Home Safe Home
Childproofing Tips for New Parents
According to SAFE KIDS Worldwide, the unintentional injury death rate among children ages 14 and under has dropped 45% from 1987 to 2002 – one of the most dramatic declines seen in a children's health issue. Despite this tremendous progress, unintentional injury continues to be the leading cause of death among children ages 14 and under in the United States, annually claiming an average of 15 children’s lives each day-- more than from all childhood diseases combined. These facts illustrate the value of safety education initiatives and injury prevention measures, and the need to continue with these efforts. One effective risk prevention strategy that parents and caregivers can initiate and control is childproofing the home(s) where their child(ren) will be spending the most time. Following are some general safety tips you should be aware of when childproofing your home – with particular emphasis on those safety issues that tend to be overlooked or misunderstood by many caregivers:
In the Nursery
- Place crib away from windows and window covering cords.
- Keep all hanging pictures and decorations out of child's reach; nails and hooks can easily fall down into the crib, posing a choking hazard.
- Make sure all toys attached to the side of the crib are on the wall-side and are removed once your child is pulling up to stand. Children can use these toys as footholds to climb out of the crib.
- Remove crib mobiles once the child can reach it.
- Remove all bumper pads once child is pulling up to stand, as he/she can also use pads as foothold to climb out of crib. In fact, it is recommended that bumper pads not be used at all, due to the possible suffocation hazard.
- Do not place pillows, comforters or blankets in the crib with an infant to avoid suffocation and strangulation.
- To reduce the risk of SIDS and accidental suffocation, always place infants on their backs to sleep.
Stairways & "Off-limit" Rooms
- NEVER use a pressure gate of any kind at the top of a staircase! Gates need to be installed into the wall at the top of the stairs. Children can use their weight as well as gravity to push a pressure gate right over.
- For high traffic areas, a swing-though gate is recommended (either pressure mounted or installed into doorway). For lower traffic areas between rooms, pressure gates are fine.
- Gates with vertical rails or flat surface are preferred in order to prevent climbing up and over gate.
Indoor & Outdoor Railings
- Make sure there are no more than 3½ (preferred) to 4 inches between banisters on deck or indoor stair rails. If more than 4 inches, custom Plexiglas or flexible plastic shielding is most often recommended to cover the exposed openings indoors. UV-resistant deck netting is most often used for outdoor deck railings.
Televisions & Tall Furniture
- Use wide, low, deep (deeper than depth of TV) and stable furniture for TVs to prevent tipping.
- Children like to climb – and will often turn shelves or drawers into steps, which can tip forward onto child. Tall furniture and bookshelves often need to be anchored securely to studs in the wall to prevent tipping.
Doorstops
- Doorstops with removable pads on the ends are choking hazards for young children, and are right at a child's level. These should be replaced with one-piece doorstops.
Windows (especially above ground level)
- Never depend on window screens to prevent children from falling. Screens can easily give way.
- Move all furniture away from windows. Accessible windows should have window stops to prevent them from opening more than 4 inches, or be kept securely locked. If you want to open window more than four inches, removable (in case of emergency) window guards are necessary.
Electrical Safety
- Plastic push-in caps are not recommended (smallest ones are choking hazards) unless they fit very tightly into plugs and are always put back once removed. Better options are the sliding outlet covers, "locking" 3-prong outlet caps, and outlet cover "boxes" that cover both the plug and the outlets.
Kitchen
- It is recommended that all cabinets and drawers (except Tupperware and linens), from the countertop down be latched. When children can reach top drawers, move all dangerous items away from counter's edge.
- Keep knife blocks out of children's reach (when in caregiver's arms).
Plants
- Some are poisonous. Take piece to local nursery if you are not sure what it is. Even nontoxic plants can be hazardous, as children pull off leaves or get into soil and fertilizer – which then often ends up in their mouths.
Toxic Products in the Home
- As mounting research is showing, it is not only the improper use (i.e. poisonings) of consumer products with toxic chemical ingredients that's a preventable problem – it is the proper use and storage of these unnecessary and harmful toxins which pose short and long-term health risks, with children being especially vulnerable due to their still-developing small bodies. All parents should become more educated about this issue now, as it directly affects every family on a daily, accumulating basis.
- It is highly recommended that parents eliminate as many personal and home hygiene products containing toxic ingredients as possible from home and school environments and replace them with those that contain no harsh chemicals, are more naturally-based and safer for families, pets and the environment. Effective alternatives are available that can significantly reduce safety and health risks in children's living and learning environments.
Remember that no amount of childproofing takes the place of adult supervision.