Hi Frank, Great Question! There are many things to consider. The first thing is you must consider their age. Make sure you are considering safety in and around the home, the water, and the car. For more specific information please visit www.whatifpbc.org for detailed information regarding the ages and stages and safety tips!
Hi Robert! Yes there is a free home safety checklist that you can use to make sure your home is safe for children. You can obtain the checklist at either www.whatifpbc.org or www.safekids.org. It is really important to make sure that you walk through your home and make sure every room is safe for your child. Thanks for writing in! Great question!!!
Hello Eva! When it comes to pools, it's about layering protection. Such protective measures you can take are: 1) a pool fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate, 2) alarms on all doors and windows leading to the pool or 3) ensuring all doors have a self-closing, self-latching device no lower than 54 inches above the floor. The Florida Department of Health recommends using a combination of such barriers.
Hi Eva! I completely understand your concern. There are many things that you need to consider. First of all, you want to consider water safety lessons for your child and your family, in addition to CPR training to both you and your husband. If you do purchase a home with a pool you want to make sure you are using multiple barriers of protection. That means that you want to use pool gates that surround the pool all the way around, also you want to use alarms and locking mechanisms. For more information you can go to www.whatifpbc.org and look up water safety. Also, Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County is a great resource. However, most important always talk to your family about water safety! Its everyone's responsibility!

Hi Rochelle, Thanks for writing in and asking this question. I think many parents have the same question. As many parents want to bond with their baby, co sleeping has become a popular choice. However, co sleeping has become the leading cause of death to children birth to age 1. It is not true that it is due to a parent drinking or drugs but more of an issue of suffocation or a term called positional affixation. Babies in a bed with a parent do not have the ability to turn their head if they are not getting air in their airway. It is really important that they have their own sleeping space. When a baby is in a bed with a parent they risk the chance of suffocating from sheets, pillows, or even a parent against their nose or mouth. There is now devices that a parent can use to create that bonding experience but still keep baby safe in their own sleep environment. This is the recommended way. With over 130 babies in Florida alone last year lost to co sleeping, it is important for all parents to understand that it is not a drug and alcohol issue but a concern for all families. I hope this helps in your decision for the future!
Hello Bill, Detergent pods need to be kept out of children's reach and out of sight. The first documented death related to detergent pods actually happened in Florida last year when a child in Kissimmee put one in his mouth.
Hello Charlene! Last year, 44 children in the United States died of heatstroke after being left alone in cars. Four of those deaths were in Florida. When it comes to leaving children/pets in car, don't do it any time of the year. Even when the temperature is in the 70s outside, the temperature can be more than 20 degrees warmer in a car. About half of all deaths of children in cars are the result of parents forgetting they are back there. There are a couple ways you can avoid this happening. 1) Always glance in your backseat when you are exiting your car. 2) Put something in the backseat that you will need (like a purse, briefcase, phone or wallet) to ensure that you will always look in the backseat before leaving.