Is Your Home Safe for Baby?

Take This Quiz to Find Out!

1. To protect your baby from burns due to hot tap water, which of the following is the correct setting for your home water heater?

Answer: 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Many parents may not know that hot water or steam can burn the skin like fire. In fact, liquid at 140 degrees Fahrenheit can burn a young child in just five seconds. Babies have delicate skin, making them particularly vulnerable. To protect your baby from scalds in the tub and throughout your home, set your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, or just below the medium setting. To bathe your baby, turn on the cold water first, then mix in warm water until the temperature reaches about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. You can test the water with a bath or candy thermometer.

2. How frequently should you test your smoke alarms?

Answer: Once a month

Working smoke alarms are critical to your family's safety. If a fire breaks out in your home, you may only have three minutes to escape to safety, so early warning is vital. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every bedroom. To ensure they are working, test your smoke alarms monthly.

3. How frequently should you change the batteries in your smoke alarms?

Answer: At least once a year

Make sure to put fresh batteries in your smoke alarms at least once a year, or sooner if the alarm “chirps,” signaling that the batteries are low. Keep batteries on hand at all times so you can make sure your smoke alarm is always working. And remember, smoke alarms don't last forever. If the alarms in your home are ten years or older, or you don’t know how old they are, replace them with new alarms.

4. How many inches of water is it safe to leave your baby in unattended if you quickly have to answer the phone, leave the room to get a towel, etc.?

Answer: It’s never safe to leave a baby unattended in a bathtub, whether it contains water or not.

Always stay within touch supervision of your baby in the tub. Drowning is sudden and silent, so the only way to keep your baby safe while bathing is to keep her within an arm's reach. Baby bath seats are not a safety device and should not substitute for adult supervision. Always be sure to drain the tub immediately after bathing your baby.

5. Should you put fluffy pillows, soft blankets and stuffed animals in your baby's crib to keep her warm and happy?

Answer: No.