Dear Partners,
As the holiday season continues into the month of December, it is necessary to remain vigilant in looking out for children’s safety. December is Safe Toys and Gifts Month, which highlights the importance of preventing child injuries that result from toys.
In 2021 alone, there were approximately 152,800 toy-related injuries treated in the emergency department for children ages 14 and younger (NEISS, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission). Because of the risk of injury, it is important to be selective when choosing toys for children. Making sure toys are age-appropriate, batteries are out of children’s reach, and safety gear is bought for toys such as bicycles and skateboards ensures safer enjoyment.
Below are some CSN resources related to toy safety:
Another potential danger to look out for is injuries related to fires and burns, which tend to accompany cooking during the holiday season. Making sure smoke alarms are properly installed and regularly maintained, an escape plan is in place in the event of a fire, and being careful when cooking can reduce the likelihood of fires and burns. Check out CSN’s Fire and Burn Prevention Resource Guide for more prevention practices.
With heightened volumes of travel to and from family and friends during this month, take some time to make sure children are properly restrained in the car—1,093 child traffic fatalities occurred in 2020, 77% of which occurred among occupants of a car. In CSN’s new Child Passenger Safety Infographic, learn more about recent child passenger safety statistics and ways to prevent child traffic fatalities with the use of proper restraints and environmental behaviors. The infographic is available for download in both English and Spanish.
Throughout this newsletter, you will find resources from our Children's Safety Now Alliance partners highlighted in purple.
Please widely share these resources with your networks.
Kindly,
Jennifer Leonardo, PhD
