September is Baby Safety Month
Parkland Health expert offers tips to keep little ones safe
Bringing home a new baby is both joyful and overwhelming. From sleep safety to car seats, there’s a lot for parents and caregivers to consider. September is Baby Safety Month, and a Parkland Health expert is offering her top advice for keeping babies safe during their first year of life and beyond.
According to Maria Isabel Colunga, CHW, CPST-I, a Community Development Associate at Parkland, many of the most common baby injuries (falls, suffocation and burns) are entirely preventable. “Infants will naturally fall, slip and tumble, it’s part of growing up. But the vast majority of injuries can be prevented with a few simple precautions,” she says.
Falls often happen when babies are left unattended on beds, sofas or changing tables. Even a baby who has not yet learned to roll over can tumble off an elevated surface quickly. Parents can reduce risks by keeping a hand on their baby during diaper changes, installing safety gates near stairs and adding window guards where needed.
Safe sleep is another area Colunga emphasizes. Babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep in a crib or bassinet with no pillows, stuffed animals or blankets. Cribs should also be kept away from window fixtures and cords that might pose strangulation risks.
Burn prevention is also incredibly important. Lowering your water heater to 120 degrees, testing bath water, keeping hot drinks out of reach and creating a three-foot “no kid zone” around the stove can help prevent serious injuries.
Many parents think about the obvious hazards, but Colunga points out that small details are just as important. Unsecured furniture, dangling cords and even removable door stoppers can all pose risks to a curious baby. “Even small details matter when it comes to injury prevention,” she explains. A helpful trick she offers is to get down on the floor to see the room from your baby’s perspective.
Additionally, car crashes remain one of the leading causes of preventable injury and death in children. “Car seats reduce the risk of injury or death by up to 71% when used correctly,” Colunga said. “Yet more than half are installed or used improperly.”
Parents should keep infants rear-facing until at least age 2, use either the seatbelt or the LATCH system for installation (never both – unless approved by the car seat manufacture) and always use the top tether on forward-facing seats. Straps should be snug and adjusted as babies grow. Additionally, car seats should be replaced if they are expired or involved in a moderate or severe crash. A minor crash is defined as one where the vehicle can be driven away from the scene, the door closest to the car seat was not damaged, no injuries occurred, the airbags did not deploy, and the car seat shows no visible signs of damage. For more guidance, visit nhtsa.gov/campaign/right-seat.
Families should also be aware of upcoming changes to car seats nationally. Beginning December 5, 2026, all car seats sold in the United States must meet new federal safety standards that include testing for side-impact crashes. While current car seats are effective and safe, parents shopping for new models in the next year should confirm if their seats meet the updated requirements. Additionally, it is important to confirm the car seat is not a counterfeit product.
“At Parkland’s newborn discharge, we have seen an increase in the amount of counterfeit car seats,” Colunga said. When a newborn is discharged from Parkland, certified technicians are available to check the car seat before the family leaves the hospital. These experts make sure the car seat is approved under U.S. safety standards.
“Most of the time, a counterfeit car seat does have any labels or instructions attached to the seat. It is required for a car seat to have a five-point harness system, but a fake version will have just a three-point harness system,” she said. In addition, Colunga stresses the importance of being wary of car seats sold online, especially those claiming to be name-brand seats at a heavily discounted price.
They say it takes a village to help raise a baby, and it’s important to ensure your village is up to speed on current safety trends. “Grandparents, babysitters and other caregivers play an important role in injury prevention. It’s important for parents to share up-to-date safety information and establish clear expectations,” Colunga said. “Clear and consistent communication helps ensure that safety practices are followed every time, by every caregiver.”
Parents can stay informed through national organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics, Safe Kids Worldwide, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Locally, resources such as the North Texas Safe Sleep Taskforce, The North Texas Poison Center (NTPC) located at Parkland, The Parkland Burn Center, and Parkland’s Injury Prevention and Car Seat Program provide support and education.
“Baby safety isn’t about fear, it’s about awareness,” Colunga says. “With the right precautions and good communication, many of the most common injuries can be prevented.”
For more information about Parkland’s services, please visit www.parklandhealth.org.
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