Safe Start

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Safe Starts Child Safety Quiz
2

• Which of the following plants is poisonous?
• a) Boston fern
• b) spider plant
• c) dieffenbachia

3

• Answer c) dieffenbachia.
• If ingested, this common houseplant can cause
  swelling of the mouth and throat, a mild stomach
  ache or skin rash. If eaten in large quantities,
  it may cause more serious poisoning. Remove this
  plant from your home if you have young children.

4

• What is the leading cause of school absenteeism
  among Canadian children?
• a) food poisoning
• b) asthma
• c) the flu

5

• Answer b) asthma
• Asthma affects between 5-10 percent of Canadian
  children.
• Source Asthma Society of Canada

6

• At what width should you lock an open window to
  prevent a toddler from falling out?
• a) 4 inches
• b) 5 inches
• c) 6 inches

7

• Answer a) 4 inches
• Children can squeeze through an opening of only
  5 inches. Lock open windows at no more than 4
  inches wide, and never use screens as window
  guards. The weight of a small child is enough to
  dislodge a screen from its frame.

8

• As of July 1, 2008, BC law requires children over
  40 pounds to ride in a booster seats when
  travelling in vehicles until they
• a) weigh over 60 pounds
• b) are 4 feet 9 inches tall
• c) reach their 9th birthday

9

• Answer b or c
• As at July 1, 2008, Children in BC over 40 lbs
  need to ride in a booster seat until they are 4
  feet, 9 inches tall or until they reach their
  9th birthday

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• 5. As a minimum, at what age and weight is it
  safe to turn your infant from a rear-facing car
  seat to a forward-facing car seat?
• a) 6 months and 15 lbs
• b) 8 months and 20lbs
• c) 12 months and 20lbs

11

• Answer c) 12 months and 20 pounds
• All babies should be left rear-facing until at
  least one year of age and 20 lbs. By this
  time, the vertebrae in a babys neck are
  developed and can better resist the force of a
  car crash. Without properly formed vertebrae to
  protect it, a babys spinal cord can stretch up
  to 5 cm (2 in) in a frontal collision (the most
  common type of crash), resulting in paralysis or
  death.
• If your child is too heavy for his or her
  infant car seat before one year of age, move him
  up to a convertible seat and keep it rear-facing.
  Most convertible car seats have a rear-facing
  weight limit of at least 30 lbs.

12

• 6. Which of these is responsible for the most
  poisoning deaths among young children?
• a) medication
• b) cleaners
• c) plants

13

• Answer a) medications
• The most common cause of poisoning in young
  children are from cough and cold medications and
  pain and fever medications. All medications and
  vitamins should be kept in a locked cupboard or
  box, out of reach of young children.
• Source BC Poison Control Centre

14

• In Canada, which of the following results in the
  most hospitalizations of children under five
  years of age? a) falls
• b) poisonings
• c) burns

15

• Answer a) falls
• Poisonings are in second place, followed by
  burns. When scoping your house for safety
  hazards, focus on sharp edges (such as coffee
  tables and fireplace hearths), tripping hazards,
  top-heavy furniture (bookcases and TV stands),
  staircases, and windows. These are common causes
  of fall-related injuries.
• Source BC Injury Research Prevention Unit

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• 8. True of False in a car crash at 50 km/hr (30
  mph), the injuries sustained by a baby who is not
  buckled in a child safety seat will be similar to
  those caused by a fall from a three-storey window.

17

• Answer true
• No matter how tightly you hold on, the g-forces
  generated in an automobile crash are strong
  enough to rip a baby out of your arms. The only
  thing that can protect a baby in a crash is a
  properly installed, car seat.

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• 9. What is the ideal temperature for a
  household hot water tank, to prevent scald
  burns?
• a) 116º F (46 C)
• b) 120º F (49 C)
• c) 140º F (60 C)

19

• Answer b) 120º F (49 C)
• A baby who accidentally enters a bath or puts
  his hand in water at 140º F will sustain a third
  degree burn in five seconds. At 120º F, it will
  take ten minutes.

20

• According to BC Childrens Hospitals Emergency
  data, which of the following causes the most
  choking/swallowing incidents among young
  children?
• a) coins
• b) hot dogs
• c) toy pieces

21

• Answer a) coins
• Coins are the most likely objects in your home
  to cause choking. Children could swallow them as
  well. Hide coin jars, and check between the
  cushions in your couch for loose change.

22

• 11. True or false. You should always use a
  pressure gate at the top of the stairs to prevent
  falls.

23

• Answer false
• Although it is very important to put a gate at
  the top of the stairs, installing a pressure gate
  can actually increase your babys chances of
  being injured. Instead, use a stair gate that
  bolts to the wall on both sides, so it cannot be
  dislodged. The best stair gates are at least 30
  inches high and offer no toe-holds for climbing.

24

• In Canada, what is the leading cause of acute and
  chronic kidney failure in otherwise healthy
  children?
• a) E.coli poisoning
• b) heat stroke
• c) chicken pox

25

• Answer a)
• E.coli poisoning. E.coli poisoning can make
  children very ill and even kill them. It is
  caused by a deadly bacteria that enters the body
  via undercooked meats or unwashed fruits and
  vegetables.
• Always cook hamburger and other meats
  thoroughly, until juices run clear and there is
  no pink remaining. Choose pasteurized juices
  over un-pasteurized ones.
• Thoroughly wash and sanitize cooking surfaces
  and utensils used in handling raw meat with a
  diluted bleach solution (1 tsp/5ml bleach 3
  cups/750mL water).
• Source Kidney Foundation of Canada

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• On average, how many poisonings are reported each
  year in B.C.?
• a) 26,000
• b) 15,000
• c) 10,000

27

• Answer a) 26,000
• More than half of poisonings reported in to
  the B.C. Drug and Poison Information Centre
  involve children under six years of age. Most
  poisonings in children happen just before lunch
  and before dinner when children are hungry and
  least supervised.
• Source BC Poison Control Centre

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• 14. Approximately what percentage of child safety
  seats used by children in B.C. are either used or
  installed improperly?
• a) more than 25 percent
• b) more than 50 percent
• c) more than 80 percent

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• Answer b) more than 50 percent
• On a typical day in BC, there are 649 motor
  vehicle crashes. To ensure your childs car seat
  is installed correctly, contact the BCAA Traffic
  Safety Foundation at 1-877-247-5551, or visit
  their website at www.childseatinfo.ca.

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• Which of the following is a risk factor for
  Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?
• a) maternal smoking
• b) sleeping position
• c) soft, fluffy material in babys crib

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• Answer All of the above
• SIDS is the leading cause of death among babies
  up to one year of age. Though the exact cause of
  SIDS is still unknown, research has shown that
  passive smoking, sleeping position and bedding
  all play a role.
• SIDS is less common in babies who sleep on
  their backs on a firm mattress with no soft
  bedding and whose mother does not smoke during
  and after pregnancy.
• Babies should also have supervised tummy time
  when they are awake several times a day to
  prevent a flat spot on their head.

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• 16. True or false baby walkers and stationary
  exercisers will help your baby learn to walk.

33

• Answer false
• In fact, research has shown that babies who
  spend too much time in these products can take
  longer to develop proper muscle coordination for
  walking.
• Wheeled baby walkers are now banned in Canada.
  Anyone with a baby walker is advised to destroy
  and discard it, so that it cannot be used.

34

• In what year did Health Canadas Hazardous
  Product Act officially limit the amount of lead
  allowed in household paint?
• a) 1980
• b) 1976
• c) 1968

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• Answer b) 1976
• If you live in a home built before the 1970s,
  your walls may contain lead paint. The dust
  created by the removal of lead paint can be
  extremely dangerous if inhaled, especially by
  young children and pregnant women.
• There are strict guidelines for lead-based
  paint removal. It is safer to paint over old
  paint than to disturb it.

36

• On toys, the warning Do not give to children
  under three years of age means what?
• a) they can be taken apart
• b) they contain choking hazards
• c) they have sharp pieces

37

• Answer all of the above
• Toys not recommended for children under three
  years of age contain parts that can be inhaled,
  lodged in noses and in ears, or are sharp enough
  to cause lacerations to the mouth and eyes.
  Contrary to popular belief, age guidelines are
  not measures of intelligence.

38

• Where is your child in the most danger of being
  bitten by a dog?
• a) at home
• b) in the playground
• c) at anothers home

39

• Answer a) at home
• Each year in B.C., an average of 200 children
  visit the hospital due to dog bites. Bites are
  most likely to be inflicted by the family pet.
  Teach your child how to approach dogs properly.
  As well, give your pet a safe place to eat and
  take a break from the constant attention of young
  children.

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• In Canada, it is illegal to sell a crib made
  before what year?
• a) 1975
• b) 1980
• c) 1986

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• Answer c) 1986
• In September, 1986, Health Canada introduced
  strict safety regulations governing cribs. Any
  crib made before this date may have unsafe
  mattress supports or slats that could suffocate a
  baby.