ibabydoc.com - 4 Month Well Checkup

FOUR-MONTH CHECKUP

Safety

All babies should be placed on their backs to sleep to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome);
The crib should have a firm mattress, snuggly fitting in the crib without any choking or suffocating hazards such as pillows, stuffed animals, blankets or small toys in the crib;
All homes should have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers;
The hot water heater of the house should be set to no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit (50.0 degrees Celsius) to prevent accidental scalding;
Strings from blinds should be out of reach of the crib as these can be a choking hazard;
No strings should be tied around pacifiers or toys;
Babies should never be left unattended on a changing table or elevated area where they can roll off. Barriers such as toys or pillows will not prevent a baby from rolling off;
Car seats should be used at all times and should be rear-facing in the back seat until the child is both over one year of age and over twenty pounds. Babies should never be left alone in the car and all adults should wear seatbelts. You can contact the Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236;
Cigarette smoking should be stopped when a baby is born. Smoking away from the baby is of little help since the smoke gets into clothing, skin, hair, furniture, carpets, drapes, car seats and so on. There is no excuse with today's knowledge of the hazards of smoking and the medicines, patches and inhalers available to help in the quitting process;
Gun safety should be emphasized. If a gun is in the home it should be locked and stored away from the ammunition which should be also locked;
If cloth diapers are used the safety pin should be carefully closed and locked in a closed position;
Bathtubs can be slippery so a rubber mat or cloth should be placed on the bottom of the tub, and never leave a baby unattended in a bathtub;
Gates should be used on all staircases;
Baby walkers are dangerous. Not only can they flip over and harm the child they also inhibit a child's development for walking;
Milk and milk products, corn syrup, Karo syrup and honey should all be avoided until at least one year of age as these foods can cause intestinal bleeding, allergic reactions or carry bacteria that inhibit breathing in infants;
If you use a crib be sure the sides are always completely raised, the crib is not near a heater and the crib slats are no more than two and three eighths inches apart;
Babies should not ride on an adult bicycle even if placed in an infant seat;
Outside activity should include sunscreen of at least 15 SPF since children at this age can burn easily, however, avoiding direct sunlight is still safest for the baby;
Playpens can be used after three months of age but children should not be left there for long periods of time;
Any hot liquids or cigarettes (which you hopefully quit when the baby was born) should not be taken while holding baby since babies start to reach and grab at three to four months of age;
Check all toys for loose parts, splinters, and sharp edges;
Cover electric sockets and keep your baby away from hot pipes, stoves, radiators, and fireplaces;
Keep medicines and poisons such as household cleaning agents, soaps, insecticides, and solvents out of reach;
Learn Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Call the American Heart Association at 1-800-242-8721 for information;
Since four month olds may roll, extra caution should be taken to be sure that the child cannot roll onto something harmful such as a sharp object on the ground;
Children at this age may place objects in their mouth so choking is a major concern. Avoid all objects small enough to be put in a child's mouth;
Since infants grab for objects, adults should be careful with all hot drinks, breakable objects and of course, cigarettes should have been discontinued before birth;
Insect sprays with up to 10% DEET can be used. In areas of the country where ticks are prevalent the infant should be checked for tick attachments on the body;
Since infants are grabbing at this age, contact with pets should be closely monitored;
All of these safety precautions should be present in any home, daycare, preschool, mother's day out, friend or family location.

Dr. Bornstein's book is here. You can now purchase all of the information from ibabydoc.com plus more in book form. Understanding Children's Health is over 400 pages long and includes illness, well checks, vaccines, safety, growth and development, and more. To purchase Dr. Bornstein's book, please click on the link.

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