Parents with Young Children

Many young children spend most of their time at home. Parents can take many actions to protect their children's health and safety. Infants and toddlers who grow up in safe and loving families tend to become healthy teens and adults. At a very young age, children develop the habits and behaviors that will influence their lifelong health. At home, children can learn:

• good health behaviors,
• self-discipline, and
• good health choices.

As a result of prevention programs, some fatal childhood diseases, such as polio, diphtheria, measles, and pertussis, are now rare in the United States. And, although these serious diseases are no longer common, childhood vaccination programs continue to protect our children so that these childhood diseases do not come back. Keeping your children's immunizations up to date is very important. Ask your child's doctor to make sure your kids are protected.

Health and Safety Tips

• Talk to your child's doctor or nurse if you have concerns about how your child is developing.
• Make a vaccination schedule for your child.
• Adopt a smoke-free policy in your home.
• Make sure your child does not have access to peeling paint or chewable surfaces painted with lead-based paint. 
• Use and store chemicals, household cleaning products, and pesticides according to label instructions and out of reach of children
• Supervise young children in bathtubs. (Consumer Product Safety Commission)
• Keep pets out of the bedroom and vacuum carpet and floors frequently if your child has allergies or asthma.
• Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs to prevent young children from falling. (Home Safety Council)

Important Links

• Help your child gain control over asthma
• Child development information, tools, and links
• Child health and safety resources
• Environment and children's health: fast facts (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
• Health protection information and resources for children (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
• Help your kids make choices that will lead to healthier lives
• Infectious disease: stop the spread of germs at home
• Injuries among children and adolescents
• Vaccinations and immunizations: what parents need to know