Accidental Deaths in Babies Declining
While the rate of accidental deaths in children in the U.S. have been declining steadily over the years, there is still room for improvement. Safe Kids USA has recently published the findings on their study. Some of the revelations show that childhood injury deaths have declined from a high of 15.4 per 100,000 in 1987, to 8.5 per 100,000 in 2005. This is cause for celebration, but injury accidents in childhood is still the main cause of deaths kids aged 1-14.
The study emphasizes that these deaths are preventable, caused by a range of events such as drowning, car accidents, fires and burns. One alarming trend seems is the 21% increase in death by suffocation for those children under 1 yr. old. The study shares that this increase may be from co-sleeping, or from soft pillows and other bedding.
What You Can Do As Parents:
- Take the time to baby-proof your homes.
- Ensure proper child-safety restraint is used at all times when driving your children.
- Never leave your child unattended in any water, no matter how shallow.
- Make sure your infants do not have any unnecessary bedding in their crib. Swaddling, a light blanket or a sleep sack may be best.
Here are some other links to help you keep your children safe:
Don’t Skip a Step with Child Passenger Safety
How to Use Your New Baby Crib Safely
