Babyproofing
Top Five Hazards and Tips for Prevention
Now that you have brought home your bundle of joy, your life is going to change in an exciting way. As a parent, you need to be more aware of what is in and around your home. If you are not prepared, your child's curiosity could be dangerous or fatal.
Did you know that each year in the United States, approximately 6,000 children die and another 120,000 are seriously injured or permanently disabled due to preventable household accidents and more than 2.5 million children are treated in emergency rooms for fall-related injuries? Children are 7 times more likely to die from a preventable household accident than from all childhood illnesses combined and the number one cause of death among infants and toddlers are preventable household accidents.
To help prevent your baby or toddler from becoming a statistic, it is important to know the top five categories of household injuries and tips to prevent these injuries from occurring.
Falls
Children falling down stairs or furniture tipping over on top of them is the number one preventable household injury. Proper safety gates should be installed at the top and bottom of each staircase. Choosing the proper gate and installing it correctly is crucial for your child’s safety and may be best left to a professional. NEVER install a pressure gate at the top of the stairs. Properly secure all furniture, bookshelves and television sets to prevent them from tipping.
Burns
Burns can be caused by flame, heat, chemicals or electrocution. Always keep children away from open flames while cooking or enjoying your fireplace. Lock your oven door or limit access to the kitchen while cooking or baking. Keep all chemicals out of reach of children and locked in a secure place. Limit access to electrical cords and install self-closing outlet covers.
Poisoning
For babies and toddlers, poisons are found everywhere. Household cleaners, medicines (including baby medicines), vitamins, pesticides, plants and even toothpaste and some foods can be poisonous. All these dangers should be kept out of reach and securely stowed away. Keep the number for Poison Control handy in case your baby ingests a hazardous material. The National Poison Control Number is 800-222-1222
Drowning
Children can drown in as little as an inch of water. While swimming pools are the most obvious drowning hazard, jacuzzis, bathtubs, toilets, buckets, pet bowls, fountains, ponds, lakes and the ocean can be equally dangerous. Children drown quickly and silently—in a matter of seconds. Supervision is the best prevention and most of these hazards can be safeguarded with locks or barriers.
Choking, Suffocation, Strangulation
Babies and toddlers put everything into their mouths. Items that fit into a cardboard toilet paper roll should be considered choking hazards and should be kept out of reach. The little white tips on your “springy” doorstops are the biggest choking hazard in your home and should be replaced. Never line wastebaskets with plastic trash bags as these pose a suffocation hazard. Anything a child can get their head caught in is a strangulation hazard. Blind cords, electrical cords, and strings should all be shortened and kept out of reach of children.
Children are curious by nature and love to explore. It is impossible to point out every hazard in your home without a thorough inspection. Getting on your hands and knees and seeing the world from your baby’s perspective is the first step in understanding what they see and are able to get into. As a first-time parent, you may not be aware of some of the hidden dangers in your home and may want the trained eye of a child safety consultant to assist you in helping keep your baby safe.
Editorial provided by Brian McNeill, owner of Baby Safe Homes, a professional babyproofing service located in Houston, Texas.