Children feel most comfortable at home. They bathe, study and play as well as sleep in their own beds. This is why it is extra important to know the signs of fire and keep flammable things where kids can’t reach them. It’s also very important (especially during these hot summer days) that all parents teach their children about water safety because there are dangers lurking for little ones wherever we make our homes.
Each room in your home should be safe for your child. It’s important to have every room of your home baby-proofed against all potential dangers and hazards. Get down on the floor, think like a child when it comes to how they’ll roam around your home and think about what they could find and get into while exploring new places. Never underestimate what children will find or uncover while causing mischief!
Bathroom & Kitchen Safety
In your bathroom and kitchen, there may be a number of ways to get seriously injured or sustain injuries. To prevent these kinds of injuries, stay vigilant, follow the recommended tips that are listed below and make sure to pay extra close attention at all times.
- All knives and scissors should be kept inside of a drawer that contains a child-proof latch if there are small children in your home.
- If there is a dishwasher in your home, a safety latch installed here is also ideal.
- The use of stove guards is recommended. These guards place a barrier between hot burners and tiny fingers, reducing the risk of injury and burn.
- Oftentimes parents fail to realize the dangers lurking with the kitchen garbage can. Don’t be one of those parents because the dangers are very real. Place the can inside of a locked safety receptacle or use another type of latch to keep it secure.
- Unplug appliances when they’re not in use and keep all cords tucked into the appliance.
- Use a high chair with a belt and always strap your little one in, even if they’re going to be sitting for a few minutes. Accidents happen unexpectedly and within seconds an unstrapped baby or toddler can climb out of the chair and fall, climb on top of the stove or other objects, or otherwise harm himself. Don’t take that risk.
- Teach your child that the stove is hot and not to touch it!
- Set the hot water heater to a temperature no greater than 120 degrees C to prevent accidental burns.
- Use latches on drawers and cabinets to keep little fingers out.
- Install a toilet lock onto the lid of your unit.
- Keep all beauty items, cleaning products, and appliances inside of a latched cabinet.
- These items can be very dangerous to a child.
- Ensure that electrical outlets that aren’t in use are covered with safety plugs.
- Make sure that there are working smoke detectors inside of the kitchen (and each room of the house.)
- Install a carbon monoxide detector inside of your home. This odorless gas is deadly, but a monitor can alert you in time to get out and prevent injury.
Poisoning
The Center for Disease Control reported that poisoning is one of the leading causes of injury to children. Many items considered to be a poison exist inside of the home, including common household cleaners – dish soap, laundry detergent, pet medications and other pharmaceuticals, as well as rat and insect repellents like pesticides. They should be kept out of reach of kids at all times so that they don’t find these dangerous substances and accidentally ingest them.
Additionally it is important that you’re aware of the signs of poisoning, which include:
Child alerts you to the fact they ingested a poison or you see it happening
- Seizures
- Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Burns/redness around the mouth/lips
- Vomiting
- Trouble breathing
If you think that your child has ingested something that might be toxic, call 1-800-222-1212. This is a number that one should not only write down and keep easily avaliable at all times but also remember.
Toy Safety
As you’re no doubt aware, toys are a stimulating and exciting part of every child’s life. But they can also pose a real threat to your family if you’re not careful! In 2011, more than 188,000 children were injured due to toy-related incidents at home – safety has never been so important! As a responsible parent (who runs their own business for that matter), it’s crucial that you keep this statistic in mind by protecting your kids from potential dangers by checking any toys before giving them to an unsuspecting child. Make sure there aren’t any sharp edges or pieces that may fall off when being played with! You wouldn’t want your baby to hurt themselves, now would you?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulates all toys that are sold in the U.S.A. They also provide information to help consumers who want to find out about what toys pose safety issues and recalls for both children and adults. You can also visit their site to request brochures, posters, and other materials as well that help keep everyone safe from potential dangers when it comes to properly functioning toys throughout our country .
To secure toy safety, the following tips should be implemented.
- All toys sold new at toy stores have age ranges listed on the packaging. These age ranges aren’t in place to say that your baby or child isn’t smart enough to do it, but instead that your child is not old enough due to hazardous or dangerous parts and pieces. Heed the guidelines and allow your kids to play only with age appropriate toys.
- Check toys regularly to look for missing parts or damage that may pose risk to your little one.
- Clean and sanitize toys at least once each week.
- Store toys in a toy bin or box and keep them out of the floor so no one trips and falls!
- Balloons pose choking hazards to babies and small children. Keep them out of their reach at all times, whether inflated or not.
- Children should never put toys in their mouth.
General Home Safety Tips
- Create safety plans with your children and sit down to discuss the information included on the plans. Your safety plans should include emergency evacuation technique,
- Learn first-aid and CPR! It may save your child’s life.
- Teach your children how to dial 9-1-1. They should also know their address, name, and telephone number.
- Keep guns locked inside of a gun cabinet at all times! Never lay a gun down around a child with the safety latch off, even for a split second.
- What will you do in the event a fire breaks out inside of your home? It is beneficial to have an overhead sprinkler system installed in your home to minimize fire and its damage. A fire detector can also benefit you in the event of a fire.
- Always supervise your children and what they are doing around the house. When your children are well-supervised, the risk of injury is greatly reduced.
- Use baby safety gates to prevent entrance into other rooms of the house and to block off stairs. Children are fascinated by stairs, but they’re also very dangerous when they become an inside playground!
- Keep a first-aid emergency kit in an easily accessible area of your home.
- Keep a list of important emergency numbers on the refrigerator, by the house telephone, and inside of a cabinet or kitchen drawer.
- Consider hiring a professional to perform a home safety check. Although there is a small fee for this service, having an expert eye investigate any potential dangers in your home provides peace of mind that you cannot gain completing the task on your own.
