Instructions

• : Consult your doctor for care and treatment advice if your baby has suffered a head injury.
• Step 1: Know the cause Know that falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in children from birth to age 4.
• Step 2: Prevent falls Prevent falls to protect your baby's head by never leaving them alone on a changing table, bed, chair, or other elevated surface.
• TIP: Place your baby in a playpen, crib, or on the floor if you are going to leave the room.
• Step 3: Avoid using walkers Don't use baby walkers, which are a common cause of falls leading to head injuries. Instead, get a stationary activity center, which has some of the same toys as a walker, but is safer.
• Step 4: Use a car safety seat Purchase a car seat suitable for the infant's age and weight to protect your baby's head from injury while driving. Properly install your car safety seat, following package directions.
• TIP: Always use a seat belt to secure a baby in a shopping cart.
• Step 5: Prevent shaken baby syndrome Prevent shaken baby syndrome, a potentially fatal brain injury caused by violent shaking, by learning positive ways to manage infant crying.
• Step 6: Inform others Inform sitters of the ways you wish them to safeguard your baby, and keep your pediatrician's phone number handy. Now you can rest, knowing you're prepared for a head injury emergency.
• FACT: Shaken baby syndrome is the cause of 95 percent of serious head injuries in infants younger than 12 months.

You Will Need

• Understanding of the causes of head injuries
• Age-appropriate car safety seat
• Your pediatrician's phone number
• Playpen or crib (optional)
• Shopping cart seat belt (optional)