By the end of this section, you should be able to:
Describe how teachers can ensure the toys and materials they offer children do not present injury risks and are non-toxic.
Explain ways adults can support safe and developmentally appropriate use of technology.
Lists ways to protect children from choking, poisoning, drowning, and falls.
Identify how to implement safe sleep practices to protect against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Introduction
Designing an effective and engaging classroom environment takes careful thought and planning, but it's important. A well-organized classroom that is interesting, orderly, and attractive contributes to children's participation and engagement with the learning materials and activities. This engagement, in turn, contributes to children's learning.
Let's look at it from a child's perspective. We want children to feel safe and comfortable in the classroom. We want them to be interested in the learning activities and to take full advantage of being at school and take full advantage of the activities you've planned and the materials you've selected. It can be helpful to get down at a child's level and take a look at the classroom. Does it feel welcoming and inviting? Is there enough room to move, make choices, and stay involved with a toy, activity, or project? And does the room help the child know what to do and what's expected?
Figure 9.3.1 – This reading area is set up so it’s clear what children should do in this space.78
Safe Toys, Materials, and Equipment
Play is a natural activity for every young child. Play provides many opportunities for children to learn and grow – physically, mentally, and socially. If play is the child’s work, then the toys, materials, and equipment in the environment are what will enable children to do their work well and safely.96
Safe Toys and Materials
Early childhood professionals must keep in mind the ages of the children they are choosing toys for, including their typical interests and skill levels. The manufacturer’s age recommendation is a good starting place to ensure that toys are age-appropriate. Warnings such as “Not recommended for children under 3” should be followed.104
Protecting children from unsafe toys is the responsibility of everyone. Careful toy selection and proper supervision of children at play are still—and always will be—the best ways to protect children from toy-related injuries.97
EC professionals must consider both safety and durability when choosing toys for children. Toys should be constructed to withstand the uses and abuses of children in the age range for which the toy is appropriate.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has safety regulations for certain toys. Manufacturers must design and manufacture their products to meet these regulations so that hazardous products are not sold. In addition to the mandatory standards, many toy manufacturers also adhere to the toy industry’s voluntary safety standards.99
Toys should be chosen with care. Teachers should look for quality design and construction. Safety labels to look for include “flame retardant/flame resistant” on fabric products and “washable/hygienic materials” on stuffed toys and dolls. Check all toys periodically for breakage and potential hazards. A damaged or dangerous toy should be thrown away or repaired immediately.
Safety Risks from Art Materials
While it is not recommended to use potentially toxic art materials, certain items may be used with older children, such as acrylic paints, oil pastels, permanent markers, ceramic glazes, etc., because of what is being studied or taught. These should be planned for and used with the utmost care and supervision as children‘s behaviors and cognitive abilities may also influence their risk of exposure. For example, children under the age of 12 are less able to remember and follow complex steps for safety procedures, and are more impulsive, making them more likely to ignore safety precautions. Children have a much higher chance of toxic exposure than adults because they are unaware of the dangers, are not as concerned with cleanliness and safety precautions as adults, and are often more curious and attracted to novel smells, sights, or sounds. Children need regular and consistent reminders of safety rules, and there is no substitute for direct supervision.
Guidelines for Selecting Art Materials
Here are some helpful reminders about choosing art materials for children:
Read the labels and only purchase art materials intended for children and are labeled with the statement “Conforms to ASTM D-4236.”
Note that even products labeled ‘non-toxic’ when used in an unintended manner can have harmful effects.
Products with cautionary/warning labels should not be used with children under age 12.
Avoid solvents and solvent-based supplies, which include turpentine, paint thinner, shellac, and some glues, inks, and a few solvent-containing permanent markers.
Avoid products or processes that produce airborne dust that can be inhaled (including powdered tempera paint).
Avoid old supplies, unlabeled supplies, and be wary of donated supplies with cautionary/warning labels and that do not contain the statement “Conforms to ASTM D4236.”
Look for products that are clearly labeled with information about intended uses.
Give special attention to students with asthma or allergies, which may elevate the students’ sensitivities to fumes, dust, or products that come into contact with the skin.118
Gather your supplies beforehand so that you can continue to supervise their use without needing to step away.
Instruct children on safety practices before you begin (such as modeling how to cut safely with scissors).
Do activities in well-ventilated areas.
Use protective equipment (such as smocks).
Assume that anything you use should be safe enough that it won’t harm children if it gets on their skin or in their mouths and/or eyes.119
Preventing Injuries Indoors
Some injuries that early childhood educators should be aware of and intentionally act to prevent in the last chapter were presented in the previous chapter and earlier in this chapter during the discussion about safe toys and art materials. Here is some further information about injuries that are more likely to happen indoors.
Choking
Choking occurs when an object blocks the airway, preventing breathing.131 Infants have the highest rates of choking (140 per 100,000). That risk decreases as they get older and their airway increases in size, with 90% of fatal choking happening in children less than 4 years of age.132
Reducing the Risks of Choking
The main way to prevent choking is to recognize that objects that are 1½ inches or less in diameter are a higher risk.133 Foods are the most common cause of choking. Having children sit during snacks and meals at an unhurried pace, allowing time for children to properly chew their food helps prevent choking on food. Food is safest when cut into small pieces or served in small amounts. Toys, and other items that children may play with, are another common source of choking hazards. Ensuring children only have access to age-appropriate toys is an important step. Early childhood professionals can use a small parts tester, a commercial product commonly known as a choke tube, to test whether or not an object is a choking hazard.
Figure 9.3.2 – This is a small parts tester (or choke tube). If an item/toy fits inside, it’s a choking hazard.136
Poisoning
There are many hazards that put children at risk for accidental poisoning, both indoors and outdoors. Poisoning can occur at any time a harmful substance is intentionally or unintentionally ingested. Poisons come in many forms including plants, cleaning supplies, spoiled food, and medications. Children, who are naturally curious and like to explore, are in particular at risk for poisoning.
Guidelines to Prevent Poisoning
Keep all cleaning supplies and chemicals locked.
All medications should be kept in a locked storage area, out of reach.
Check medications periodically for expiration dates and properly dispose of expired medications. Some medications become toxic when they are past their expiration date.
Do not tell children that medication is “candy” as this makes it look more attractive to them.
Ensure all medications and chemicals are properly labeled. Childproof caps should be on medicine bottles.
Use safe food practices.
Never use cans that have bulges or deep dents in them.
Keep poisonous plants out of reach of children and pets.
Keep the number for Poison Control near a telephone.138
Poison Control
1-800-222-1222
Safe Sleeping
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is identified when the death of a healthy infant occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, and medical and forensic investigation findings (including an autopsy) are inconclusive. SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants 1 to 12 months old, and approximately 1,500 infants died of SIDS in 2013 (CDC, 2015). Because SIDS is diagnosed when no other cause of death can be determined, possible causes of SIDS are regularly researched. One leading hypothesis suggests that infants who die from SIDS have abnormalities in the area of the brainstem responsible for regulating breathing (Weekes-Shackelford & Shackelford, 2005).148
This is a very important topic for early childhood educators as one study found that while data suggests that only 7% of incidents of SIDS should occur while children are in childcare, 20.4% actually did.149
Figure 9.3.3– A baby sleeping safely.150
Babies are at higher risk for SIDS if they:
Sleep on their stomachs
Sleep on soft surfaces, such as an adult mattress, couch, chair, or under soft coverings
Sleep on or under soft or loose bedding
Get too hot during sleep
Are exposed to cigarette smoke in the womb or in their environment, such as at home, in the car, in the bedroom, or other areas
Sleep in an adult bed with parents/caregivers, other children, or pets; this situation is especially dangerous if:
The adult smokes, has recently had alcohol, or is tired.
The baby is covered by a blanket or quilt.
The baby sleeps with more than one bed-sharer.
The baby is younger than 11 to 14 weeks of age.
Important Facts About SIDS:
SIDS happens in families of all social, economic, and ethnic groups.
Most SIDS deaths occur between one and four months of age.
SIDS occurs in boys more than girls.
The death is sudden and unexpected, often occurring during sleep. In most cases, the baby seems healthy.
Although it is not known exactly what causes SIDS, researchers know that it is not caused by suffocation, choking, spitting up, vomiting, or immunizations.
SIDS is not contagious.151
Reducing the Risks
Although the sudden and unexpected death of an infant cannot be predicted or prevented, research shows that certain infant care practices can help reduce the risk of a baby dying suddenly and unexpectedly. Early childhood educators can help lower the risk of SIDS for infants less than one year of age by following these risk reduction guidelines.
Sleeping Position
The chance of an infant dying suddenly and unexpectedly in childcare is higher when a baby first starts the transition from home to care. Research shows if a baby has been placed on his/her back by their family, and the childcare provider places the baby to sleep on his/her stomach, there is a higher risk of death in the first weeks of childcare. One of the most important things you can do to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected death is to place babies to sleep on their backs.
Healthy babies do not choke when placed to sleep on their backs. By reflex, babies swallow or cough up fluids to keep the airway clear. Since the windpipe (trachea) is positioned on top of the esophagus, fluids are not likely to enter the airway. (See Figure 3.21)
Figure 9.3.4 – Airway positioning when infants sleep on their backs (left) and on their stomachs (right)152
Babies who are able to roll back and forth between their back and tummy should be placed on their backs for sleep and allowed to assume their sleep position of choice. When infants fall asleep while playing on their tummies, move the baby to a crib onto his/her back to continue sleeping.
Cribs, Sleep Surface, and Bedding
Infants should sleep in a crib, bassinet, portable crib, or play yard that conforms to the safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The mattress should be firm, fit tightly, and be covered with a tight fitted sheet. Babies should not sleep on adult beds, waterbeds, couches, beanbag chairs, or other soft surfaces. Do not use fluffy blankets or comforters under the baby, or put the baby to sleep on a sheepskin, pillow, or other soft materials. Keep stuffed toys, bumper pads, loose bedding, and other toys and soft objects out of the crib.
Temperature
Babies should be kept warm, not hot. Babies should be dressed with only one additional layer than you are wearing for warmth. In areas where babies sleep, keep the temperature so that it feels comfortable to you. If needed, infants can be dressed in blanket sleepers for warmth. This ensures that the baby’s head will be uncovered during sleep.
Smoke-Free
No one should smoke around children. Childcare licensing regulations prohibit smoking in childcare centers. Smoke in the infants’ environment is a major risk factor for SIDS.
Pacifiers
If the family provides a pacifier, it should be offered to the infant. If a pacifier is used, it should never be attached to a string. Infants should not be forced to take a pacifier and if it falls out during sleep it doesn’t need to be given back to the infant.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding has many health benefits for mother and baby, including a reduced risk of SIDS. Childcare programs should be breastfeeding-friendly.153
Other Things Caregivers and Teachers Can Do To Reduce the Risks
Families should be asked about their infant’s usual sleep position.
Professionals should discuss the recommended back sleeping position with families and share the program’s policy to place infants on their backs to sleep.
Policies should be developed to address sleep position. If a family insists their baby sleep on the side or stomach, they should be referred to their health care provider for further information.
Programs should request that a medical care professional provide a signed statement for infants who have a medical reason for not being placed to sleep on their backs.
Teachers can attend education programs to learn more about sudden unexpected infant deaths. Training and education for childcare providers may be available through the local public health Resource and Referral agency or Public Health Department at no cost.
Programs should be aware of resources for additional support and make them available to families as appropriate. It is vital to stay up‐to‐date with the latest recommendations for safe infant sleep.
Indoor Falls
While most falls occur outdoors, they can also happen indoors. Professionals (and adults at home) can prevent falls indoors by:
Installing stops on windows that prevent them from being opened more than four inches or installing window guards on lower parts of windows. Removing furniture from near windows. Screens should not be relied on to prevent a fall.
Installing safety gates at the top and bottom of staircases. Installing lower rails on stairs that children can reach and use. Make sure the surface of the stairs stays clear.
Using safety straps and harnesses on baby equipment and furniture. Children should not be left unattended in high chairs or on changing tables.
Baby walkers should not be used (licensing prohibits these).
Teaching children to walk where surfaces may be slick. Preventing these surfaces as much as possible, such as wiping up spills.155
Indoor Water Safety
Small children are top-heavy; they tend to fall forward and headfirst when they lose their balance. They do not have enough muscle development in their upper body to pull themselves up out of a bucket, toilet, bathtub, or for that matter, any body of water. Even a bucket containing only a few inches of water can be dangerous for a small child.
When engaging in water play both indoors and outdoors, keep children under active supervision, and be very aware of all containers of water.156
Pause to Reflect
What are your top five tips for protecting children from safety hazards indoors? These can relate to toy safety, safe art materials, preventing poisoning, preventing choking, preventing burns, safe sleep, protection from indoor falls, water safety, or any other hazard/area of safety.
