Children age 4 and under are more likely than any other age group to sustain unintentional injuries that result in death and disability. Injuries resulting from drowning and blocked airways are responsible for the majority of unintentional injury deaths among infants. These injuries include suffocation, choking and strangulation. These types of injury are largely preventable, and parents and caregivers should understand how they occur in order to take the necessary steps to prevent their likelihood.

Sleeping in adults' beds

Some parents may choose to sleep with their infants for easy access when the baby cries and to simplify nighttime feedings: a preferred practice is to place the baby’s crib near the bed but this can be very dangerous. Four major patterns have been identified that result in an infant's suffocation while sleeping in adult beds:

- An adult may roll over the infant causing the baby to suffocate.
- An infant's airway may become obstructed when lying face down on a mattress.
- An infant can be stranded when rails or openings in headboards or footboards near the bed are wide enough to allow the baby's body to pass through.

Baby crib safety

Strangulation and suffocation may occur in cribs that have older, unsafe designs. Before using a crib, the following safety precautions should be taken:

- Ensure that the crib has no missing, improperly placed, loose or broken hardware.
- Look for splinters and rough edges that could injure the baby.
- Only use tight-fitting mattresses so the baby cannot become wedged between the mattress and the side of the crib.
- Look for cracked or peeling paint to avoid lead poisoning.

In addition to airway obstruction injuries, infants also experience a large number of unintentional injuries resulting from falls (from using the walker or high chair).

Baby walkers

Walkers are responsible for more injuries than any other nursery product. Most of these injuries result from falling down stairs or tipping over while the child crosses uneven surfaces. Before you place a child in a baby walker, follow these safety tips:

- Close doors or place gates qt the top of stairways.
- Always keep the child in view.
- Only use the walker on smooth surfaces to prevent it from tipping over.
- Prevent the child from going near hot surfaces.
- Place all electric cords out of the child's reach.
- Prevent the child from going near sources of water such as toilets, bathtubs and swimming pools.