Child Safety & Protection

Welcome to November! Halloween is over and November brings with it the scent of pumpkin pie, cranberries and of course, delicious turkey. But one thing you may not know about November is that it is National Child Safety and Protection Month.

A month dedicated to recognizing the unique dangers many children face in their everyday lives and providing the steps parents can take to keep them safe year-round!

Check out these child safety reminders:

• Keep walkways and areas near stairs clear of clutter and use child safety gates on all staircases to help prevent slips, trips & falls.
• Keep all cleaners, medications and other harmful substances up high and out of reach of children and use child-proof locks for cabinets.
• When cooking, use the back burners of the stove and turn handles toward the back of stove, so children aren’t able to reach or knock the hot pots over.
• Have a fire extinguisher in your home, functioning smoke detectors & an evacuation plan.

• For younger children, keep small items (coins, marbles, keys, jewelry, paper clips, water bottle tops, batteries, crayons, etc.) out of reach to avoid choking; also keep plastic bags or anything that can cover their face away from them to prevent suffocation.
• Food can be a choking hazard, such as hot dogs, hard candies and nuts (these cause up to 40% of all child choking deaths), monitor what your child eats and cut food into smaller bites.
• For infants, put them to sleep on their backs without blankets, pillows or toys in the crib. (back is best, face up to wake up!)
• Cover all electrical outlets in your home with childproof covers.
• When riding in the car, children should be fastened with a seat belt into the appropriate car seat or booster seat (car seat safety checklist).
• Always check your backseat prior to leaving your parked car to ensure that you are leaving no children behind accidentally.
• Gun safety, keep guns in the home locked up and hidden.
• Don't purchase furniture, coffee tables, chairs, etc. with sharp corners.

• Set hot water heaters no higher than 120 degrees F to reduce the chance of scald burns.

• Be aware of child product (toys, cribs, strollers, etc.) recalls; if a product that your child uses has been recalled, replace it immediately.

While this checklist is not exhaustive, it is a good start to protecting your family and keeping them safe!

For more information visit Safe Kids Worldwide!

The Alpha Dad Security Newsletter is brought to you by the Alpha Dad Army, where we strive to be better husbands and fathers, for more information visit www.alphadadarmy.com