Steps you can take to prevent leading causes of child injury include:Burns
• Install and maintain smoke alarms in your home.
• Develop and practice a family fire escape plan.
• Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
• Use safe cooking practices, such as never leaving food unattended on the stove.
Drownings
• Install a four-sided isolation fence, with self-closing and self-latching gates, around backyard swimming pools.
• Wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water.
• Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and get recertified every two years.
• Supervise young children at all times around bathtubs, swimming pools, and natural bodies of water.
Falls
• Use playground equipment that is properly designed and maintained, and that has a soft landing surface material below.
• Use home safety devices, such as guards on windows that are located above ground level, stair gates, and guard rails.
• Wear protective gear when playing active sports, such as wrist guards, knee and elbow pads, and helmets when in-line skating.
• Supervise young children at all times around fall hazards, like stairs and playground equipment.
Poisonings
• Store medicines and other toxic products such as cleaning solutions in locked or childproof cabinets.
• Put the poison control number, 1-800-222-1222, on or near every home telephone.
• Follow directions on the label when giving medicines to children. Read all warning labels.
• Dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs.
Road traffic injuries
• Use appropriate child safety seats.
• If you have a teenage driver, sign an agreement in order to limit risky driving, such as having multiple passengers and driving at night.
• Transport children in the back seat of your vehicle.
• Make sure children wear motorcycle and bicycle helmets.