According to the most recent report from the Consumer Products Safety Commission,"falls related to nursery products are a leading cause of injury or death for children from birth to age 5". In 2006 there were 66,400 emergency room admissions for nursery product fall-related accidents. The head was the most frequently injured body part in all of the injuries.
The top offenders are:
- Infant carriers (excluding motor vehicle collisions): 14,200 ER admissions
- Cribs: 11,300 ER admissions
- Strollers: 11,100 ER admissions
- High Chairs: 9,900 ER admissions
The primary thing parents can do to protect their child is to educate themselves on the proper and safe use of nursery products. Do not use products in ways that they are not intended to be used. Additionally, never use broken or defective equipment or items that have been recalled.
Infant car seat carriers make it so convenient to travel around town with baby. However, they were never intended to be used as a "holding place" for baby for several hours. Infant car seat carriers are meant to help you transport baby from point A to point B. They were not designed to be used as rockers, bouncy seats, or sleep environments. They have not been tested to be used on top of surfaces, such as sofas, tables, and chairs. Always secure the harness whenever your baby is in the carrier. Place the carrier, when out of the base, on the floor only. And, take your baby out of the carrier once you arrive at your destination. This helps provide important developmental play time and may decrease the potential risk for "flat head" syndrome. To promote optimal breathing and musculo-skeletal alignment, the AAP recommends that young infants not spend more than one hour in a car seat carrier or any device that produces a semi-upright position.
Most children outgrow their crib around the age of 2. We appreciate that many parents want to keep their child in the crib as long as possible. However, don't make the transition from crib to a bed even rougher adding injury to the mix. It's important to know when your child has outgrown the crib and make a safe transition. How can you tell if your child is at that point?
Is the crib rail at or below the nipple line?
Has he or she already gotten out of the crib once , or almost jumped out of the crib?
Are you considering an over crib net to keep your child in the crib?
If you answer yes to any of the above, it is time to move out of the crib and into a safer sleep environment.
Strollers and high-chairs can topple over much easier than one may think. Always, always apply the break on a stroller when you stop. Never let your toddler push the baby's stroller without your help. And never stand more than an arm's length away from your stroller. Lastly, remember that high chairs were designed to be used for short-term "supervised" feedings. They were never meant to be used as an unsupervised seat, or holding place, while parents shower or use the telephone. Toddlers get bored easily and even mild "moving" or "rocking" can create enough torque to topple the chair over.
Practicing safe use of nursery products can avoid unnecessary emergency room visits. Read the manuals, register your products so you know about recalls, never use broken or damaged equipment, and always use baby gear in the way in which it was tested and intended to be used.
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