Child injuries within the home are extremely common especially in children under the age of 4. Do not wait until disaster strikes to child-proof your home. Before your child even begins to crawl it is vital that you look around the home for potential hazards. You might feel very safe within your surroundings but remember that little children can be very inquisitive and eager to explore.

 

Begin by looking around the house and spotting the danger zones. Place plastic covers on all vacant electricity sockets to prevent young children from poking the holes, remember to keep these in the off position when they are out of use. Place non slip rugs under mats to prevent slips and try to avoid glass topped tables or cabinets that are within the child’s reach. I have heard of a number of accidents were children ran straight through glass doors, so do take all the necessary precautions especially if you are still doing up your home. If you have glass doors place large colourful stickers to attract  children’s attention when they are distracted.

 

Place gates at the top and bottom of staircases to prevent trips and falls. Once your baby begins to crawl get into the habit of keeping these gates locked at all times. Make sure that the gate will not become a climbing device when your child gets older. Check out the railing; can your child pass through? If they are wide apart block these with plywood and cover with foam. Foam should also be used on sharp corners and pointed edges.

 

Place locks on all windows and make sure that you leave nothing by the window that your child can climb upon. Same goes for balconies, bar the railings with specific netting and do not leave any tables and chairs outside. Plant boxes shouldn’t be placed close to the railings as these act as steps, enabling children to climb up and lean out.

 

If possible try to avoid blinds and curtains with long cords as these present choking hazards. Hide lampshade and appliance cords behind heavy furniture – little babies can give these a tug and topple the objects onto themselves. Place child locks on all kitchen cupboards you will be surprised what young children can get a hold of. Place knives, scissors and any other sharp kitchen utensils out of children’s reach.  When you’re cooking always keep pan handles turned inwards so that your child cannot reach up and pull the pan, thus preventing scalding. Never place hot drinks at the edge of the table and obviously never give very young children a drink in a glass container.

 

If you have a pool, fencing is ideal especially until little children learn how to swim. The tiles around the pool area should obviously be non slip. Chlorine and other pool chemicals should be stored in childproof containers and kept on a high shelf out of reach. Same goes for fruit fertilisers, insecticide and so on. Try to avoid any spiked or toxic plants especially if your children spend plenty of time in the yard or garden.

 

 

 

 

Toxic substances like bleach and other cleaning products should be kept locked away. Medicines and pills should be stored away out of children’s reach, colourful pills are often mistaken for sweets so make sure that none go missing. Keep stationary like pins staplers and anything harmful your child might swallow locked away in a drawer.

 

If you have a fireplace or a stove it is essential that you use a fireguard to keep the child away from naked flames. Cast iron stoves do get extremely hot so beware and use a guard. Keep lighters and matches hidden away, a number of house fires actually start with children playing with lighters, fire-lighting is very intriguing especially to older children. Make sure that you keep a fire blanket handy and a fire extinguisher handy – remember to have these serviced. Have a fire alarm fitted and attach smoke detectors in every bedroom and in the kitchen.

 

During bath time make sure that the temperature of the water is not too hot. Remember to rinse taps with cold water before placing the child in the bath. Water should be tepid, always fill up the cold water first and then add the hot water until you get the desired temperature. Never leave children unattended in a bath - young children can drown in a small amount of water. If your baby cannot yet sit alone, buy a little baby ring and place him or her inside. Rubber mats prevent slips so get these fitted when your baby begins to use the bath.

 

Always consider the potential hazard of anything you discard; used batteries, paper clips, metal containers and lids with sharp edges. Children can easily reach into most dustbins so always try to keep discarded hazardous material out of reach. Keep plastic bags away from babies and toddlers to prevent suffocation.

 

Always keep hallways and stairs cleared. Having a young child in the house means that you will have plenty of toys blocking doorways and stair cases; it’s a tiring chore but  do get into the habit of keeping doorways and staircases cleared to prevent tripping. Also make sure that your stairs are adequately lit.

 

Keep a first aid kit in a safe place and always tell baby sisters and anyone who minds your child where it can be found in case of accidents. If your children spend plenty of time at grandmothers and other relatives, make sure that their homes are also child- safe. There are a number of childproofing gadgets on the markets and these will make the task easy to achieve. Never leave babies or toddlers unattended to open the door or to answer the phone and make sure they are always within reach. Finally remember that the most important safety device is supervision and we need to keep a constant look out for any possible dangers.