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| Danger | Prevention | |
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| Child's room | ||
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| Hot water bottles | Burns | Always cover hot water bottles to prevent burns and remove them from the bed before your child gets in |
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| Toys | Choking and suffocation | Don't use toys with small parts Follow safety warnings and age limit guidelines Keep older children's toys away from the under-threes Cot toys should have strings no longer than 20cm Throw away or repair broken toys and games Get rid of small pieces of crayon Don't allow small children to play with beads, buttons, coins, bits of torn plastic or broken balloons |
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| Walking ring | Falls | Choose a wide wheel base for stability The seat must be strong and non-detachable A walking ring that folds must have a locking system to prevent it from accidentally folding or collapsing The wheels should not lock sideways Child's weight must not exceed the manufacturers' recommended maximum Never carry the walking ring with child in A child that cannot sit up without assistance must not use a walking ring Use on a flat surface free from electrical cords, etc |
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| Changing mat | Falls | Make use of a sturdy changing table. Never leave a child on a high surface. The table should have shelves or compartments for storing everything you'll need. This prevents you from taking your eyes off your baby while you look for that hard-to-find item. |
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| Cot | Strangulation | Bars of cots and playpens should be vertical Gaps between bars should be smaller than 68mm or larger than 70mm so that a baby can't slip its head through the bars and be strangled Remove ribbons and strings that might get wound around a child's neck. |
| Falls | Remove bulky toys or cushions that the child could stand on and then topple out of the cot. |
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| Bedding | Burns | Always use flameproof materials for bedding and clothing. |
| Suffocation | Don't use pillows for small babies | |
| Overheating | Prevent overheating of infants under one – avoid using duvet's or sleeping bags. Rather use sheets and blankets | |
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| Dummies | Choking and strangulation | Check regularly for holes and tears Don't affix a dummy to a pram/pushchair or clothes with string or ribbon |
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| Bunk beds | Falls | Don't allow small children to climb or sleep on bunk beds. The top bed should have railings right around |
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| Pram | Falls | Always use safety harnesses Prams should be stable and not tip over easily Do not overload a pram; avoid hanging shopping bags from handles |
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| Door | Fractures and bruising | Use doorstoppers at the top of the door to prevent children from closing doors and trapping fingers |
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18 Aug 2003
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