Childproofing is an ongoing process.
It starts from the time you place your newborn in the bassinet, continues when your baby starts crawling and escalates to constant vigilance as your toddler climbs and explores. Baby- and childproofing your home isn’t a one-time deal but an ongoing effort to prevent falls, choking, poisoning, drowning, scalding and other injuries. “I always tell parents to get down and pretend they’re a toddler, basically,” says Dr. Dina DiMaggio, a New York-based pediatrician. “Go through every room and see, at eye level, what their child can get into. And that will help them baby-proof.” Here’s what to do throughout your home to keep your little ones safe.
Buckle up in the dining room.
With their large heads and relatively small bodies, babies and tots can’t reliably balance themselves while seated. Because they’re top-heavy, babies are more likely to take a tumble, says Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide, dedicated to preventing childhood injuries. In high chairs, buckle all safety straps and snap on the tray. Don’t place the chair near a table or counter to avoid children pushing against these surfaces and tipping the chair, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises. Never let your child stand in his or her high chair, the AAP warns. Freestanding high chairs are considered safer than baby seats that hook onto a table.
Secure all stairways.
Use safety gates to block both tops and bottoms of stairways to protect babies and toddlers from falls. Hardware-mounted gates secured into the wall or banister are less likely to come loose than pressure-mounted gates, safety experts say. Look for gates meeting federal safety standards along with voluntary standards from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. Make sure any gate is installed properly, Carr says, and that it could withstand the force of your child if he or she fell or pushed against it.
Look out for laundry products.
Compact and colorful laundry detergent packets can be dangerous — even deadly — for children. Parents who would never expose their children to bleach bottles might casually toss a laundry pod on top of a basket of dirty clothes. But because laundry pods contain concentrated detergent and are made to dissolve, they pose a risk. “Kids who are creepers and crawlers are slobbering because they’re teething,” Carr says. “They put everything in their mouth.” Household products such as detergents, cleansers and bleaches should be kept in a locked cabinet, says DiMaggio, who is also an attending pediatric associate at NYU Langone Medical Center and clinical instructor of pediatrics at NYU Langone School of Medicine.
Eye furniture for potential fall risks.
Adventurous toddlers can amaze and terrify parents with their climbing ability as they scale bedroom dressers, kitchen countertops and even refrigerators. As you take a safety tour of your home, Carr says, consider: “Are you creating easy access for a child who might be a climber to scamper on up and go into dangerously high places?” Make sure furniture is stable and can’t tip, as with the June recall of Ikea dressers after six children were reportedly killed by toppling units. Dangling tablecloths pose a different hazard for toddlers trying to pull up, DiMaggio says. “They can yank the tablecloth and things fall down on them.”
Keep bedrooms safe for sleeping.
Co-sleeping with parents is unsafe for babies because it puts them at risk for sudden infant death syndrome, suffocation and strangulation, according to the AAP. “Everyone loves to snuggle with their baby, but it’s not a good idea,” DiMaggio says. Parents fall asleep and don’t realize they’ve edged the infant out of the bed. “Some of the worst injuries, honestly, are babies falling out of the bed,” she says. “I’ve seen skull fractures and head bleeds from that.” Tips for safe sleep at home include keeping cribs and bassinets free of toys, blankets and bumpers; placing infants on their backs and choosing cribs that meet federal safety standards.
Be vigilant with medication storage.
Pill containers used to arrange medications by daily doses come with a significant drawback — most are not childproof. Kids accidentally ingesting medicine is a major health issue, which can especially come into play when grandparents visit, for instance. “Older adults tend to take more medication than younger adults,” Carr notes. A pill container left within easy access is attractive “because kids will want to imitate what adults do,” she says. Pediatrician DiMaggio says, “We always recommend keeping medications in the childproof containers — not to move them into another place. And keeping them high up so the child can’t get into it, or in locked cabinets.”
Prepare food to prevent choking.
Food from your pantry can turn risky as kids become moving targets. “For young kids, one of the big things I worry about is choking hazards,” DiMaggio says. “I always counsel parents at the toddler age that they should be eating meals sitting down. Not running around with grapes — they’re a big choking hazard.” Whole grapes and hot dogs are suffocation risks for small children with narrow windpipes. “I always tell parents to cut the grapes in quarters, and same with hot dogs.”
Consider everything to be edible.
Swallowing hazards can be anywhere, from your living room floor to the nursery changing table. While you’d never consider putting diaper rash cream in your mouth, unfortunately, your baby might. “Kids do eat that and it can cause a severe reaction,” Carr says. Beware of the button batteries that power everything from older siblings’ electronic games to TV remotes. Injuries can be severe enough to perforate the esophagus, DiMaggio says. Keep objects out for reach, she tells parents, including unexpected items kids might play with like jewelry, cameras or a visiting relative’s hearing aids.
Avoid scald, slicing and firearm risks.
A coffee maker on the counter or table edge or a pot handle sticking out from a hot stove; even a cup of just-cooked ramen noodles: All could prove hazardous to tender skin. “A scald and a burn can damage a child’s skin for life,” Carr says. Regulate settings for your home hot-water faucets to keep water temperature below 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, block fireplaces and stoves, and keep space heaters and irons unplugged and out of reach. Sharp knives can hurt toddlers who rummage through an open dishwasher. If you keep guns in your household, make sure firearms and ammunition are locked up and stored separately. The AAP encourages parents to ask “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?” before sending their child over to play with friends.
Watch out for drowning hazards.
Bathtubs where small children splash, even buckets used for routine housecleaning, can unfortunately turn into sources of tragedy. “An inch of water is all it takes for a child to drown,” DiMaggio says. “At some point, if you leave your child in a bathtub and they’re young, that’s all it takes in a very short period of time.” Let the phone ring — just don’t leave your little one alone in the bathtub. Same with pools — make sure pool gates are closed and locked. At pool parties, keep your eyes on children at all times, and make sure life vests stay on.
Check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide sensors.
It’s easy to overlook them on your ceiling, but smoke detectors and carbon monoxide sensors save lives. Smoke alarm batteries have expiration dates, and so do the smoke alarms themselves, Carr says. Newer-model smoke alarms use 10-year batteries, and combination units also come equipped with carbon monoxide sensors. Fuel-powered devices in the home, such as furnaces that are faulty, gas grills or generators used incorrectly, can cause carbon monoxide poisoning — and young kids are particularly vulnerable. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home.
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The 11 Most Dangerous Places in Your Home for Babies and Small Kids originally appeared on usnews.com
