Accidental death is the leading cause of death in children of all age groups. A grant through the NyE Communities coalition is helping provide information and training to help prevent leading causes of childhood death. This includes:
Crib Safety
Babies should sleep on their backs on a firm crib mattress with fitted sheets. They should share a room with their parents, but not a bed.
Don’t use crib bumpers, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, cords near the crib or sleep wedges.
Car Seat Safety
Be sure you have the right seat, in the right place and faced in the right direction. Car seats should be compatible with the height and weight of your child. Kids should sit in the back seat until age 13. And car seats should be rear-facing for as long as possible.
Drowning Prevention
Make sure to watch your child closely when they are near any water. Do not walk away, or get distracted by your phone when your child is in or near water. Install security fence around pools. install an alarm on the door leading to the pool. Stay away from drains. Teach children to swim early. Learn CPR.
Suicide Prevention
A 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveyof all high school students in Nye, Esmeralda and Lincoln Counties reflected that 21.1 percent of students had seriously considered suicide in the 12 months prior to the survey.
Risk Factors:
- Mental Illness
- Substance Misuse
- Firearms in the home
- Self-harm
- Exposure to suicide of someone close to them
- Low self-esteem
Some Protective Factors:
- Family and School connections
- Safe school environment
- Reduced access to firearms
- Academic achievement
- Self Esteem
A variety of resources and training are available to help families keep their kids safe. For more information, contact Carla Begin at (775) 727-9970 ext. 203 or email carla@nyecc.org.