Safety is one of the most important parts of caring for your child. Children are naturally curious, which means they are constantly touching objects, placing them in their mouths and around their neck, and crawling and climbing to places where they should not. Child-proofing your home is essential to prevent serious or fatal injuries.
Household Hazards
Your home is full of hazardous places and items for young children. Your toddler can suffer injuries from tipping over furniture, being electrocuted from outlets and broken cords, and from falling. Childproofing your home is one of the most important things you need to do before your infant begins to crawl or walk around. Secure your TV and bookshelves using anchors or angle braces. Cover all of your electrical outlets to prevent your toddler from placing objects into the outlets. Install gates at the bottom and top of the stairs. Install window guards on the upper floors to prevent your child from falling out. You may want to add padding on sharp items, such as the corners of coffee tables, to prevent injuries if your toddler falls and hits her head. Keep knifes and other sharp household items out of your child's reach.
Chemicals
Toddlers have a high risk of getting a chemical poisoning by ingesting common household products, such as cleaning supplies, paints, medicines, pesticides, cosmetics and alcohol. Install latches on cabinets that contain your household chemicals. Keep vitamins and medicine in child-resistant containers and in places that are out of the child’s reach. Besides getting a poisoning from your medicines, your infant can also suffer from toxicity if you administer too much of her own medicine. Always read the instructions for medications and follow your doctor's directions when giving them to your children
Drowning
Even an inch of water can cause your infant or toddler to drown. Children are always at risk when they are in bathtubs, near toilets, hot tubs or baby swimming pools. However, even a bucket with water can lead to drowning. Always keep your toilet lids shut or your bathroom doors closed. You may even consider installing toilet locks. Never leave your child alone in the bath tub or a swimming pool. Do not leave buckets with water around your yard or home. If you have a pool, build a fence around it and keep the gate closed at all times.
Choking
Your young child is always curious and exploring her surroundings. This will include placing objects in her mouth or around her neck that can cause choking and strangulation. Supervise your child while she eats and plays. Never give a hard candy or large piece of food to your infant. Only buy toys that are designed for your child's age group. Hide or cover all exposed power cords, remove or secure cords from window treatments, and do not allow your infant to wear jewelry or scarves around her neck. Prevent suffocation by removing all blankets and toys from your baby's crib and keep all plastic bags away from her reach.
