On our Tragic Headlines page, I track accidents daily that involve an accidental child fatality and work to connect the dots to figure out when and why these tragedies keep happening. I review the circumstances surrounding the accident and get the information to you, so you can prevent a tragic accident with your own child. Be especially careful about baby safety and child safety when in the following circumstances. 

Vacations  – Hotel rooms and vacation homes are usually not child proofed and can harbor unforeseen dangers for babies and young children.  Televisions on unstable stands, window coverings and blind cords dangling, exercise equipment, escalators, elevators, pools and hot tubs and balconies are a few potentially life threatening dangers.  Upon arrival to your vacation destination, inspect the premises for dangers and remove as many as possible. Tie up those blind cords, report a tipsy TV stand, make sure door locks work and request a first floor room without a balcony. Maintain individual accountability for supervising your child at all times. Tragedies can happen in just a few minutes when one parent thought the other was supervising a child.

Automobile accidents are the number one killers of young children so stay on high alert around cars with your children. Use car seats and restraints properly, be careful all children are accounted for before backing up a vehicle and avoid distractions while driving.

Visits or Outings – Bringing your child with you to visit an old friend or going to grandma and grandpa’s house is fun for both you and your young child.  Attending picnics, parties and other events build wonderful ties with others that you and your child will enjoy. These times however, potentially can bring threats dangerously close proximity to your child. Pets at the residence not familiar with children, buckets with water or a pool or spa, chemicals within reach or other factors in any non childproof setting all can threaten your child’s safety. These dangers combined with the distraction of your attention diverted to your friend or family member can set up a situation where an unforeseen accident could kill or seriously hurt your child. If your child is older and you want to give them some freedom of movement within a certain area, consider a gps for kids or Amber Alert GPS, which has a “safe zone” setting. For a smaller child, keep them close and in view at all times and take time when you first arrive to inspect and identify a safe spot for your child to play within your view.  Ensure one parent is designated as the “supervising” parent, to keep your child safe away from home. 

No one ever thinks his or her child will become a victim of a fatal accident, but let me assure you, it can happen to you! Every day loving parents are coping with the guilt and anguish an accidental child fatality brings. In almost all cases, these accidents happen very quickly and without warning. The only solution is for you to be aware of the dangers and put in place layers of protection including adult supervision to keep your baby or small child safe. 

child safety | baby safety