How to prevent injury to your toddler?

Aspiration – can easily occur in toddlers because they’re still exploring their environments with their mouths. Toddlers may ingest small objects, while the small size of their oral cavities increases the risk of aspiration while eating. Preventive measures include:

Learning the Heimlich maneuver ( making sure the maneuvers age appropriate)

Avoiding large, round chunks of meat such as hotdogs ( slicing them into short, lengthwise pieces is a safer option )

Avoiding fruit with pits, with bones, hard candy, chewing gum, nuts, popcorn, whole grapes and marshmallows

Keeping easily aspirated objects out of a toddler’s environment

Being especially cautions about what toys the child plays with ( choosing sturdy toys without small, removable parts )

Burns - can easily occur in toddlers and preschoolers because they’re tall enough to reach the stovetop and can walk to fire place or a woodstove to touch.

Preventive measures include:

• Setting the hot water heater thermostat at a temperature less than 120 degree F


• Checking bath water temperature before a child enters the tub

• Keeping pot handles turned inward and using the back burners on stovetop

• Keeping electric appliances toward the backs of counters

• Placing burning candles, incense, hot foods, and cigarettes out of reach

• Avoiding the use of tablecloths so the curious toddlers doesn’t pull it to see what’s on the table (possibly spilling hot foods or liquids on himself)

• Teaching the child what “hot” means and stressing the danger of open flames

• Storing matches and cigarette lighters in locked cabinets, out of reach

• Burning fires in fireplaces or wood stoves with close supervision and using a fire screen when doing so

• Securing safety plugs in all unused electrical outlets and keeping electrical cord tucked out of reach

• Teaching preschoolers who can understand the hazards of fire to “stop, drop, and roll” if his clothes are o fire

• Practicing escapes from home and school with preschoolers

• Visiting a fire station to reinforce learning

• Teaching preschoolers how to call 911 (for emergency use only)