Your Child's Safety

​*​Information on this page was originally developed by a team that created a website for families focusing on 'raising deaf kids' (See About Us​). Content may have been edited or updated.

Your child may need some help staying safe.

Read this page for tips on keeping your child safe.

Plan ahead

Have a communication plan ready in case there's an emergency:

• Make sure your child knows who to contact and how in case of an emergency.
• Talk about how to contact an interpreter if your child needs one.
• Make sure your child carries a card with emergency numbers with him at all times.
• Make sure your child's school, coaches, and childcare providers know how to reach  you.
• Prepare an emergency kit with water, flashlights, hearing aid batteries, and other things  your child may need.
• Make sure your home is safe inside and outside.
• Practice the plan with your family.
  
• Teach your child to be independent.
  
  

Fire safety

• Use fire alarms in your home that flash lights and are sound activated.

• Check your alarms once a month or more to make sure they're working.

• Plan escape routes ahead of time. Talk about what to do in case of a fire.

• Think of ways to communicate to your child that there's a fire.
  
  

Water safety

• If your child signs, find an interpreter for your child's swimming lessons.
• Make sure there's a way your child can communicate with the lifeguard on duty.
• Talk to your child about how hearing aids and cochlear implants (CIs) need to be protected while the child swims (carefully placed in a case unless the CIs are waterproof).
  
  

Be street smart

Kids think that if they can see a car, the driver can see them. They also have trouble understanding how fast a car is going. Your child may not hear the sounds of cars coming towards her. Teach your child to be street smart:

• Stop at the curb and look in all directions before you  cross the street.
• Cross at corners using traffic signals and crosswalks if  you live in a city.
• Never walk into the street from behind a car, tree, or large object.
• Never run into a street without stopping, even for a ball or your dog!
• Walk or ride a bike facing traffic, so you can see cars coming towards you.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up.
• Pay attention to others and watch when they move out of the way.
• Carry a flashlight when it's dark.
• Wear bright clothing.
• Use reflective lights on your bike.
  
  

Sign safety

• Some parents of kids who are DHH choose to have a sign put up on their street that  says: "Caution Deaf Child" or "Deaf Children at Play." If drivers see this sign, they may slow down or be more alert.
• Other parents choose not to use these signs because they want to protect their child's  privacy.
• For more information on visit: https://handsandvoices.org/articles/education/advocacy/14-1_streetsign.htm
  

Stay away from strangers​

• Never leave your young child alone anywhere - not in a car, home, or public place.
• Make sure your child learns his or her address very early and can tell people how to get in touch with you in an emergency.
• Teach your child how to make an emergency call on a cell phone and say “I need help" or how to contact help through a video relay service.
• Make sure your child knows to scream and run from anyone who is trying to grab or hurt her.
• Practice with a friend your child does not know. Ask your friend to grab your child or try to get her to go somewhere with him. Show your child how to respond.
• Tell your child to always let you know right away if a stranger asks her for help, gives her candy or gifts, or scares her in any way.
• Teach your child to use mirrors and windows on buildings to watch her reflection and  see who's behind her.
  

Internet safety​

• Never give out personal information, like your child's address, picture, password, cell phone number.
• Tell your child to let you know right away if she gets any strange messages, emails, or sees something she doesn't like.
• Be on the lookout for emails that have different addresses than the ones she usually sends mail to.
• Make sure she knows never to promise to meet with someone she met online.
  

For more information on child safety, visit:

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.boystownpediatrics.org/knowledge-center#k=safety