Help Find A Missing Child
Call 1-800-THE LOST (1-800-843-5678) If You've Seen This Child!

 Safe Zone LLC supports the work of The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children


Family Safety - Article 1

The articles on Family Safety endeavor to transfer the knowledge you learned in Personal Safety to your family. They should come away from Family Safety with the same knowledge you gained in Personal Safety plus a lot more. Obviously, some things from Personal Safety won't apply to all members of your family. We don't want your toddlers running around with a can of mace for example. But you can use Personal Safety to protect them by safe keeping their social security numbers safe or by recognizing when you put yourself and them in harm's way. So Personal Safety applies to them on an individual level as well.

A couple of reminders that we discussed at the beginning of Personal Safety.
  1. Your safety is a trade off between cost and security. The more ironclad you want your security to be the more it will cost.
  2. No plan survives the enemy.
  3. Many plans fail because they are too complicated. Even a simple plan is better than no plan at all.
Ready? Let's get started!

The following definitions will be used in this section:
  • Infant (baby) (ages 0 - 1.5)
  • Toddler (ages 1.5 - 4)
  • Middle childhood (ages 4 - 11)
  • Preadolescence (ages 11 - 12)
  • Adolescence and puberty (teenager) (13-20)
The first step is to ensure each member of your family is Personal Safety qualified. They need to understand what being aware of their surroundings entails. The need to think smart with regard to their own safety and they need to understand the basics of first aid, a very basic understanding. Finally, they need to understand some level of Self Defense.

We will touch on each of these items in Family Safety in order to incorporate some of the concepts into the family environment. You also need to understand that our lists below are not necessarily all inclusive but do represent most of the major hazards your family will face.

We begin the first article of Family Safety with the newest member of you family, your newborn.

Infants and Toddlers: (Ages Birth - 4)

No one in your family is more vulnerable or less able to fend for himself or herself than your infant. From the moment of conception, your number one goal is to provide an environment that is safe, healthy and wholesome for your new born. Since awareness of dangers is a bit beyond their ability at this point, you need to provide that for them.

According to The National Center for Missing and Exploited children, between 1983 and 2002 there were 119 reported cases of infants being abducted by a non-family member. The following list depicts where those abductions occurred:
  • 47 Mother's Hospital Room 39.5%
  • 30 Home 25.2%
  • 13 Pediatric Hospital Room 10.9%
  • 12 Hospital Nursery 10.1%
  • 09 Elsewhere on hospital premise 7.6%
  • 04 Locations away from home or hospital (Mall, Library, etc) 3.4%
  • 02 No location information was available 1.7%
  • 02 No Data available on abduction 1.7%
At 81 adbudctions, the hospital or immediate area represents 68% of all infant abductions by non family members during the study period. Other studies indicate 20,000 infants are accidently switched in hospitals. Those are staggering statistics!!

Termed Sentinel Events by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) there are ways to reduce or eliminate the chance that your child will be a victim. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has developed a set of safe guidelines that we believe are excellent. We have reprinted them here in their entirety.

Safety Tips for Expectant Parents1

Personnel in healthcare facilities should remind parents , in a warm and comforting way, of the measures they should take to provide maximum child protection. The guidelines listed below provide good, sound parenting techniques that can also help prevent abduction of infants while in the healthcare facility where the baby was born and once the parents take the baby home. They should be shared with expectant parents at prenatal visits, during the tour of the facility pre-delivery, and during the parents’ stay at the time of birth.

Please note that in many cases of infant abduction, the abductor was bilingual while the victim mother was not. Healthcare facilities need to provide multilingual-educational information to these parents because infants’ risk levels of abduction are substantially elevated when parents are not properly educated in their native language about the safety issues involved. The Spanish-language version of these prevention tips is also available, and healthcare facilities should consider translating these tips into any other languages used by patients in their service area.

At the Facility:

  • At the facility 1:
    • At some point before the birth of your baby, investigate security procedures at the facility where you plan to give birth to your baby and request a copy of the facility’s written guidelines on procedures for “special care” and security procedures in the maternity ward. Know all of the facility’s procedures in place to safeguard your infant while staying in that facility.
  • At the Facility 2:
    • While it is normal for new parents to be anxious, being deliberately watchful over the newborn infant is of paramount importance.
  • At the Facility 3:
    • Never leave your infant out of your direct line-of-sight even when you go to the restroom or take a nap. If you leave the room or plan to go to sleep, alert the nurses to take the infant back to the nursery or have a family member watch the baby. When possible, keep the infant’s bassinet on the side of your bed away from the door(s) leading out of the room.
  • At the Facility 4:
    • After admission to the facility, ask about the facility’s protocols concerning the routine nursery procedures, feeding and visitation hours, and security measures. Do not hesitate to politely ask direct questions and settle for nothing less than an acceptable explanation.
  • At the Facility 5:
    • Do not give your infant to anyone without properly verified identification as issued by that facility. Find out what additional or special identification is being worn to further identify facility personnel who have authority to transport the infant. Speak to a person in authority, such as a unit director or charge nurse, if you have any questions or concerns.
  • At the Facility 6:
    • Become familiar with the staff who work in the maternity unit. During short stays in the facility, ask to be introduced to the nurse assigned to you and your infant.

  • At the Facility 7:
    • Question unfamiliar persons entering your room or inquiring about your infant—even if they are in the facility’s attire or seem to have a reason for being there. Immediately alert the nurses’ station.
  • At the Facility 8:
      Determine where your infant will be when taken for tests, and how long the tests will take. Find out who has authorized the tests. If you are uncomfortable with anyone who requests to take your infant or unable to clarify what testing is being done or why your infant is being taken from your room, it is appropriate to go with your infant to observe the procedure. Or if you are unable to accompany your infant, have a family member go along.
  • At the Facility 9:
    • For your records to take home, have at least one color photograph of your infant (full, front-face view) taken along with footprints and compile a complete written description of your infant including hair and eye color, length, weight, date of birth, and specific physical characteristics.

    At the Facility and at the Home:

  • At the Facility and at the Home 10:
    • At some point after the birth of your baby, but before discharge from the facility, request a set of written guidelines on the procedures for any followup care extended by the facility that will be scheduled to take place in your home. Do not allow anyone into your home who says that he or she is affiliated with the facility without properly verified identification as issued by that facility. Find out what additional or special identification is being worn to further identify those staff members who have authority to enter your home.
  • At the Facility and at the Home 11:
    • Consider the risk you may be taking when permitting your infant’s birth announcement to be published in the newspaper or online. Birth announcements should never include the family’s home address and be limited to the parents’ surname(s). In general, birth announcements in newspapers are not endorsed by most experts.

    At the Home:

  • At the Home 12:
    • The use of outdoor announcements such as signs, balloons, large floral wreaths, and other lawn ornaments are not recommended to announce a birth because they call attention to the presence of a new infant in the home.
  • At the Home 13:
    • Only allow persons into your home who are well-known by the mother. It is ill advised to allow anyone into your home who is just a mere or recent acquaintance, especially if met briefly since you became pregnant or gave birth to your infant. There have been several cases where an abductor has made initial contact with a mother and infant in the healthcare-facility setting and then subsequently abducted the infant from the family home. If anyone should arrive at the home claiming to be affiliated with the healthcare facility where the infant was born or other healthcare provider, remember to follow the procedures outlined in number 10 above. A high degree of diligence should be exercised by family members when home with the infant. The bottom line is, the infant’s family is the domestic security team, and all family members should be sensitive to any suspicious visitors.

      • In addition there have been cases in which initial contact with a mother and infant was made in other settings such as shopping malls or bus stations. If you must take your infant out, whenever possible, take a trusted friend or family member with you as an extra set of hands and eyes to protect and constantly observe the infant. Never leave a child alone in a motor vehicle. Always take the child with you. Never let someone you don’t know pick up or hold your child.

    Safe Zone LLC would only add that you might want to ask your hospital how many Sentinal Events they have experienced.

    A word about hospital infant protection systems. Not all are created equal. Many are derived from systems designed to prevent retail theft. According to SAIOne, security and risk management consultants, these types of systems are only 70% effective. Most of us have purchased an article of clothing only to get it home and find the security device still attached. We walked right through security without it being triggered.

    Many of these devices can and do fail to alert properly or can be circumvented.

    The other issue concerns false alarms. A system that consistently activates false alarms will become a system ignored by hospital employees.

    We strongly believe it is paramount for a health care facility to have infant security safeguards in place and we strongly urge all health care facilities entrusted with the care of newborns and infants to install one if they have not done so. However, you should not allow their presence to be the vanguard of your child's protection nor should you allow it to lull you into a false sense of security. Incorporate the hospital's infant protection system so it is a back up to your knowledge and vigilence. NOT the other way around.

    According to the National Safety Council, suffocation is the leading cause of death for infants younger than 1 year. Drowning is the second leading cause of injury death for children and adolescents between 1 and 18 years old. Children can drown in as little as 1 inch of water. Here are some helpful tips to help you keep your child safe.

    The US Consumer Product Safety Commission sends out periodic emails listing items that have been recalled because a serious hazard is inherent in the product. The emails very often contain information related to infants and children. We urge you to enroll in their email program. You can do so by clicking here.
    • Car Safety Guidelines:

      • Types of Child Safety Restraints from the NSC:
        • Infant Seats: Infant seats are designed for babies from birth until at least 20 pounds and one year of age. They must ride rear-facing in their safety seats until they are at the appropriate size/age to move to ...
        • Convertible Safety Seats: These seats convert from rear-facing for infants to forward-facing for toddlers weighing at least 20 pounds. Children should remain in a forward-facing seat from 20 pounds until they reach approximately 40 pounds and four years of age. Then they should graduate to ...
        • Booster Seats: These seats are used as a transition to safety belts by older kids who have clearly outgrown their convertible seat and are not quite ready for the vehicle belt system.
        • Safety Belts: When a child is old enough and large enough to "fit" an adult safety belt, they can be moved out of a booster seat. To "fit" a safety belt properly, the lap belt should fit snugly and properly across the upper thighs and the shoulder strap should cross over the shoulder and across the chest.
      Remember:
        • The safest place for your child is in the middle of the back seat.
        • Never place your baby in the front seat of a car with a passenger side airbag. An inflating air bag can serious injure or kill your child.
        • Make sure that you read all of the car seat manufacturer's instructions so that you install it properly.
          • A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted in March of 2005 found that 72% of all child restraint systems reviewed (over 3400) had one or more critical misuses. The most common misuses were:
            • Loose vehicle safety belt attachment
            • Loose harness straps securing the child to the restraint device.

    • Here are some bedroom guidelines from the National Safety Council:

      • Make certain the crib conforms to national guidelines.
        • The space between the slats should be no more than 2-3/8 inches apart to prevent infants from getting their head stuck between them. Cribs manufactured after 1974 must meet this and other strict safety standards.
        • The corner posts should be the same height as the end panels or less than 1/16 of an inch higher than the end panels.
        • There should be no cut-out areas on the headboard or footboard so a baby's head cannot become trapped.
        • The top rails of crib sides, in their raised position, should be at least 26 inches above the top of the mattress support at its lowest position.
        • As soon as the child can pull himself to a standing position, set and keep the mattress at its lowest position. Stop using the crib once the height of the top rails is less than three-fourths of the child's height.
      • Mattress
        • The mattress should fit snugly next to the crib so that there is no gap. If two adult fingers can be placed between the mattress and the crib, the mattress should be immediately replaced.
        • Do not use plastic materials, such as dry cleaning bags, as mattress covers. Plastic film can cling to children's faces and should never be in or near the crib.
        • Put your baby to sleep on his or her back or side in a crib with a firm, flat mattress and no soft bedding underneath. Talk to your pediatrician about which sleeping position is best for your child.
      • Crib Hardware
        • The drop side(s) of the crib should require two distinct actions or a minimum force of ten pounds with one action to release the latch or the locks to prevent accidental release by the child.
        • The crib hardware should be checked for disengaged, broken, bent or loose pieces. Special checks should be made of the mattress support hangers and brackets so they cannot drop. The hardware and the crib should be smooth and free of sharp edges, points and rough surfaces.
      • Crib Accessories
        • Bumper pads should cover the entire inside perimeter of the crib and tie or snap in place. Bumper pads should have at least six straps or ties and any excess length of straps or ties should be cut off. Bumper pads should never be used in lieu of proper spacing between the slats and should be removed from the crib as soon as the child can pull himself to a standing position.
        • Teething rails that are damaged should be fixed, replaced or removed immediately.
        • To prevent possible entanglement, mobiles and crib gyms, which are meant to be hung over or across the crib, should be removed when the child is five months old or when he begins to push up onto hands and knees or can pull himself up.
        • Keep the crib clear of plastic sheets, pillows, and large stuffed animals or toys. These can be suffocation hazards or can enable youngsters to climb out of the crib.
        • Any cloth or vinyl items that are loose or torn should be replaced or repaired immediately.
      • Crib Environment
        • Do not place crib next to a window. Drapery and blind cords pose an entanglement hazard and window screens are not intended to keep a child in, only insects out.
        • Install smoke detectors. Follow the manufacturer's directions for placement. Check at least once a month to make sure battery and smoke detector are in good working condition.
        • Lead is a health hazard, especially to young children. It can be found in dust and soil off busy roadways, in old paint on walls, toys and furniture and sometimes in paint on new imported items. If you think your child has taken in leaded paint or soil, or you need help with identifying or removing lead paint, call the National Safety Council's National Lead Information Center at 800-424-5323.

    • Child Proofing the House:

      • As your child grows older and they begin crawling and walking, exploring their environment is a healthy part of the learning process. Unfortunately, your home may not be a welcome environment for your child to explore in.

        See the world as they do. Get down on all fours so you see the world at their level and examine your home for potential hazards. You'll be amazed and what what you can see down there.

        • Use covers on electrical outlets. There are several types available and most can be purchased at any hardware or convenience store.
        • Install childproof latches on all lower level cabinet doors in the kitchen and bathroom.
        • Remove breakables from low tables and shelves.
        • Remove furniture with sharp edges and corners or use soft edge/corner guards. Don't forget to protect stone edges around fire places.
        • Tie cords of blinds and curtains up out of reach.
        • Prevent poisoning by keeping household cleaners, chemicals and medicines out of reach and always store them in their original container.
        • Always use products with child resistant caps.
        • Know your local Poison Control Center number and Follow These Tips From the American Association of Poison Control Centers
          • First Aid Tips

            Has the person collapsed or stopped breathing?
            Call 911 or your local emergency number right away.

            Swallowed the wrong medicine or too much medicine?
            Call .

            Inhaled poison?
            Get to fresh air right away.
            Call .

            Poison on the skin?
            Take off any clothing that the poison touched.
            Rinse skin with running water for 15 to 20 minutes.
            Call .

            Poison in the eyes?
            Rinse eyes with running water for 15 to 20 minutes.
            Call .

        • DO NOT wait to call the Poison Control Center! If you call right away, the problem can often be taken care of over the phone. Don't wait for symptoms!

        • You can find your local Poison Control Center by clicking here.

          • According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers
            • 52 percent of poison exposures occur in children under the age of six.
            • The most common forms of poison exposure for children under the age of six are cosmetics and personal care products (13.3%), cleaning substances (10.3%), analgesics (7.4%) and foreign bodies (7.1%).
            • Although children under the age of six are the most likely to be exposed to poison, they represent just 2 percent of poison fatalities.

        • Post the Posion Control Center's phone number is a promient place in your home and program it into your speed dial along with 911 or your local emergency number.

        • Prevent falls by not leaving your baby alone on a bed or changing table.
        • Use stair gates and window guards. If you child plays on multiple levels of your home, a gate at the top and bottom of the stairs will prevent them from falling down the stairs and climbing up them.
        • Window screens are to keep bugs out not children in. They will NOT support the weight of your child.
        • Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.

          • A relatively new type of smoke detector is now availble that uses both a recording of the parent's voice and an audible alarm. A study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy, Columbus Children's Research Institute and Sleep Medicine Center, Columbus Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, Columbus, Ohio was conducted using standard 100db smoke detectors and the new personalized parents voice alarm. Their findings were published in Pediatrics2 Vol. 118 No. 4, October, 2006. It showed:

            • 96% of the children in Stage 4 sleep were awakened by the parental voice command compared with only 58% to the tone only alarm.
            • The median time to awaken was 20 seconds in the voice alarm group compared with 3 minutes in the tone alarm group.
            • The median time to escape was 38 seconds in the voice alarm group compared with the maximum allowed 5 minutes in the tone alarm group.

      Safe Zone LLC strongly encourages and recommends this type of detector be installed on every level of your home. Their use can dramatically reduce fire related mortality among children and those with hearing impairments that prevent them from hearing in the 3kHtz range, which is the range of a "standard" smoke alarm.

        NOTE: Stage 4 is true delta sleep. It predominates the first third of the night and accounts for 10-15% of total sleep time. This is often described as the deepest stage of sleep; it is exceedingly difficult to wake a subject in this state. This is the stage in which night terrors, bed wetting, sleepwalking, and sleep-talking occur.

        • Install fire extinguishers in your home. Don't forget to contact your insurance agent to take advantage of any discounts fire extinguishers might offer you.
        • Choose only flame retardant sleepware for your child.
        • Select funiture with flame resistant or flame retardant materials for your home.
        • Consider using a wall anchor and strap for any large piece of furniture that can tip over. Children can pull up or use drawers as steps in an attempt to reach objects above them. A wall anchor and strap firmly connected to the back of the unit can prevent tip over injuries. This should be mandatory for areas prone to earthquakes.
        • Use nonskid backing on rugs and make sure carpets are securely tacked down.
        • Use only stationary walkers. Those with wheels can be manueved to, and fall down, steps.
        • When cooking keep all pot handles turned inward and use only the back burners.
        • Do not allow your child near stoves, heaters or other hot appliances (especially irons and curling irons).
        • To prevent drowning, empty all water from bathtubs and pails, keep the door to the bathroom closed. Always leave the toilet lid down. Your child is top heavy and they can easily tip over and become trapped in the toilet.
        • Never leave your child alone near any container of water.
        • Child proof the swimming pool by enclosing it in a fence with a self-closing and self-latching gate.
        • Never leave your child alone in a swimming area, even if he or she is a good swimmer.
        • Many apartments and sub-divisions have retention ponds. Remain vigilant if your child is playing outside. Retention ponds are a natural curiosity for children in both summer and winter.
        • Be particularly cautious when it comes to children and animals. In a 6-year study published in the medical journal PEDIATRICS2 (Vol.97 No. 6, 891-5), Jeffrey J. Sacks, M.D. and associates reported the findings of 109 bite-related fatalities. They found that:

          • 57% of the deaths were in children under 10 years of age.
          • 22% of the deaths involved an unrestrained dog OFF the owner's property.
          • 18% of the deaths involved a restrained dog ON the owner's property, and
          • 59% of the deaths involved an unrestrained dog ON the owner's property.

          The researchers also found that 10% of the dog bite attacks involved sleeping infants.

          The most commonly reported dog breeds involved were:

          • pit bulls (24 deaths) 20%
          • rottweilers (16 deaths) 13.5%
          • German shepherds (10 deaths) 8.4%

        Many breeds, however, are involved in the problem.

        • Supervise your child when they are in proximity to any animal regardless of specie or breed.
        • Set the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalding burns.
        • Maintain smoke free environments for your baby.
        • Avoid over exposing your baby to the sun. Sunscreen should NOT be applied to children under 6 months of age. You may wish to speak with your physician about using a sun screen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide rather than a chemical based sun screen. Zinc oxide and titanim dioxide are less likely to cause an allergic reaction because they are not absorbed through the skin. Look for one of those ingredients on the label. Finally, some medications can make your child more sensitive to the sun so talk to your pediatrician or pharmacist before hand.
        • Be particularly careful if you intend to use a bicycle-mounted child seat or a bicycle-towed child trailer. Injuries typically occur to the child's head and face. Make certain your child wears an approved safety helmet that is sized correctly for your child. Remember that the spokes of the wheel can be another source of injury so always instruct your child to keep their hands and feet inside the carrier, use the restraint belt supplied with your carrier and use a foot well or spoke guard.
    In an effort to reduce loading time for those with dial up access, we are going to continue the next section on a new page. Click here to go to the next page.

    1 From The Center for Missing and Exploited Children - Reprinted here in its entirety in accordance with their reprint guidelines.   Safe Zone LLC is not a partner of or affiliated with the NCMEC in any way.

    2Pediatrics is the office journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.





    ©2007 Safe Zone LLC - Home