Suffocating and choking
Babies and young children can easily swallow, inhale or choke on small items such as marbles, buttons, peanuts and small toys.
- Keep small objects out of the reach of small children
- Choose toys that are designed for the age of your baby or child. Encourage older children to keep their toys away from your baby
- Beware of clothing with cords or ribbons threaded through the neck, and dummies on necklace cords, as they can easily get caught and pull tightly on the neck
- Lay your baby on their back in a cot to sleep. Do not put babies to sleep in an adult bed or on the sofa and do not use pillows as they can suffocate
- Be careful with plastic bags as young children can put these over their heads and suffocate
- Curtain and blind pull cords should be kept short and out of reach of children
- Keep animals, especially cats, out of your bedrooms in case they jump into cots and beds. If they fall asleep in the wrong place they could suffocate your child. Attach a net over prams if necessary.