So you’ve moved into a new home and your children are excited about the new play possibilities, but you’ve noticed that the house may have a few hazards that can endanger your children. Identifying what exactly in your home poses a risk to your children is the first step. You may be confident in your child's safety awareness but this could pose a real risk as children are typically very curious about their surroundings and explore them with little caution. Here are some ways to child-proof your home based on the room in question.
Living Area
In the living area of your home, remove all photo frames, glass candles and glass ornaments that could be knocked over and can shatter and cut him/her even in a carpeted room. Television sets should be mounted securely on the wall, if possible. TVs on stands need to be anchored to the wall too: slip industrial-strength Velcro straps through the air-vent holes and connect them to eye hooks that you screw into the wall. Remote controls can be easy targets for children as the batteries can easily be swallowed. All remote controls should be out of reach and spare batteries hidden in a safe space. Power cords should be secured to the wall or covered preferably as children can slip on them or wrap them around themselves.
Bedroom
All cribs should be set up safely. Once your child is able to sit up, the mattress in the crib should be lowered. If your child has started sleeping in a bed, make sure that the bed isn’t too far from the floor to ensure that the child does not roll over and hurt themselves. Windows should only be able to open 3 inches, about the height of an adult fist, or they should have a window guard. After playtime, all toys, crayons and drawings should be put away. You will be surprised at the number of deaths that have been caused by a small toy or crayon.
Kitchen
A tiny gate at the entrance of your kitchen will prevent the little ones from creeping in when you least expect it. Cleaning products like drain openers, automatic dishwasher detergents, and furniture polish are toxic. Either secure the cabinet with a magnetic lock or use a traditional latch along with a childproof locked box, or place chemicals high up, well out of reach. One huge kitchen risk is an easy-to-open oven. To avoid children gripping and pushing it open, a childproof latch for your oven is the best option. All cutlery, cooking knives, corkscrews should be placed out of reach from children.
Bathroom
The bathroom is one of the most susceptible areas for child-related injuries. Childproof latches for the toilet seat are one of the most common practices for homes with small children. The most common types of amputations in kids involve fingers and thumbs which are caused by slamming into doors. You can buy devices that keep doors from closing all the way, or simply drape a towel over the top of the door to prevent it from closing. Pills and cosmetics should also be kept out of arms reach. It’s so easy for children to put pills in their mouths or spray perfumes into their eyes.
Household injuries are one of the top reasons kids under 3 visit the E.R. each year. It is smart to be prepared for your child to move freely in your home to avoid these injuries. Understanding the many hidden risks for young children in the home will make childproofing your home a walk in the park. Notwithstanding all these precautions, parents should always ensure that they keep an eye on their children at all times as you can never be too careful.