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Make safety a priority
during holiday shopping trips
It's the holiday season once again: time to head for the mall
and shop 'til you drop. But the crowded department stores, escalators
and overall shopping frenzy can create a dangerous environment
for children. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and
the National SAFE KIDS Campaign advise parents to take the following
precautions to hep keep children safe when out holiday shopping:
At the stores
- Teach children to go to a store clerk or security guard if
they get separated from you.
- Keep children under age 4 in a stroller or supervise them
closely.
- Never leave children alone in a car or elsewhere even for
moment.
- Always accompany children to the restroom.
- Keep children beside you at all times in parking lots.
- Don't let children play in clothing racks, which can suddenly
topple or come loose.
- Consider where children's hands have been while shopping,
and wash hands with soap and water after shopping or visiting
a public place especially before eating.
Strollers and shopping carts
- Avoid hanging shopping bags or purses over stroller handles
to help prevent stroller tips.
- Always supervise children in strollers and use the built-in
restraint systems.
- Don't place children of any age in a shopping cart; children
can fall from the cart and the cart can overturn, posing a risk
for serious injury.
Escalators
- Make sure children don't have loose shoelaces, drawstrings,
scarves or mittens that could could get caught in the escalator.
- Always hold children's hands on escalators, and don't permit
them to sit or play on the steps.
- Have children face forward, hold the handrail and keep their
feet away from the edge of the steps.
- Don't bring children onto escalators with strollers.
-Allison Lehmann
2004 American Academy of Pediatrics |
