Safe Kids Mid-South

Top Tips

1. Wear a properly fitted helmet. It is the best way to prevent head injuries and death.
2. Ride on the sidewalk when you can. If not, ride in the same direction as traffic as far on the right-hand side as possible. 
3. Use hand signals and follow the rules of the road. Be predictable by making sure you ride in a straight line and don’t swerve between cars.    
4. Make sure others can see you. Wear bright colors and use lights, especially when riding at night and in the morning. Reflectors on your clothes and bike will help you be seen.
5. Ride with your children. Stick together until you are comfortable that your kids are ready to ride on their own

Top Tips for Seat Belts

1. Don't rush the process. Don’t be in a hurry to move your child out of the belt positioning booster seat. The adult seat belt usually does not fit well until sometime between the ages of 8 and 12, depending on the size of your child.
2. Find out if your child is ready for the seat belt alone by doing the Safety Belt Fit Test:
   • Check knees and feet. Your child’s knees should bend at the edge of the seat when her back and bottom are against the vehicle seat back. Her feet should touch the floor for comfort and stability.
   • Check the lap belt. The vehicle lap belt must fit snugly across the hips or upper thighs.
   • Check the shoulder belt. The shoulder belt must fit across the shoulder and chest, NOT across the face or neck.
3. Wait until they're big enough. If your child doesn’t pass the test, keep him in a booster seat until he does. 
4. Every car is different. Remember, just because the seat belt fits your child in one car doesn’t mean the seat belt will fit in all cars. Do the Seat Belt Fit Test in every car before permanently moving from the booster seat to seat belt alone.
5. Be a good example. We know that when adults wear seat belts, kids wear seat belts. So be a good example and buckle up for every ride. Be sure everyone in the vehicle buckles up, too.

 Top Tips for Car Seat Safety

1. Buy the right car seat. Your baby needs to ride in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible until 2 or more years. When your child has outgrown that seat, you are ready for a forward-facing car seat. Get more details about buying the right car seat for your child.
2. Install your car seat. You’ll need to decide on using either the seat belt or lower anchors to secure your car seat. Both are safe, but don’t use them both at the same time. Once your child is forward facing, it is important to use the tether with the seat belt or lower anchors. Get more details about installing your car seat.
3. Get the right fit. A properly-fitted harness gives the best possible protection for your child. Here are more details about getting the right fit for your child.
4. Know when to change your car seat. Look on the car seat label to make sure your child is still within the weight, height and age limits for that seat. Get details about when to change your car seat.

Top Tips for Using Booster Seats

1. Know when they need a boost. A booster seat provides a step between a car seat with a harness and a seat belt alone. It enables a safer and more comfortable fit of the adult seat belt.
2. Know when to turn them. Make sure your child has outgrown the weight or height limits allowed in the forward-facing car seat. They must also be mature enough to ride without a harness. What does “mature enough” mean? They need to stay in the booster seat the entire ride with the seat belt properly fitted across the shoulder and below the hips.
3. Use belts appropriately, every time. When your child is seated in the booster seat, make sure the lap and shoulder belts fit. The seat belt must lie flat across your child’s chest, on the bony part of the shoulder and low on the hips or upper thighs.
4. Always follow safety instructions. Do not place the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back.
5. Know when they grow. Older kids get weighed and measured less often than babies, so check your child’s growth a few times a year. For most kids, they will be between ages 8 to 12 years old before they are ready for the seat belt alone.
6. Make a plan. Be sure you ask about booster use if your child is in a carpool with other drivers.

Top Tips for School Buses

1. Be their walking buddy. Walk with your young kids to the bus stop and wait with them until it arrives. Make sure drivers can see the kids at your bus stop.
2. Easy as 1-2-3. Teach kids to stand at least three giant steps back from the curb as the bus approaches and board the bus one at a time.
3. Stay within the driver's sight. Teach kids to wait for the school bus to come to a complete stop before getting off and not to walk behind the bus.
4. Always look both ways. If your child needs to cross the street after exiting the bus, he or she should take five giant steps in front of the bus, make eye contact with the bus driver and cross when the driver indicates it’s safe. Teach kids to look left, right and left again before crossing the street.
5. Watch your step. Instruct younger kids to use handrails when boarding or exiting the bus. Be careful of straps or drawstrings that could get caught in the door. If your child drops something, they should tell the bus driver and make sure the bus driver is able to see them before they pick it up.
6. Slow Down! Drivers should follow the speed limit and slow down in school zones and near bus stops. Remember to stay alert and look for kids who may be trying to get to or from the school bus.

Top Tips for Pedestrians

1. Always look both ways. Teach kids at an early age to look left, right and left again before crossing the street. Then remind them to continue looking until safely across.
2. Limit distractions. Teach kids to put phones, headphones and devices down when crossing the street. It is particularly important to reinforce this message with teenagers.
3. Stay away from vehicles. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. It’s always best to walk on sidewalks or paths and cross at street corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. 
4. Be their buddy. Children under 10 years age need to cross the street with an adult. Every child is different, but developmentally, most kids are unable to judge the speed and distance of oncoming cars until age 10.
5. Be a good role model. Set a good example by putting your phone, headphones and devices down when walking around cars.

Top Tips about Medication Safety

1. Keep medicine up and away. It should be out of reach and sight of children, even medicine you take every day. Kids are naturally curious and can easily get into things, like medicine, if they are kept in places within their reach. Put all medicines and vitamins at or above counter height where kids can’t reach or see them.
2. Consider places where kids get into medicine. Children often find medicine kept in purses or on counters and nightstands. Place bags and briefcases on high shelves or hang them on hooks, out of children’s reach and sight.
3. Remember products you might not think about as medicine. Health products such as vitamins, diaper rash creams and even eye drops can be harmful if kids get into them. Store these items out of reach and sight of children, just as you would over-the-counter and prescription medicines.
4. Give medicine safely to children. Use only the dosing device that comes with liquid medicine, not a kitchen spoon. When other caregivers are giving your child medicine, write clear instructions about what medicine to give, how much to give and when to give it. Using a medicine schedule can help with communication between caregivers.
5. Save the Poison Help number in your phone and post it visibly at home: 1-800-222-1222. Specialists at poison control centers provide free, confidential, expert medical advice 24 hours a day. They can answer questions about how to give or take medicine and help with poison emergencies.
6. Share medicine safety information with family and friends. Teach other caregivers such as family members, babysitters and friends about medicine safety and make sure they know the Poison Help number

Top Safety Tips for Sleep Safety

1. Alone - Share your room, not your bed. Place baby’s crib or bassinet in your bedroom instead of letting baby sleep in the same bed with you.
2. On Their Backs - Place babies on their backs for naps and at night until they are 1 year old. Make sure babies sleep on a firm, flat surface in their own crib, bassinet or play yard.
3. In a Crib - Choose a firm mattress and fitted sheet for baby’s crib. Remove toys, blankets, pillows, bumper pads and other accessories from the crib.
4. Dressed Appropriately - Dress baby in a wearable blanket, onesie or similar clothing for every sleep. A loose blanket could cover baby’s airway or make their body temperature too high.
5. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to assemble your crib. Make sure to complete and submit the product registration card to learn about any recalls or safety updates.

Top Tips Preventing Burns and Scalds

1. Create a kid-free zone. Teach younger children to stay at least 3 feet away from your cooking space. If you need to watch babies while cooking, place them in highchair outside of the kid-free zone where you can see them.
2. Keep hot objects out of children’s reach. Cook on the back burners of the stove and turn pot handles away from the edge. Keep hot foods and drinks away from the edge of your counters and tables.
3. Teach older children how to cook safely. Make sure they don’t leave the kitchen while cooking and use oven mitts or potholders to carry hot pots and pans.
4. Check bathwater temperature. Before placing your child in the bath, check the water temperature with on the inside of your wrist. The water should feel warm to the touch, not hot.
5. Watch children around fireplaces. When a gas fireplace is turned on, the glass is extremely hot and can take more than an hour to cool down after it is turned off. Keep children away from the fireplace to prevent burns from the hot glass.

Top Tips for TV Safety

1. Secure TVs. Mount flat-panel TVs to the wall. Place older, box-style TVs (CRTs) on low, stable furniture that can hold the weight.
2. Attach furniture to the wall. Use anti-tip brackets, braces or wall straps to secure furniture to the wall. Install stops on dresser drawers to keep them from being pulled all the way out.
3. Rearrange household items. Store heavy objects on lower shelves or in lower drawers. Avoid placing remote controls, toys or other items in places where kids might be tempted to climb up or reach for them.
4. Recycle old TVs. To find a location that safely and easily recycles unwanted TVs, visit www.GreenerGadgets.org.

Choking and Strangulation Top Tips

1. Cut food for toddlers into tiny pieces. Children under 5 should not eat small, round or hard foods, including pieces of hot dogs, cheese sticks or chunks, hard candy, nuts, grapes, marshmallows or popcorn.
2. Consider your child’s age when purchasing a toy or game. It’s worth a second to read the instructions and warning labels to make sure it’s just right for your child.
3. Look for choking hazards. Before you’ve settled on the perfect toy, check to make sure there aren’t any small parts or other potential choking hazards.
4. Keep small magnets away from children. These include magnets found in construction sets, children’s toys or stress-relieving adult desk toys; refrigerator magnets; and rare earth magnets such as Buckyballs.
5. Prevent strangulation. Keep cords and strings, including those attached to window blinds, out of your child’s reach. For your crawlers and climbers, move chairs, cribs and other furniture away from windows to help prevent window falls. Just make a few moves now and you don’t have to worry about it later.

Water Safety at home

1. Limit distractions. Watch kids when they are in or around water, without being distracted. Young children can drown in as little as one inch of water, so it’s important to keep them within an arm’s reach of an adult.
2. It doesn't take much water to drown. Empty tubs, buckets, containers and kids’ pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children’s reach.
3. Close lids and doors. Keep toilet lids and doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed when not in use.
4. Install fences around home pools. A pool fence should surround all sides of the pool and be at least four feet tall with self-closing and self-latching gates.
5. Learn CPR and basic water rescue skills. It is important to know how to respond in an emergency without putting yourself at risk.

Top Tips for Carbon Monoxide Safety

1. Install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. Make sure there is one on every level of your home, especially around sleeping areas.
2. Test CO alarms every month. Replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Avoid using gas appliances inside your home. Use generators and grills outside of your home, away from windows and doors. Warm up vehicles outside of your garage.
4. In a CO emergency, leave your home immediately. If the CO alarm sounds, quickly leave your home. Move to a safe location outside where you can breathe in fresh air before you call for help.

Top Tips about Gun Safety

1. Out of reach and out of sight. Keep guns out of the reach and out of sight of children by storing them securely. Leaving guns unsecured – on a nightstand, table, or other place where a child can gain access – can lead to injuries and fatalities.
2. Always make safe storage a priority. Store guns unloaded and secured with effective, child-resistant gun locks in a locked container out of the reach and sight of children.
3. Remain in control. When a gun is not being stored, keep it in your immediate possession and control at all times. Otherwise, store the gun unloaded, locked and separate from ammunition.
4. Make a plan. Talk to the grandparents and parents of your children’s friends about guns in the home and how to safely store and secure them.
5. Dispose safely. If you decide that you no longer need a gun in your home, dispose of it in a safe way. Consult with local law enforcement on the best way to do so.

Le Bonheur's Injury Prevention teams offer hands-on training on a variety of safety topics, including safe firearm storage. To request a group training, please fill out the form below.

Top Tips for Falls

1. Screens are meant to keep bugs out, not children in. Properly install window guards to prevent unintentional window falls. For windows above the first floor, include an emergency release device in case of fire.
2. Remember the importance of straps. Keep babies and young kids strapped in when using high chairs, infant carriers, swings or strollers. When placing your baby into a carrier, remember to place the carrier on the floor, not on top of a table or other furniture.
3. Always follow safety instructions. Use approved safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs and attach them to the wall, if possible. Remember to read the manufacturer’s instructions and warning labels to make sure you have the right gate for your needs. Not all gates are safe for use at the top of stairs.
4. Secure TVs and furniture to the wall. Use mounts, brackets, braces, anchors or wall straps to prevent tip-overs. These kinds of accidents happen more than you might think, so take a few minutes, secure your TV and furniture, and then never worry about it again.
5. Look where they land. Take your kids to playgroundswith shock-absorbing surfaces such as rubber, synthetic turf, sand, pea gravel, wood chips or mulch. If your child falls, the landing will be more cushioned than on asphalt, concrete, grass or dirt.

Top Tips for Fire Safety

1. Check smoke alarms. Make sure there is a working smoke alarm on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and near sleeping areas. Test smoke alarms every month and replace them every 10 years or when the battery is low.
2. Create and practice a fire escape plan. Create a home fire escape plan with two ways out of every room. Choose a place to meet outside that is a safe distance away from your home.
3. Practice a home fire drill at least twice a year. Practice a home fire drill with your family during the day and at night. Practice escaping in under two minutes. Sometimes that is all the time you will have to get out of the house safely.
4. If there is a fire, leave home immediately. If there is a lot of smoke, get low and crawl out of the house as quickly as possible. Call 911 after you are a safe distance away from your home.

Poisoning Top Tips

1. Store household products safely to prevent poisoning. Young kids are often eye-level with items under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, so make sure household cleaning products and personal care products up and away, out of children’s reach and sight.
2. Keep all household cleaning products in their original containers. Also, when buying products, look for child-resistant containers to help prevent poisoning to children.
3. Read and follow product labels. Check for ingredients that can be to kids and make sure you use and store products according to the label. Kids can get into things quickly, so remember not to leave cleaning products or personal care products unattended while you are using them.
4. Remember products that might be harmful to kids. Check your home for products like cleaning supplies, liquid laundry packets personal care products, plants, pesticides, alcohol and medicine.
5. Save the Poison Help number in your phone and post it visibly at home: 1-800-222-1222. Specialists at poison control centers provide free, confidential, expert medical advice 24 hours a day. They can answer questions and help with poison emergencies.

Top Tips about Toy Safety

1. Consider your child’s age when purchasing a toy or game. Read the instructions and warning labels to make sure the toy is just right for your child.
2. Look for choking hazards. Check to make sure there aren’t any small parts or other potential choking hazards before you settle on the perfect toy.
3. Separate toys by age. Keep a special eye on small game pieces that may be a choking hazard for young children. Toys intended for older children may pose a risk to younger, curious siblings.
4. Store appropriately. Use a bin or container to store toys when playtime is over. Make sure there are no holes or hinges that could catch little fingers.

Sports Safety Tips

1. Prepare! Warm up and stretch before games and practices.
2. Hydrate! Remember to hydrate.
3. Protect! Be sure you are wearing appropriate sports gear.
4. Never take chances with the brain! Know the signs and symptoms of concussions.

Playground Safety Tips

1. Actively supervise children on playgrounds. It won’t be hard – they’ll probably be calling for you to watch them climb, jump and swing. 
2. Look where they land. Take your kids to playgrounds with shock-absorbing surfaces such as rubber, synthetic turf, sand, pea gravel, wood chips or mulch. If your child falls, the landing will be more cushioned than on asphalt, concrete, grass or dirt. 
3. Dress appropriately for the playground. Remove necklaces, purses, scarves or clothing with drawstrings that can get caught on equipment and pose a strangulation hazard. Even helmets can be dangerous on a playground, so save those for bikes. 
4. Watch out for others. Teach children that pushing, shoving or crowding while on the playground can be dangerous.