Suffocation
Suffocation is a catch all term for 'not breathing'. The mechanism of suffocation can be anything - choking, strangulation, drowning, crushing, physical trauma, pneumonia, or anything else that simply stops air from getting into the lungs.
The bad news is that suffocation is often silent - if you can't breathe, your can't shout for help.
The good news is that unlike other types of injury, it's not instantaneous. Now I'm not saying there's time to dilly dally, but it's not like breaking a bone or skinning a knee - over in a second - you've got time to react and take action.
All Ages
Though most risks decrease as your child grows, develops motor skills and better judgement making, some dangers just never go away completely. Adults get injured all the time, so there are some things you just need to prepare for.
The best way is to lead by example and educate early - if your kid grows up watching you making safe choices, they'll find it easier later in life too.
Choking
Anyone can choke if they're not careful enough. As children get older the likelihood of choking decreases, but anyone who's chewed a pen cap, laughed too much over dinner, chewed gum while exercising (seriously, why?!), or even just swallowed something the wrong way knows the sudden panic of being unexpectedly unable to breathe.
Even as your kids get old enough to not need constant supervision, make sure they know not to do silly things like run around with sharp sticks in their mouths, or go to sleep sucking on gob-stoppers.
Crushing
I stayed at a friend's house once who had an unusually large cat. I woke up in the middle of the night unable to breathe because it had decided to go to sleep right on my chest. Dying from being crushed by a cat is unlikely (how embarrassing would that have been?) but getting trapped under something heavy in general isn't as uncommon as you might think.
Secure bookcases and other tall furniture to the walls. Don't let your pet cow sleep in the bed with your children. Sometimes kids will bundle onto each other in a big pile and the person on the bottom gets squashed. Maybe discourage that too.
Drowning
Lot's of people know how to swim, and lots of people think they're much stronger swimmers than they are. If your kids are swimming in open water make sure they're educated in the risks and what to do in an emergency. Water is so much more powerful than we can really comprehend, and should be treated with respect.
If your children are playing in or around pools where there's a lifeguard, keep in mind that lifeguards are often teenagers or young adults who can be vulnerable to being overworked and under supported if their employer isn't meticulous. Just because there's a lifeguard doesn't mean everyone can stop being careful and do silly things by the poolside.
Trauma
Trauma can damage the windpipe and lead to a slow suffocation or long term oxygen deprivation. If your child (or teenager, or adult partner) has had any kind of trauma to the throat or chest and is complaining about finding it hard or painful to breathe, consider seeking medical help. They might have a hoarse voice, sound wheezy or raspy, or be reluctant to eat or drink. Use your best judgement - if they've got tonsillitis, it's probably not throat pain from blunt force trauma - but if you have any reason to suspect there might be damage to their windpipe, you should take it at LEAST a medium level seriously.
Babies
Babies are soft and weak. It's not their fault, they're babies. The biggest risks they have of suffocating is when they're sleeping, which for babies is a lot of the time.
Where?
Babies should ideally have their own sleeping place. It doesn't need to be much, in Finland it's common for babies to sleep in a cardboard box with a mattress in it on the floor beside the parents' bed. A cot or moses basket is also a viable option, if the cardboard box isn't for you.
Babies shouldn't be left sleeping in car seats unattended.
Co-sleeping
Some people like the idea of having a wriggly little pee and poop machine in the bed with them while they're functioning off of 4 hours sleep a day. Personally, I would not. Co-sleeping with your baby is not recommended because it's very easy to roll over in you sleep and... I'll let you finish that sentence in your head.
It's particularly dangerous if you're under the influence of any alcohol, drugs, or medications, if you're a smoker, it the baby was born prematurely or weighed less that 2.5kg when they were born, or if the parent is particularly tired. Most parents are particularly tired. It's the only thing all parents agree on. They're all tired.
Keeping Warm
Babies can't push blankets or duvets off of their faces - they lack both the strength and the coordination. You should use only a very light baby blanket, or even better, one of those little baby sleeping bags that strap them in. Don't get the ones with hoods though, if your baby is wriggly the material can shift around and cover their face.
Placing your baby towards the foot of the cot will prevent them from scooting down the bed and accidentally covering their mouth and nose with any blankets you do decide to use.
Toys and pillows
Babies don't need pillows, and they don't need toys to sleep. They've got a great 'grab and pull' reflex, so getting their hands on something in the bed to keep them company can result in the baby pulling it onto themselves. They'll be fine without Teddy in the bed with them, wait until they're older to give them snuggle toys.
Wedgies
Babies might not be able to crawl, but they're not immobile and they're not static. It's easy for a baby to roll over and get wedged between cushions, down the back of sofas, and in small gaps behind furniture. You'd be surprised how far your baby can travel, and what creative spaces they'll find to get stuck in.
Make sure there are no gaps bigger than 3 to 4 centimetres around the area they're sleeping - especially between the mattress and the cot walls, or in the bars of the cot or crib itself.
Slings
If you're carrying your baby in a sling, make sure they're not folded up like a banana, which can restrict their airflow. Use the TICKS method to make sure your baby is safe.
Tight
Keep your baby nice and tight to your chest.
In view at all times
Make sure you can always see your baby and to make sure their airways aren't obstructed
Close enough to kiss
Your baby should be high up on your chest, not low down towards your belly.
Keep chin off the chest
Keep your baby's head up and turned one way of the other so that the mouth and nose are open.
Supported back
Their back should be straight and supported so they don't slump down or curl up into a little baby ball.
Feeding
Never ever prop your baby up with a bottle in their mouth so they can auto-feed. If you've ever tried to chug a pint of milk really quickly, you'll know that gravity is unforgiving and relentless, and it's very easy for the flow to be unregulated and overwhelming. You should always give your baby your full attention when you're feeding them.
Foreign objects
The good news is that your baby isn't going to be wandering around looking for things to put in it's mouth. The bad news is that anything in grabbing distance is going straight in.
Keep things like nappy sacks, plastic bags, balloons, and any other filmy or flimsy material well out of reach of your baby.
Toddlers
Toddlers are as defenceless and senseless as babies, but with the mobility and determination of much older children. Watch them like hawks.
Strangulation
At this point, your child is going to discover the joy of string. Blind chords, charging cables, dressing gown belts, lengths of ribbon that you tried to tie into their hair but they took out immediately, that weird papery curly stuff you put around presents to hide your terrible wrapping skills... These things get tight FAST, so keep them out of reach, and keep your eyes peeled (and listen out for any mysterious silences, that's when someone's doing something they're not supposed to)!
Drowning
Everyone knows not to leave babies unattended in baths, but you might be tempted to leave your walking talking toddler in the bath a few minutes while you pop out to grab some towels. Don't.
Drowning in bathtubs can be quick and is often silent. Besides, what if it ends up not being a few minutes. What if you twist your ankle tripping over a toy you DEFINITELY asked someone to put away, and you can't get back up. Now your toddler is stuck in the bath, unattended, for as long as you're lying on the floor writhing in pain.
Sleeping
Toddlers are stronger and more co-ordinated than babies, but only just. You can start using a duvet from about 18 months onwards, but make sure it's not too heavy, not too tight, and is the right size for the bed - and your child.
Avoid leaving things like laundry or toys on the bed during sleep time, and don't use a weighted blanket until they're older. Weighted blankets should never be more than 10% of body weight, so for toddlers, most duvets are heavy enough.
Foreign Objects
Like babies, toddlers want to put everything in their mouths. Anything is a choking risk if you try hard enough, but just keep an eye out for plastic bags, wrappers, and nappy sacks. Balloons are particularly dangerous, because they're fun to chew on, but the stretchy material makes it very difficult to dislodge with normal airway clearing techniques.
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