ABC 1991 Limited
533 Chester Road, Woodford, Stockport, Cheshire, SK7 1PR, United Kingdom, 07771 535335, c.rawlins@talktalk.net
Baby Safety Products
http://www.kiddiland.co.uk
16:29 06-Sep-2010
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| Baby Monitors | Safety Gates | Out and About Safety |
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| Home Safety | Sun Protection & Accessories |
Safety gates placed at the top of stairs or in doorways are used to keep toddlers away from hazardous areas of the home. Accordion gates, which open to form diamond-shaped patterns with wide V's at the top, can trap a baby's head and have resulted in strangulation deaths. In January 1985, gate manufacturers halted production of these gates, but there are still an estimated 15 million of them in use. Mesh gates also can be dangerous because a toddler's fingers can become trapped in them.
What to look for:
- Look for a hardware-mounted safety gate that attaches to the door frame without any openings to trap fingers or necks.
- Pressure-mounted safety gates should not be used between rooms of different levels or at the top of stairs; children can dislodge them and take a tumble. Remember to place the pressure bar away from the child.
- Safety Gates that swing out should never be used at the top of stairways.
- There should be no more than 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) between the floor and the safety gate bottom to prevent a child from slipping underneath.
- Nonflexible vertical slats or rods should be no more than 2 3/8 inches (6 centimeters) apart.
- Check for sharp edges and protrusions that could hurt a toddler's hands.
- Avoid gates with structures that could give a child a foothold for climbing.
- Discontinue using the gate when the child is about 2 years old (the gate should be no less than three quarters of the child's height).
SAFETY NOTE: Keep large toys away from the gate to prevent a child from using them to climb over. Check to make sure the gate has an ASTM/JPMA certification (American Society for Testing and Materials, and Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association). Only models with this certification will be guaranteed to abide by the safety standards
Playpens
These high-sided, enclosed play areas are popular because they allow parents to put their baby down with the knowledge that he or she can't wander off. However, playpens are no substitute for adult supervision — never leave a child unattended in a playpen.
What to look for:
- If the playpen has mesh sides, the holes in the mesh should be no larger than ¼ inch (0.6 centimeter) to keep small fingers from getting caught. The mesh should be securely attached.
- The sides should be at least 20 inches (51 centimeters) high, measured from the floor of the playpen.
- Look for padding on the tops of the rails to protect your baby from bumps.
- The locks that allow you to lower a side should be out of your baby's reach.
- Make sure the playpen has well-protected hinges and supports.
- Examine the floor of a used playpen for wear and tear.
SAFETY NOTES: Never leave a baby in a mesh playpen with the side lowered. The baby could get trapped between the mesh side and the floorboard. Because of the danger of suffocation, only one floor pad should ever be used. Avoid soft bedding in the playpen at all times. Always put your baby to sleep on his or her back. Stop using the playpen when your child can easily climb out — when he or she reaches a height of 34 inches (86 centimeters) or weighs 30 pounds (14 kilograms).
What is a baby monitor & why do I need one?
It might seem like an obvious question these days, but baby monitors are a relatively new innovation. At the most basic level they give the parent freedom from keeping a constant vigil at their baby’s bedside (cot-side or Moses basket-side!).
A baby monitor normally consists of a transmitter and a receiver unit. The transmitter is placed near the baby and the parent keeps the receiver unit. This way the parent can hear instantly if their baby needs reassurance while doing other things around the house – or maybe catching up on some well needed rest!
Baby Monitor Types
Baby monitors now fall into three main categories. There are the traditional audio baby monitors . These alert the parent if the baby starts to cry or seems restless or uncomfortable. Audio/visual baby monitors take this a step further by letting the parent see and hear their baby. These consist of a camera unit with a microphone and a receiver unit with a TV screen and speaker.
Baby monitors now fall into three main categories. There are the traditional audio baby monitors . These alert the parent if the baby starts to cry or seems restless or uncomfortable. Audio/visual baby monitors take this a step further by letting the parent see and hear their baby. These consist of a camera unit with a microphone and a receiver unit with a TV screen and speaker.
Lastly, there are sensor baby monitors (also called respiratory baby monitors). These offer peace of mind by immediately alerting the parent if their baby’s breathing becomes significantly uneven or even stops completely.