Health Tips for January 13

Health Tip: Buying a Baby Gate

A baby gate is essential for the parent of any toddler who is able to crawl or walk near stairs or other areas that may be unsafe. The Nemours Foundation offers these suggestions to help you purchase a safe baby gate: Choose a gate that mounts to a door frame with hardware. There mustn't be any gaps where tiny fingers could get stuck. Don't use a gate that mounts to the door frame with pressure. A child could push it open and fall down a flight of stairs, for example. Never use a gate that swings out at the top of a staircase. Make sure there is a maximum gap of 2 inches between the bottom of the gate and the floor. Any nonflexible barriers should have a gap of no more than 2 3/8 inches between them. Make sure the gate doesn't have any sharp parts that could hurt a child. The gate shouldn't have any areas that a child could stick a foot into and attempt to climb. When the gate reaches about three-quarters of the infant's height (at about age two years), stop using the gate. Health Tip: Who Shouldn't 'Cosleep' With an Infant "Cosleeping" is the practice of letting babies sleep in bed with their parents, an older sibling or a caregiver. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has said the practice is dangerous for any child under 2 years old, according to the Nemours Foundation. Advocates of the practice dispute the agency's recommendation. Nonetheless, the Nemours Foundation says the following people should avoid cosleeping with an infant: Anyone who has consumed alcohol or used any drugs. Smokers (because of an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome). Children, especially of toddler age, because they may inadvertently roll over on the baby. Questions and concerns about cosleeping should be discussed with your child's pediatrician, the foundation says.