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When the grandchildren come to visit or your nieces and nephews stop by, are they safe to wander freely and without harm in your home? Most of the time, we take our safety for granted. Adults know better that fire is hot and that sharp items cut. Small children, however, learn by doing.
Since we cannot watch them all of the time, the next best thing to do is to make your home “child proof”. Here are some very basic steps to take that can help you to avoid accident or tragedy and make children’s lives safe and happy.
1. Begin by approaching child safety on a room-by-room basis.
2. Check miniblind cords—they should all have safety tassels to prevent a child from choking/strangling on the cords. This also applies to appliance cords—tie them up when not in use.
3. Check children’s toys—are they small enough to be swallowed? Check for other items on top of tables or on the floor. Could a curious child put them into the mouth and choke on them? If so, put them away in a secure place.
4. Are all medicines stowed away? Is the space locked? Children are clever. Child resistant caps may prevent a challenge but they are not foolproof—make sure you lock all medicines away.
5. Where are the small electrical appliances? Are they accessible to children? Items such as hair dryers and clothes irons can cause severe burns.
6. The medicine cabinet isn’t the only dangerous thing in the bathroom. Showers and bathtubs should be equipped with non-skip surfaces to prevent falls.
7. If the house you live in was built before 1978, make sure you have it checked for lead-based paint. Paint chips can cause high levels of lead in small children.
8. Check all doors and windows. Make sure that they are locked so that children stay safely inside the house. Window screens are not meant to support weight and can fall out should a small child push against them.
9. Don’t store household chemicals in an area that can be reached by a child. Most household chemicals are stored under the sink—the worst possible place for child safety.
10. Have plenty of paper/plastic cups around for children’s use—never give a child a container made of glass.
11. Empty the trash containers in the house regularly—don’t throw potentially dangerous items into trash baskets accessible to children.
12. If your house has stairs, make sure that you prevent access to them by placing a safety gate at the top and bottom of the steps.
13. Place safety covers on electrical outlets—a child can be severely injured by placing a finger or a small item into the plug.
14. Look out for sharp corners—like table edges. If possible, put padding on the edge to prevent injury or move the table to a safer location out of the path a small child might take.
Be cautious and careful but enjoy your visitors knowing that you have made every effort to keep them safe.
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