS of PROTECTION such as:

• locks/chimes on doors and windows
• pool fence
• life jackets
• CPR and swim lessons
• adult water watcher 

Product Safety
It is best to use JPMA Certified products and use them correctly every time, as the manufacturer intended. Also, keep up with child product recalls that are listed at the bottom of this newsletter. You can also check CPSC.gov for past and present recalls.

#TackleKidsCancer is dedicated to funding the research we need to help our youngest patients. Join TKC this September, and help tackle childhood cancer. #ResearchMatters #morethan4 #childhoodcancer #pediatriccancer Learn more at www.tacklekidscancer.org.

RECALLS:

August 15, 2022 CPSC; 4moms recalled its MamaRoo Baby Swing and RockaRoo Baby Rockers because when they are not in use, their restraint straps can dangle below the seat and non-occupant crawling infants can become entangled in the straps, posing a strangulation hazard. Units: About 2.2 million (an additional 70,000 in Canada). August 11, 2022 CPSC; Future Motion recalled its Footpads for Onewheel GT Electric Skateboards because they can fail to disengage after the rider has dismounted, posing an injury hazard to bystanders when the board unexpectedly continues to operate. Units: About 20,500. August 11, 2022 CPSC; Residential Elevators recalled its Home Elevators because young children can become entrapped in the space between the exterior landing door and the interior elevator car door or gate if there is a hazardous gap, posing a risk of serious injuries or death when the elevator is called to another floor. Units: About 31,000. August 4, 2022 CPSC; DeWALT recalled its 12-inch Sliding Compound Miter Saws because the rear safety guard can break or detach, posing an injury hazard due to projectiles that can strike the user and bystanders and a laceration hazard due to the exposed saw blade. Units: About 1,364,000 (an additional 118,600 in Canada). July 29, 2022 FDA; Edgewell Personal Care recalled three batches of its Banana Boat Hair and Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 because the product contains trace levels of benzene, a human carcinogen, posing a risk of adverse health effects. July 28,, 2022 CPSC; Textron Specialized Vehicles recalled its Arctic Cat Alterra 600 and Tracker 600 ATVs because a fuse in the electrical system can fail during operation, which can result in sudden loss of engine power and headlights, posing a crash hazard. Units: About 1,750 (an additional 550 in Canada). July 28, 2022 CPSC; Aesop USA recalled its Post-Poo Drops and Oil Burner Blends because the products contain low-viscosity hydrocarbons but fail to meet child resistant packaging standards and omit mandatory information on the packaging, posing a risk of poisoning. Units: About 154,300 (an additional 21,900 in Canada). July 28, 2022 CPSC; Epoch Everlasting Play recalled its Kidoozie Play Tents and Playhouses because they fail to meet flammability standards, posing a risk of burn injuries to children. Units: 251,600 (an addition 37,200 in Canada).  July 28, 2022 CPSC; NUK recalled its First Choice 240 mL Glass Baby Bottles because the markings on the outside of the bottles contain levels of lead that exceed the federal lead content ban, posing health risks to young children. Units: About 100 (an additional 77 in Canada). July 21, 2022 CPSC; Konges Sløjd recalled its Baby Mirror Activity Toys because the mirror can come out of the silicone bear cover if pushed, exposing sharp edges and posing a laceration hazard to children. Units: About 85 (an additional 18 in Canada). July 21, 2022 CPSC; Monti Kids recalled its Toy Box with Bins because the a small dowel can become exposed and detach from the toy box, posing a choking hazard to young children. Units: About 1,500.