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Healthy Homes and Preventing InjuriesHealth Across the Ages

Introduction

Childhood injuries are common. Most injuries happen at home and can be prevented.

Below, find tips to keep your family safe from falls, choking, poisoning, burns and scalds, and drowning. We also have information on helmets and car seats as well as pet and animal safety, outdoor and playground safety, and pedestrian safety.

Car seats and booster seats

A properly installed car seat is the best protection for your baby or child in a sudden stop or crash. Holding them in a vehicle, even when travelling at slow speeds, is not safe, no matter what their age. Always refer to the car seat user manual for the maximum weight and height limits of your child’s particular car seat, and to your vehicle manual for installation instructions.

To find out what type of car seat to use for your child, watch Alberta Health Services – Is your child in the right seat? and download the Is your child in the right seat? printable.

For more videos on how to choose and use your car seat, watch the Child Safety Link – How to choose and use your child’s car seat series.

For translated car seat information, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Car Seats and Child Passenger Safety Translated Resources

Rear-facing car seat

  • Your baby or young child is safest riding in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum height or weight limit for rear-facing use allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer. Find these limits on the car seat’s stickers or in the instruction manual.
  • Rear-facing car seats include rear-facing only (or infant) car seats, as well as larger rear-facing car seats that you can change from a rear-facing car seat to a forward-facing car seat as your child grows.
Older baby and toddler buckled into two rear-facing car seats. Harness straps are snug and flat against baby and toddler. Chest clip is at level of child's armpits.

  • When your baby outgrows a rear-facing only (or infant) car seat, move them into a larger rear-facing car seat. Your child is safest in the larger rear-facing car seat as long as they are still under the maximum height or weight limit for rear-facing use.
  • A rear-facing car seat provides the best protection for a child’s head, neck and spine in a sudden stop or crash.

To learn more about rear-facing car seats and to find the Infant seat: How to keep your child safe in the car and Rear-facing seat: How to keep your child safe in the car printable resources, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca:

If your baby was born preterm or had a low birth weight, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Preterm or Low Birth Weight Babies and Rear-facing Car Seats to learn more about properly installing their car seat.

Did you know?

Buying a used car seat is not recommended. Used car seats may be missing parts, damaged, recalled or expired and may not meet current safety standards. If you’re thinking about borrowing a car seat, make sure you find out its history. If it’s been in a crash, it should not be used even if it looks okay. Small cracks or hidden damage can make the car seat unsafe.

Winter clothing and car seats

Bulky winter clothing could affect the harness system of your car seat. In the winter, use thin, warm layers like fleece or a light snowsuit. If your child is wearing bulky winter clothes, make sure to press down the clothing to tighten the harness and keep it secure. Once your child is in the seat, and the straps are secure, a blanket or cover can be placed over them. Check that the straps are snug each time.

Forward-facing car seat

  • When your child outgrows their larger rear-facing car seat by height or weight, they should move into a forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness.
  • Use a forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness until your child weighs at least 18 kg (40 lb) and has not yet reached the car seat’s maximum height and weight limit according to the car seat’s manufacturer.
  • If your child outgrows either the maximum height or weight limit of their car seat but is not yet tall or heavy enough for a booster seat, you will need a larger 5-point harness seat until they are ready for a booster seat. Some forward-facing seats may be used with the 5-point harness for children weighing up to 30 kg (65 lb).
Preschooler buckled into a forward-facing car seat. Shoulder harness is snug and lying flat. Chest clip is level with child’s armpits.

To learn more about forward-facing car seats and to find the Forward-facing seat: How to keep your child safe in the car printable resource, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Forward-facing car seat.

Booster seat

When your child outgrows their forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness by height or weight, they should move to a booster seat.

  • Your child is safest in a booster seat until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of the booster seat. Find these limits on the booster seat’s stickers or in the instruction manual.
  • Use a booster seat until the vehicle’s lap-shoulder seatbelt fits properly. This is typically when your child is 145 cm (4 ft 9 in) tall and between 8 and 12 years of age.

To learn more about booster seats and to find the Booster seat: How to keep your child safe in the car printable resource, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Booster Seat

Child sitting in a high back booster seat with head and neck support. Booster seat is in the back seat of the vehicle. Child is buckled in with lap-shoulder seat belt. Shoulder belt is flat across centre of child’s chest. Lap belt is flat across child’s hips.

Seat belts

When your child is taller than 145 cm (4 feet 9 inches), they can move to a regular seat and seat belt if:

  • their knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat when sitting all the way back
  • the lap belt stays low and snug across their hip bones
  • the shoulder belt crosses the chest and stays between their neck and shoulder
  • they can sit like this for the whole trip without slouching
  • Your child is safest in the back seat until they are 13 years old.

To learn more about seat belts seats and to find the Seat belt: How to keep your child safe in the car printable resource, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Seat belts.

Installing a car seat or booster seat

To install your child’s car or booster seat, follow the car or booster seat instructions and your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

The How to keep your child safe in the car printables can help you to choose the proper seat and make sure you’re using the seat correctly. They include instructions to help you properly install the car or booster seat in your vehicle and buckle your child correctly every time, helpful tips and guidelines for moving your child to the next seat. To learn more, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca:

To learn more about car or booster seat recalls, keeping your child content in a car seat, and for tips on buying the proper car seat, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca:

Using public transportation

If you have any questions about safety when travelling using public transportation, call Transport Canada at 1-800-333-0371.

Preventing injuries

Overview

More children die each year from injuries than from all childhood diseases combined. Most injuries happen at home and can be prevented. Young children are at a higher risk of getting injured than adults. This is because young children do not have the physical or thinking abilities to understand and stay away from dangers.

Once your baby starts moving, they’ll want to go everywhere and do everything. They’re trying to figure out the world around them. They’ll also explore by putting things in their mouth. Encourage your baby to discover, but watch closely while they explore to help them stay safe. As they grow older, keep your child safe by making sure they wear the right protective gear and get the right training for any sport or recreational activity they’re doing.

It will take time for your child to learn how to stay safe and follow safety rules. Look for chances to talk about risks and to teach and model safety rules every day, such as looking both ways before crossing the street with them. Do not expect your child to follow these rules on their own right away or all the time—you’ll need to repeat them many times and for many years. This is how children learn.

The following sections introduce many injury prevention topics and tips. To learn more about keeping your family safe from injuries, visit Government of Canada – Injury Prevention and Is Your Child Safe? Play Time.

Falls

Falls are the leading cause for injury-related hospital visits for babies and children. Falls can be prevented.

Falls can happen before your baby can move much, even if you’re in the same room. Babies can easily fall from furniture and other surfaces when they kick, wiggle, roll and push against things with their feet. Since a baby’s head is large compared to their body their head will often hit the ground first and take the impact.

To keep your baby safe:

  • Be by their side. Always be at your baby’s side—never leave them alone on a raised surface. If you need to step away, even for a moment, take them with you or move them to a safe place such as their crib, cradle, bassinet or playpen.
  • Be hands-on. Keep one hand on your baby when they’re on any high surface, such as a change table, bed or counter, even if they’re in a safety strap. To be safe, you can also change your baby’s diapers on a clean pad on the floor instead of a raised surface. When carrying your newborn, use both hands and hold them close to your body.
  • Keep car seats and infant chairs off of raised surfaces like furniture, counters or dryers.
  • Use safety straps. Use the safety straps in your baby’s stroller, high chair, change table, car seat, baby seat and baby swing as well as in shopping carts. Straps that go around your baby’s waist and through their legs are the safest type, especially when your baby is learning to stand, as they cannot slide through.
  • Lay them down. If you’re holding your baby and feel sleepy, make sure you lay them down in a safe place so they don’t fall if you fall asleep.
  • Stay awake while feeding or holding your baby. To help you stay awake, try chewing gum, wiping your face and neck with a wet cloth or keeping the room lights, TV or music on.
  • Use the floor. Place car seats, baby chairs and bassinets on the floor—not on a counter, bed or sofa.

Supervise for safety

Supervision is one of the best ways to prevent injuries in children.

Falls can also happen when your baby and child are climbing the stairs, on furniture or at the playground. To keep them safe:

  • Install sturdy, mounted stair gates at the top and bottom of each stairwell before your baby starts to crawl. At the top of the stairs, use a gate that is permanently attached to the wall or banister. It’s not recommended to use gates that stay in place using pressure (pressure gates) at the top of stairs. Your baby’s weight could cause a pressure gate to fall over if they lean on it. Use pressure-mounted gates only at the bottom of stairs—never at the top.
  • Install and use window safety devices on all windows higher than ground level. These windows should not open more than 10 cm (4 inches). Choose window safety latches that an adult can quickly open in an emergency.
  • Move furniture away from windows. This includes your child’s crib, bed and other furniture such as dressers.
  • Secure furniture. Make sure furniture like dressers and bookcases are secured to the wall. Put the TV far back on a low, stable stand, attach it to the stand, or secure with a safety strap. Do not place items that may appeal to your child on top of the TV or furniture.
  • Move your baby’s crib mattress to its lowest position once your baby can sit.
  • Move your toddler from a crib to a bed before they’re tall enough to climb over the crib rails when the mattress is at its lowest height.
  • Do not use bunk beds until your child is at least 6 years old.
  • Keep furniture off of balconies so your child cannot climb on them and fall over the railings.
Baby sitting in a crib that is free of clutter. Move your baby’s crib mattress to its lowest position once your baby can sit.Parent carrying older baby upstairs, opening a sturdy, mounted stair gate at the top of the stairs. The gate is permanently attached to the banister.
Bottom image reproduced with permission from KidCo Inc. (2016).

Falling from windows

Falling from an open window can seriously injure or even kill a child. The screens on windows are not strong enough to keep your child in. Be sure to move furniture away from windows, use window safety devices and close and lock all windows at all times.

Choking and poisoning

Your baby explores and plays by putting things in their mouth, which increases their risk of choking and poisoning. If something goes into your baby’s hands, you can expect it to go into their mouth. Food is the most common cause of choking for children. Learn more about choking hazards and foods to avoid.

If an item can fit inside an empty toilet paper roll, it’s too small for your baby or young child—they could choke on it. To help prevent them from choking or being strangled:

  • Keep small toys, latex balloons and items such as coins and jewellery away from them.
  • Do not put a necklace, string, ribbon or chain of any kind around the neck of a child under 3 years old.
  • Do not use clothing with drawstrings or cords as these can get caught around your child’s neck or on other objects and strangle them.
  • Do not use clothing with fixed hoods—choose clothing with break-away hoods instead
Adult testing a plastic toy for choking risk by attempting to fit it inside an empty cardboard toilet paper roll.
If an item can fit in a toilet paper roll, it’s too small for your baby or young child. Tap or click image to expand.

You can find other potential dangers by looking at your home environment from your child’s point of view. Get down on your hands and knees and crawl on the floor or walk around the room to look for possible safety concerns. Remove any tiny toys or objects from all of the rooms that they may be able to get into. Lock or install childproof latches on drawers in the kitchen and other rooms, as needed.

Young children are naturally curious and have the highest risk of poisoning from swallowing, inhaling or eating toxic substances, or getting them on their skin. Here are some things you can do to help prevent poisoning:

  • Keep all prescription and over-the-counter medicine, alcohol, tobacco and tobacco-like products, cannabis and other drugs locked up, out of sight, and in their original containers. Child-resistant caps on medicine bottles help but they’re not childproof.
  • Keep items such as household cleaners, dishwasher and laundry pods or detergents, garden products and cosmetics locked away and out of reach and out of sight of your child.
  • Keep houseplants out of your child’s reach.
  • Keep batteries out of reach of children. Supervise your child when they use products that have small button batteries, such as remote controls, or other small electronic devices. If your child swallows a new or used battery, go to the Emergency Department.
  • When family or friends come to visit, put their purses, backpacks and coats out of your child’s reach. This will help prevent your child from getting into things that are not safe.

If you have any questions or are not sure about a product’s safety, call the Poison and Drug Information Service (PADIS) 24/7 toll-free at 1-800-332-1414 or visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Preventing Poisoning in Young Children.

Call 911 NOW if you have a poisoning or choking emergency.

Batteries

If your child swallows a button battery, do not try to remove the battery by causing your child to vomit (inducing vomiting). Go to the Emergency Department NOW if your child has swallowed a button battery.

Balloons

Latex balloons or pieces of broken balloons can be inhaled and block the airway. Keep them out of your child’s reach—whether they’re inflated or not.

Exposure to even a tiny amount of drugs can make your baby or child very sick or cause death

Exposure to even a tiny amount of any drugs, including ecstasy, methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, can make your baby or child very sick or cause death.

Exposure can happen in different ways, like:

  • breathing in second-hand smoke or vapour from drugs
  • being exposed through breastfeeding or breastmilk
  • transferring from clothing, hands, or skin to a baby or child’s body, toys, soothers, bottles, and other items
  • during diaper changes
  • accidentally eating or touching drugs

Babies and children are in contact with their caregivers and everything in their environment, so exposure can happen in many places, like:

  • in your home and other homes
  • in vehicles
  • in public places
  • in parks and playgrounds

Keep all drugs and drug-related items, like bongs, pipes, lighters, needles, spoons, and fentanyl patches, locked up, out of sight, and out of reach of children. Anyone who comes in contact with drugs or drug-related items should:

  • wash their hands before handling or feeding a baby or child
  • wash their hands before touching toys or other items
  • change their clothes before handling a baby or child

Call 911 NOW if you think your child has been exposed to drugs.

Death from exposure to opioids is preventable. If you think a baby or child has been exposed to opioids like heroin or fentanyl, naloxone is safe to give to anyone at any age.

If you’re concerned about your own or someone else’s drug use, talk with your healthcare provider. You can also call the Addiction Helpline anytime, day or night, at 1-866-332-2322, or visit Alberta Health Services – Addiction & Mental Health.

Albertans can also access the Opioid Recovery Program anywhere in the province – call 1-844-383-7688 for resources and supports in your community.

Blinds and curtains

If you have window coverings with cords, always keep them short, secured and well out of your baby’s and child’s reach. Cords and loops can get around your child’s neck and strangle them.

Cordless window coverings are the safest. If you cannot replace all of your window coverings with cordless ones, replace the window coverings in your child’s bedroom and play spaces. If this is not an option, you can:

  • Cut the loops on window blinds, drapery and curtain cords.
  • Keep cords short, secured and well out of reach.
  • Install a cleat or tie-down device up high on the wall and use it to keep cords out of reach.

Button battery safety

Keep batteries out of the reach of children. Button batteries are found in watches, hearing aids, remote controls, musical greeting cards, flashing shoes and other small electronic devices. These batteries can be an attractive object to a young child, and because of their size and candy-like appearance, are a risk for swallowing. Swallowing these batteries can make your child very sick and may even cause death.

To help prevent injuries caused by swallowing button batteries:

  • Keep batteries locked up, out of reach and out of sight of your child.
  • Only buy and use products with secure battery compartments that your child cannot open. Use the screws provided and tape to seal battery compartments.
  • Supervise your child when they use products that have button batteries.
  • Look for loose batteries on floors, tables and counters. Dispose of batteries so that your child cannot find them.
  • Be careful when storing and disposing of batteries. Even dead batteries can cause harm if swallowed.
  • When possible, choose products with alternatives to button batteries such as rechargeable permanent batteries.

If your child swallows a button (disc) battery, do not try to remove the battery by causing your child to vomit (inducing vomiting). Go to the Emergency Department NOW if your child has swallowed a button battery.

To learn more about button battery safety, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Swallowed Button Battery.

Three different types of button batteries in a pileButton battery held on tip of finger to illustrate size of battery. Battery is slightly smaller than the tip of the finger.

Burns, scalds and fire safety

Burns and scalds

Babies and children have thin, sensitive skin that burns easily. Burns are one of the most common injuries among children under 6 years of age. They can be caused by scalding (injury caused by very hot liquid or steam), chemicals and contact with flames, hot objects and electrical sources.

To help prevent burns and scalds:

  • Turn the temperature of your hot water heater down to no more than 49 °C (120 °F) or to the warm setting. Always test the water before putting them in the bath.
  • Install safety gates around fireplaces. When outdoors, keep your child away from barbecue grills and campfires.
  • Keep chemicals such as toilet cleaner, bleach, oven cleaners and drain cleaners locked away, out of reach and out of your child’s sight.
  • Use safety covers on all electrical outlets and unplug electrical items that are in your child’s reach.
  • Do not use electric blankets, heating pads or hot water bottles on your child.
  • Keep hot liquids away from your child. Use lids on your hot drinks, even at home.
  • Cook on the back burner of the stove and turn pot handles towards the back of the stove.
  • Do not hold your child while cooking.

To learn more about preventing burns and scalds, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Child Safety: Preventing Burns.

Covered pot cooking on the back burner of a stove.

First aid

Many childhood injuries and common problems at home may just need basic first aid. It can help to be prepared. Taking a first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course will help you learn how to respond.

Keep first aid supplies such as bandages, gauze and tweezers on hand. Put emergency numbers in a place where everyone in your family can find them. To learn more about first aid, call Health Link at 811 or MyHealth.Alberta.ca – First Aid.

Fire safety

Here are some things you can do to help prevent fires and keep your family safe:

  • Install a smoke and carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home. Test the batteries every month and change the batteries twice a year if the detector is not hardwired. It’s easier to remember to change the batteries if you pick dates that are meaningful, such as when you change the clocks in the spring and fall.
  • Keep lighters and matches locked up and out of your child’s reach.
  • Always monitor candles that are being used.
  • Do not use items such as space heaters when you’re asleep or away from home.
  • Close bedroom doors at night to protect your family from fire and smoke.
  • Use safety covers on all electrical outlets. Keep electric cords out of children’s reach.
  • When choosing your child’s sleepwear, make sure it’s made from materials that are harder to catch fire and burn slowly such as polyester or nylon fabrics. Tight fitting pyjamas are less likely to catch fire than loose fitting pyjamas. Day clothes for sleeping, like t-shirts, may not protect your child from getting burned so it’s better to dress your child in actual sleepwear.
Sliding electrical outlet cover
Reproduced with permission from Allred, A. (2017).

As your child gets older, they’ll learn how to respond to fires through fire drills at school. Help your child learn about fire safety at home too. Plan and practice how your family will get out of the home if there’s a fire as well as where to meet so that you’re out of danger.

Teach your child to:

  • Follow your family’s fire plan.
  • Get low and go—crawl along the floor to stay below the smoke.
  • Climb out of a window safely.
  • Stop, drop and roll if their clothes are on fire.

To learn more about general fire precautions, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Child Safety: Fires.

Safer sleepwear

Children’s sleepwear sold in Canada must meet strict flammability requirements to be safe for sleep.

Requirements for daytime clothing are not as strict so these are less safe for your child to sleep in.

Nightlights

A nightlight may be an attractive object to a young child. Some decorative nightlights such as a ‘bubble’ nightlight have dangerous chemicals inside that can be harmful for your child if they break.

If you use a nightlight, ensure that you protect your child from fire, electrical shock or poisoning by:

  • Using the nightlight as instructed by the manufacturer
  • Buying a nightlight that does not have decorative shapes or cartoon characters
  • Using a nightlight with child-safety features
  • Unplugging the nightlight when it’s not being used and covering the electrical outlets after removing the nightlight
  • Buying a nightlight that says it’s ‘cool’ and ‘does not overheat’

Water safety

Babies and children should never be left unattended in, around or near water, not even for a few seconds. This includes bathtubs, toilets, pools or wading pools or even a bucket of water. Children under 5 years old can drown in as little as 2.5 cm (1 inch) of water, and this is especially true for babies as they do not have good head control.

Here are some ways you can help protect your child from drowning:

  • Stay with your child when you’re bathing them.
  • Never leave your baby alone in the bathtub with an older sibling. Bathtub rings are not safe for babies.
  • Be within arm’s reach when swimming—lifejackets and water wings are not a replacement for supervision.
  • Keep toilet lids down and make sure that they’re never left alone around toilets.
  • Supervise children closely around water including lakes, rivers, ponds, wells, open postholes and irrigation or drainage ditches.
  • Store coolers out of your child’s reach. Empty coolers after you’re done with them.
  • If you have a backyard pool, install gated fencing around it. Fencing should be at least 120 cm (4 ft.) high.
  • Learn how to swim, if you don’t know how.
  • Teach your child how to swim—swimming lessons alone will not prevent drowning. Supervision is always needed.
Preschooler wearing a lifejacket and swimming while being held by parents.

Never leave your child alone near water

Even if your child knows how to swim, never leave them alone near water. Supervision is the best way to prevent drowning.

Pet and animal safety

Children can learn a lot about life and caring for others from having a pet. Teach your child to treat all animals gently and with respect—you’ll need to remind them frequently to do so as it takes a long time for them to learn responsibility. Always supervise your child around pets and other animals.

Parent kneeling beside and holding toddler as they look at a goat outside on a farm.

Some pets such as turtles, snakes and lizards can carry salmonella, a bacteria that can make your child sick. Other pets and animals, such as cats, can pass on a parasite that can make your child sick (toxoplasmosis). Here are some ways to reduce the risk of your family being exposed:

  • Make sure you and your child wash your hands well after touching and handling any pet or animal.
  • Do not feed your pet raw meat.
  • Do not let your child handle turtles, ducklings, baby chicks or small pets—they may want to kiss or lick them and could get very sick.
  • Cover sandboxes so that cats and birds don’t use them as litter boxes.
  • Wear gloves when gardening so you don’t touch pet or animal stool. Wash your hands well afterwards.
  • Scoop your cat’s litter box every day and wash your hands well after.

Wash hands well

Everyone in the family should wash hands well with soap and water after:

  • touching or handling pets or animals
  • doing any gardening
  • scooping a cat’s litter box

Dog bites

Children are more at risk for dog-related injuries including dog bites. Teach your child not to tease or touch dogs in a way that might hurt them. Never let your child pull a dog’s ears, tail or fur. They should not disturb dogs while they’re sleeping, eating, chewing a bone, or playing with a toy.

Help protect your child from being bitten:

  • Do not allow your dog to sleep with your child.
  • Socialize and train your dog. Ask your veterinarian about dog training classes.
  • Do not play aggressive games with your dog.
  • Make sure you have a quiet and comfortable place for your dog to go to if they want to get away.

In addition, teach your child to:

  • Always ask a dog owner if they can approach or pet their dog.
  • Approach a dog cautiously and let the dog sniff them before they pet.
  • Never run or scream if a dog comes up to them. Tell your child to stand still like a statue or a tree.
  • Roll into a ball, be still and cover their face if a dog knocks them over.

Learn how to help your pet adjust to a newborn. To learn more about staying healthy around pets and animals, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Staying Healthy Around Animals.

Playing outdoors: heat, cold, sun and insects

Children are naturally drawn to playing outside. It helps them explore their surroundings, problem-solve, use social skills and build self-confidence. It also gives them a chance to practice skills, challenge themselves and be creative.

Your child can connect with nature by exploring playgrounds, climbing, jumping in puddles, building snowmen, running in open spaces or digging in the sand or dirt. They need to play in safe surroundings to reduce their risk of injuries while playing outdoors. Make sure your child dresses appropriately for the weather and wears protective gear for whatever sport or recreational activity they do.

Parent and toddler looking under rocks on a beach.

Be ready for the weather

Protect your baby and child from the heat, cold, sun and insects when they’re outside. Since children have smaller bodies, they’re more at risk than adults of becoming too cold (hypothermia) or too hot (heat stroke). Make sure all of your outside doors are secure so that your child cannot get out on their own.

Toddler wearing a thick, hooded jacket, mittens, hat, and neck warmer as they get pulled in a sled through the snow. The child is not bundled too tightly.

Be safe when doing winter activities

There are lots of fun winter activities you can do as a family, such as tobogganing and skating. To learn more about being safe while doing these activities, visit Alberta Health Services – Winter Recreation Safety and Parachute – Winter Safety.

When it’s cold outside

Children, especially babies, are more likely to suffer an injury from being exposed to the cold because they:

  • have a large body surface area compared with their weight, which means they lose body heat faster
  • do not regulate their body temperature well, which means they’re not able to shiver
  • do not have much fat under their skin, which means they cannot stay warm

In cold weather:

  • Dress your baby or child in layers. Do not bundle them too tightly. As it gets warmer, remove layers.
  • Use a hat.
  • Wear a neck warmer instead of a scarf. Scarves are not recommended as they can hang down, catch and strangle your child.
  • Put a blanket over your child for warmth after they’re buckled into their car seat—be sure not to cover their face.

Keep children inside when the temperature or the wind chill drops to below -27 °C (-16.6 °F) or when the weather is extreme, such as during a snowstorm. At these temperatures exposed skin will freeze.

The sun and vitamin D

Even though our body makes vitamin D when we’re in the sun, it’s not a safe or sufficient way to meet your child’s vitamin D needs. Starting at birth, all children need a 400 IU vitamin D supplement every day. To learn more, download Alberta Health Services – Vitamin D for Babies and Children.

When it’s warm outside

Try to stay out of the sun when the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are strongest—between 11 am and 3 pm. Before going outside, check the weather forecast for the daily UV index. Be extra careful to protect your child’s skin on days when the UV Index is 3 (moderate) or more.

Babies under 12 months old are especially sensitive to the sun. They have thin skin and can burn easily. Keep them out of the sun.

To protect your child when it’s warm outside:

  • Keep them out of direct sunlight when possible.
  • Teach your child to play in the shade.
  • Use a light blanket to create shade over your baby. Be sure the blanket doesn’t touch their face to prevent them from being smothered.
  • Keep your child cool and protected with loose fitting and light coloured clothing. Keep their arms and legs covered when possible.
  • Use a wide-brimmed hat to protect their face and neck.
  • Make sure your child drinks extra water to prevent dehydration. Younger babies may need to feed more often.
  • Use UV blocking sunglasses to protect your child’s eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

If you’re travelling to warmer climates, these precautions are even more important. It may be even warmer there and the sun may be more intense, making it more dangerous for your child.

Never leave your child alone in the car. Your car can heat up quickly, even on days that do not seem very warm. The temperature can quickly become high enough to cause death.

Hot vehicles can kill

Never leave your child alone in a car. Every year, there are children in Canada that die from being left inside a car that has become too hot.

Sunscreen

Using sunscreen on babies younger than 6 months old is not recommended. For babies over 6 months old, ask your health care provider before using sunscreen.

All children over 1 year old need to use sunscreen:

  • Choose a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. It should protect from UVA and UVB rays and be water resistant.
  • Put on sunscreen 20 minutes before going outside.
  • Use an SPF 30 lip balm on your child’s lips.
  • Re-apply sunscreen every 2 hours and after any activity that gets your child wet or sweaty.

To learn more about sun safety, visit Government of Canada – Sun Safety Tips for Parents.

Wash it off

When sunscreen or insect repellent are not needed anymore, wash them off the skin well with soap and warm water.

Insect repellent

Depending on your child’s age, you can use insect repellent to lower their chances of being bitten by an insect. There are many different kinds available and some work better than others. DEET gives the longest-lasting protection against mosquito bites.

  • Do not use on babies under 6 months old. Use mosquito netting and try not to be outside when insect activity is high.
  • For children 6 months to 2 years old, use insect repellent only when there’s a high risk of insect bites that can spread infections and diseases. Do not use more than once a day.
  • For children over 2 years old, you can use insect repellent up to 3 times a day.

When using insect repellent for your child, use just enough of the least-concentrated formula of DEET (10% or less) on their exposed skin and clothing. Keep insect repellent away from their face, hands and any irritated skin.

To learn more about insect repellents, visit Government of Canada – Insect Repellents.

Combined protection

When using both sunscreen and insect repellent:

  1. Put on the sunscreen.
  2. Wait 20 minutes.
  3. Put on the insect repellent.

Combination sunscreen and repellent products are not recommended. The sunscreen or the repellent may not work as well when it has been combined.

Helmets and bike safety

Helmets

Bike helmets reduce the risk of head injury in a crash by 80%. In Alberta, anyone under 18 years old must wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or tricycle or when in a bike trailer or carrier—it’s the law. Helmets are also strongly recommended for adults. Wearing your own helmet protects your brain and models the safety behaviour you want your child to learn. Make helmets a habit for your whole family.

Helmets are also recommended for activities such as tobogganing, skiing, snowboarding, and activities on ice such as hockey and skating. Use helmets that are designed for the activity, such as a hockey helmet when you’re skating or a bike helmet when you’re riding a bike. Wear helmets that meet approved helmet safety standards—look for a CSA, Snell or an ASTM sticker.

Your child’s helmet needs to be worn properly. It needs to be checked often to make sure it still fits—children grow quickly. To learn more about bike helmets and to take the Bike Helmet YES Test, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Take the Bike Helmet YES Test: How to Properly Fit a Helmet for Biking.

Older toddler smiling and wearing a helmet while sitting on a tricycle.

Protect your head too!

You’re a role model. When you wear a helmet, you help make it a habit for your entire family

Bike safety

Most children are ready to ride a push bike or tricycle by age 3. By age 5 or 6, children may have the physical skills to ride a bicycle. Fenced areas such as a backyard or a park are the safest places to ride. Driveways are dangerous because drivers may not see your child when they’re pulling in or backing out. Children should always be accompanied by an adult when riding a bike, especially near traffic.

Your child is not ready to ride on the road until they’re able to judge traffic and safety risks. Their ability to ride on the road is based on their experience, environment and development. Before they can ride on the road they will need to learn the rules of the road and to judge traffic safety.

They’ll also need to learn to:

  • Pay attention to where they’re going.
  • Watch for cars and traffic safety signs.
  • Use brakes and signals.
  • Pass pedestrians.
  • Stay away from major risks such as busy intersections or hidden driveways.

Remember, young children should always ride with you or an adult, even if they take the same route several times a week (e.g., between home and school). Ride with your child to teach them the safety rules they’ll need to know, such as watching for pedestrians and stopping at all stop signs, even when they’re on the sidewalk. Make sure they have basic skills before going on the road with them.

Bike trailers and carriers

Children less than 1 year old don’t have the neck and head control to ride safely in a bike carrier or trailer. Do not put your child under 1 year of age into a bike trailer or a carrier. For children over 1 year old, always use a properly fitting helmet and make sure they’re safely secured.

Is your child’s bicycle in good condition?

If you think your child is ready for a bicycle, make sure it’s in good condition. Here are some questions to ask:

  • Is the bike the right size for my child? Bikes that are too big or too small are dangerous.
    • Can my child touch the ground with their feet? Have your child sit on the bike. Adjust the height of the seat until their toes can touch the ground on both sides.
    • Can my child reach the handlebars?
  • Does the bike have a light, reflectors and a horn or a bell?
  • Have I checked the ABCs?
    • Is there Air in the tires?
    • Are the Brakes clean and working?
    • Is the Chain tight and oiled?
  • Does my child use a helmet every time they ride?
  • Does the bike helmet fit properly?

Pedestrian safety

Walking is great exercise and a fun family activity. As soon as you begin walking with your child, start teaching them the skills they need to be safe whenever they cross the street. When you teach your child about pedestrian safety, base it on your child’s level of development. Children under 6 years old will not have the skills, awareness or judgment to understand the traffic around them and know when it’s safe to cross the street. Continue to teach them as they get older.

As your child reaches the preschool age, they can be impulsive and may not want to hold your hand. Insist that they do and that they stay close to you around traffic, when crossing roads and in parking lots. While you’re crossing the street, talk with your child about how you’re crossing safely and what’s happening on the street around you.

Parent explaining 'Don’t Walk' traffic safety signal while holding on to two young children at an intersection.

Teach and model pedestrian safety skills

  • Walk with your child often and role model safe walking.
  • Make sure that your child walks on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, be sure that they walk far away from the road and are able to see the oncoming traffic.
  • Teach your child to recognize traffic safety signals and the signals of a crossing guard.
  • Stop before stepping onto the road.
  • Look for traffic—left, right and left again before stepping onto the road.
  • Wait to cross until traffic has stopped or the road is clear, even if there’s a crossing guard, pedestrian signal or other traffic signal.
  • Make it a rule to cross the street at pedestrian crosswalks or corners only, and to cross railway tracks at designated crossings only.
  • Talk to your child about the dangers of being distracted while walking such as talking to friends while crossing the street.
  • Make sure that your child knows that they should never play on the street or around or between parked cars.

Playground safety

Children enjoy and learn on different types of playground equipment depending on their age and stage of development. You can help prevent injuries at the playground by:

  • Making sure the playground equipment is the right size for your child—they should be able to reach and climb the equipment on their own
  • Checking the ground under the equipment—it should be wood chips, rubber surfacing, sand or pea gravel (round, not crushed)
  • Checking the barriers and handrails of the play structure—make sure they’re secure and strong

Young children are still developing their balance and climbing skills. A general rule is that they should play only on equipment that they can reach by themselves. If they cannot reach it, they should not be on it.

Keeping your child safe at playgrounds:

  • Dress your child for safe play. They should never wear items that can cause a fall or get caught and possibly strangle them. This includes items such as helmets, scarves, clothing with drawstrings, loose fitting clothing and backpacks.
  • Teach your child to watch out for moving objects including other children on swings, coming off of slides, and on bikes and scooters.
  • Ask your child to hold on with both hands when swinging or climbing.
  • Have them take turns on a slide—one child at a time—and to go down feet first.
  • Ask them to use equipment and toys only as they’re meant to be used.
  • Make sure your child plays with proper footwear on.
  • Ask them to respect others on the playground—no pushing, shoving or tripping.
  • Supervise your child and be close enough that you can help if you have to.

To learn more about playground safety and to take the Playground Safety YES Test, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Take the Playground Safety YES Test.

Trampolines

Trampolines are not recommended to be used for play at home by children of any age. They can cause serious and permanent injuries and even death. Trampolines are not safe even if they have a net, padding and an adult is watching. Backyard trampolines are not recommended for children of any age.

Trampolines can cause:

  • sprains, bruises and cuts
  • broken bones
  • injuries to the head, neck and back

To learn more about trampolines, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Trampolines and Bouncers.

Play safe in rural areas

If you live in or visit a rural setting or a farm, be sure to:

  • Supervise children at all times.
  • Create a safe play area for your child.
  • Stay next to your child in animal pens or when around any animals.
  • Put up barriers to keep your child out of swamps, dugouts, septic tanks, wells, lakes, grain storage areas and sand pits.
  • Not let your child play on farm machinery such as trucks, tractors and grain wagons.
  • Clearly mark electric and wire fences with flags or signs and teach your child to stay away from them.
  • Properly ventilate root cellars.
  • Always supervise your child around fire.
  • Use a fire-safe container that has a grate on top when burning materials.

To learn more about farm safety, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca – Farm Safety for Children.

No ATVs or snowmobiles

Children under 16 years old should not operate any size of ATV (all-terrain vehicle) or snowmobile.

Once they are 16 years old, they should only ride as passengers on models made for passengers.

Healthy homes

Cleaning and sanitizing

Keep your home clean with ordinary household cleaners. You do not need to use anti-bacterial products. Read labels on your household cleaners and follow the instructions for using, storing and disposing of them. If the label says to use the cleaner in a well-ventilated area, open a window while you use it. Inhaling the fumes can be dangerous for you and your child. Make sure cleaning products are securely stored in an area where your child cannot reach them.

To clean and sanitize household surfaces and toys:

  1. Wash with a detergent and warm water or mix 2.5 ml (½ tsp) household bleach in 1 L (4 cups) of water.
  2. Spray or soak for 2 minutes to kill germs.
  3. Rinse with clean, warm water.
  4. Let air dry.

Air quality

A clean and dry home helps limit contaminants in the air. Mould can cause many health problems such as wheezing, coughing or allergic reactions. Children are more sensitive to poor air quality then adults, this includes exposure to second-hand smoke.

Keep the humidity levels in your home no higher than 50% to reduce the risk of mould. Change your furnace filters as needed.

Carbon monoxide is a harmful gas that can cause health problems before people even know they’re being exposed to it. It can cause headaches and make you feel tired. At higher levels it’s more serious and can even cause death. Use a carbon monoxide detector to help protect your family.

To learn more about the air quality in your home, visit Government of Canada – Air Quality and Health and Indoor Air Contaminants.

Lead

Lead is a chemical found naturally in the environment. It can also be found in some manufactured products, household building materials, toys and jewellery. Lead can be dangerous for pregnant individuals, babies and young children. Lead is no longer used in water pipes but it may still be present in old pipes or soldered joints.

Here are some things you can do to help make sure your family is not exposed to lead:

  • Read the manufacturer’s labels on products you give to your child. Toys and jewellery made outside Canada or the United States may contain lead. If you’re not sure, don’t let your child play with the toy or wear the jewellery.
  • Run the tap before using water that hasn’t been run for a number of hours—especially if you live in an older home.
  • Use cold tap water for drinking and cooking. It has less lead than hot tap water.
  • Older homes may have lead-based paints in them. Look for and follow recommendations on how to complete renovations safely.
  • Dusting, vacuuming and wet-mopping your house regularly will help keep down levels of dust that may contain lead.
  • If anyone in your family works with or does hobbies with lead, such as working with stained glass, showering and changing their clothes afterwards will help reduce the amount of lead on their body.
  • Store food or liquids in containers that are lead-free. Some food containers, such as crystal glass or glazed and ceramic dishes may also have lead in them.

To learn more about lead exposure, visit Government of Canada – Reduce Your Exposure to Lead.