Many general safety measures can be applied to infants and older children. Some of them are more specific to children at certain ages. Some tips to increase safety for babies and children include:

• Always place babies to sleep on their backs to minimize the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Babies should not be placed on water beds, beanbags or anything soft enough to cover the face and block air to the nose and mouth. Babies are also at risk for falling from beds, sofas or chairs. For this reason, babies should never be left unsupervised on these surfaces. Children also should not sleep on the top bunk of a bunkbed until the age of 6 years.
  
  
• Choose safe toys for children. Parents are urged to read all manufacturers’ warnings about toys and to follow their recommendations about which toys are appropriate given a child’s age. Avoid purchasing toys with parts that can be swallowed. Painted toys manufactured before 1978 should not be given to children, because they may contain high levels of lead. Balloons should not be given to children younger than 8 years old, as they are the leading cause of choking deaths (which make up one-third of all toy-related deaths) attributed to toys. Vending-machine toys should not be given to children, as these toys do not have to meet safety regulations set for other toys. Some toys purchased via the Internet or made in other countries may not list safety regulations or may not be made to U.S. safety standards if they are not commercially imported to the United States.
  
  
• Be careful about solid foods fed to a baby. Do not feed a baby certain foods unless they are very thinly sliced. Even for toddlers and older children, some foods should be sliced. These include pieces of hard foods such as carrots or apples, grapes, popcorn, caramels, cheese cubes, hot dogs and peanuts. Foods such as grapes should be cut into quarters, while hot dogs should have the skin removed and be sliced lengthwise into four strips before they are chopped into smaller pieces. Vegetables should be cooked rather than served raw.
  
  
• Keep all strings, ropes and cords away from babies. Strangulation is a risk with such devices. Babies should not be dressed in necklaces or headbands, and clothes with drawstrings should be avoided. Pacifiers should not be placed around a baby’s neck or tethered to clothing.
  
  
• Keep all plastic bags and large sandwich bags in locked cabinets out of children’s reach. This can help prevent accidental suffocation.
  
  
• Lock up all sharp objects, such as knives, forks and scissors. Other items that should be locked in secured cabinets include appliances with sharp blades, shaving razors, tools and glass objects.
  
  
• Keep all potentially toxic substances locked up and out of reach. This includes obvious items such as cleaners, insecticides, medications and alcohol. However, it also includes less obvious substances such as iron pills, windshield washer fluid and mouthwash.
  
  
• Always supervise children around pets. This is particularly true of dogs. More than 4.7 million people suffer dog bites each year in the United States and more than half of those victims are under the age of 14, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP suggests for parents to consult a veterinarian when deciding on getting a dog and inquire about the behavior of different breeds and then choose one that is a good match for the family. The organization also urges parents to train their dog, teach their children dog safety tips (e.g., never bother a dog when it is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies) as well as ensuring their pet is vaccinated against rabies and other diseases.
  
  
• Keep emergency numbers handy. Parents and other caregivers should have quick access to a list of phone numbers, such as those for poison control, the child’s pediatrician, the parents’ work and cell phone numbers, and numbers of a neighbor or nearby relative.
  
  
• Keep abreast of recalls. Consumer products such as car safety seats, toys and strollers are frequently recalled by their manufacturers, sometimes for safety reasons. Parents should keep documents with serial numbers associated with these products and check them when they hear about recalls.
  
  
• Purchase baby bathtubs with slip-resistant backings. Parents are urged not to use bath rings, baby flotation devices and suction seats that do not have restraining belts, because these items can flip and present a risk of drowning. Also, foam cushions should be avoided as babies can tear off pieces and swallow them. Nonskid strips should also be placed on the bottom of the tub to prevent children from slipping.
  
  
• Inform all caregivers, including grandparents, of safety practices they should follow while caring for a child. This is especially true for grandparents or other older adults, whose childrearing behavior is rooted in practices from previous decades. For example, current medical practice advises putting infants to sleep on their backs. Many grandparents remember being advised against this practice when they were young parents and put infants to sleep on their stomachs.