Suffocation!

That is this month's theme of the Health Department's "Safety In The Home" campaign.

A young baby propped up and left to feed by himself from the bottle can easily choke. The most simple way to prevent this happening is to always hold the baby when he is being fed.

Suffocation can also be caused by inhalation of food, and obstruction of the nose and throat by foreign bodies. A plastic bag or fine plastic sheeting can also cause death in young children for, once over the head, it may cling to the nose and mouth, Shutting Off The Air Supply! Destroy Plastic Bags -don't be responsible for your child's death! Finally, parents should not take baby into their own bed but should leave him in his own bassinet or cot.

First Aid: If your child has an obstruction in his throat, tip him upside down immediately and put your finger down his throat to see if you can dislodge that which he has inhaled. If this does not work, slap him sharply between the shoulder blades. If the child has suffocated through lack of air, mouth to mouth resuscitation is recommended. If experiencing difficulty, call your own doctor.