Childproofing & Car Seat Safety

Injuries are a leading cause of harm to young children, and most can be prevented.
A few simple changes make a big difference as your child crawls, walks, and climbs.

Choking: keep small objects, balloons, and button batteries out of reach. Cut food into small pieces.
Poison: lock up cleaners, medicines, and vitamins, out of reach and sight, in their original containers. Keep purses with medicine away from your child.
Water: never leave your child alone in or near water, even for a second. A child can drown in just 2 inches of water.
Falls: use safety gates at stairs and guards on windows.
Tip-overs: anchor TVs and furniture like dressers and bookshelves to the wall.
Burns: set your water heater to 120 degrees or lower to prevent scalds.
Save the Poison Help number. Put it in your phone and post it at home: 1-800-222-1222. It is free, private, and open 24 hours.

Always use a car seat, every ride, and put it in the back seat.
Rear-facing as long as possible. It is the safest position for your child's head, neck, and spine.
Move to a forward-facing seat with a harness only after your child outgrows the rear-facing seat's limits.
Later, a booster seat helps the seat belt fit right. Children should ride in the back seat until age 13.
Height and weight limits are on your seat's label and manual. When in doubt, keep your child in the current stage longer.
Get your car seat checked for free to make sure it is installed right.