10 ways to keep your baby safe

Remember your baby relies on your for everything. Think about how it would be if you had to rely on someone else to for every basic need. One thing you must constantly be thinking about is the safety of your baby. If something major happens to your baby, the fault will lay on you. Accidents happen but as parents we should do everything we can to try to keep your baby safe.

Here are some ways to minimize accidents in your family:

1. Never, never, never leave your child in the car, unless you are there with him. Even for a second. In Layton, on June 23, 2008, a baby left in a car died. You can read the full story here: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/ 1,5143,700237253,00.html. Every time I hear about this happening, my heart breaks.
2. Kids can and do fall out of windows. Do not leave a second story window open while your kids are playing. In Herriman, on June 12, 2008, a 6-year-old boy slammed into a concrete driveway after falling from the window of a two story house. You can read the full story here: http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story.aspx?content_ id=1d97e99d-9c34-490e-9004-005b2e984a87.
3. Never shake your baby. Shaking your baby causes permanent damage death. Shaken Baby Syndrome is the leading cause od death and disability of abused children under the age of 1. More than 1,200 cases are reported every year in the U.S. You can read the full story here: http://www.cbsnews.com/ stories/2005/02/28/earlyshow/contributors/melindamurphy/main676988.shtml
4. Protect your family from the sun. According to a survey taken by the Center for Disease Control in 2004, sunburns are the most common in the state of Utah. The percentage of white adults who reported getting sunburned at least once in the previous year is 49.9%. I recommend applying sunscreen to yourself and to your children as part of the morning routine every day. Wearing hats, sunglasses, and long sleeved shirts and pants also help. You can read the full story here: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art. asp?articlekey=81463
5. Keep chemicals (household cleaners, bug sprays, etc) and medicines out of reach from your children. Inhalation and ingestion of chemicals could be deadly. We recommend keeping your cleaning supplies and other chemicals locked up. If you suspect your child has eaten some sort of chemical or medication, call 911 immediately.
6. Never take your eyes off your baby while he or she is taking a bath. Babies can drown in just 1 inch of water. It doesn't take them long to inhale water and drown. You should also use precaution with toilets- baby's can tip over inside the toilet bowl and not be able to lift themselves out of the water, causing them to drown.
7. Screw large bookcases to the wall so they don't fall over on top of baby. Make sure you take care of this before your baby starts to pull up on objects to stand up, and especially once your little toddler starts to climb.
8. Be careful when you have baby on higher object like a bed or changing table. Strap baby in to changing table when possible. Babies call roll over at an early age (as early as a few months old!), so you should always be next to baby when she is on a higher object.
9. Cut foods like hot dogs and popcorn into small piece to make sure they don't choke. Babies learning how to eat solid foods may not realize they need to keep chewing before they can safely swallow food. Also, don't give the child food that is too hot. Baby's mouths are much more sensitive to temperatures than adult's mouths are. Get your child immunized. Keep his or her immunizations up to date.