When you have a child, you want to do everything it takes to keep
them safe. You make sure they wear a helmet when bike riding and they
are buckled securely in the car . . . but do you check to make sure
your house is safe?
"The home is the most common place that injuries occur in young
children," says Denise Dowd, MD, section chief of Injury Prevention at
Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. "‘Childproofing’ the home is
the best way to keep children safe where they live."
Here is a checklist, from Children’s Mercy Hospitals and
Clinics and the American Academy of Pediatrics, of things to watch out
for to keep your child safe.
Is there a working smoke detector on every level of the house and
in the hallway outside of every bedroom?
Is there a safety belt on your child’s changing table to prevent
falls?
Are drapery and blind cords out of the baby’s reach from the crib
and changing table? They can strangle children if they are left loose.
Have bumper pads, toys, pillows, and stuffed animals been removed
from the crib by the time the baby can pull up to stand? If large
enough, these items can be used as a step for climbing out.
The slots on the baby’s crib should be no more than 2 3/8 inches
apart. Widely spaced slots can trap an infant’s head.
Are all screws, bolts and hardware, including mattress supports, in
place to prevent the crib from collapsing?
Check the crib for small parts and pieces that your child could
choke on.
Make sure that window guards are securely in place to prevent a
child from falling out the window. Never place a crib, playpen, or
other children’s furniture near a window.
To reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, SIDS, put your
baby to sleep on their back in the crib with a firm, flat mattress and
no soft bedding underneath.
All medicines, toiletries, household cleaning products and other
poisonous substances should be LOCKED up.
In the bathroom is there a nonskid mat or no-slip strips in the
bathtub?
Are all hairdryers, curling irons, and other electrical appliances
unplugged and stored well out of reach? They can cause burns or
electrical injuries.
Are there child-resistant safety latches on all cabinets throughout
the house?
Make sure the water coming from your tap is no greater than 120
degrees (this can be measured with a candy thermometer)?
Keep sharp knives or other sharp utensils well out of the child’s
reach (using safety latches or high cabinets).
Use the back burners and make sure hot handles on the stove are
pointing inward so your child cannot reach up and grab them.
Keep electrical appliance cords tucked away so they cannot be
pulled on.
Are edges and corners of tables padded to prevent injuries?
Are houseplants out of your child’s reach? Certain houseplants may
be poisonous.
Are there any unnecessary or frayed extension cords? Cords should
run behind furniture and not hang down for children to pull on
them.
For more childproofing information see the American Academy of
Pediatrics website at www.aap.org.
