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Hot water bottles:
Always cover hot water bottles to prevent burns and remove them from the bed before your child gets in.
Toys:
- If you have a child under four years, don’t buy toys with small parts.
- Follow safety warnings and age limit guidelines.
- Keep older children's toys away from the under-three’s.
- 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.
Changing mat:
- 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.
Cot:
- 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.
- Remove bulky toys or cushions that the child could stand on and then topple out of the cot.
Bedding:
- Always use flameproof materials for bedding and clothing.
- Don’t use pillows for small babies.
- Prevent overheating of infants under one – avoid using duvets or sleeping bags. Rather use sheets and blankets.
Dummies:
- Check regularly for holes and tears.
- Don’t affix a dummy to a pram/pushchair or clothes with string or ribbon.
Bunk beds:
- Don’t allow small children to climb or sleep on bunk beds. The top bed should have railings right around.
Pram:
- Always use safety harnesses.
- Prams should be stable and not tip over easily.
- Do not overload a pram; avoid hanging shopping bags from handles.
Door:
- Use doorstoppers at the top of the door to prevent children from closing doors and trapping fingers.
