Childproof Your Home To Keep Your Little One Safe

Childproof Your Home To Keep Your Little One Safe

Parents and caregivers want to provide a safe place for their children to live and play but too often child proofing these areas gets put off. This has caused thousands of household accidents that could have easily have been prevented. The good news is that child proofing is not difficult and can easily be completed in one day.

It is important to protect your child from common household dangers before you bring your newborn home from the hospital. If you wait, things can become hectic and easily get put off until later. Below are some of tips on how to childproof your home.

On your first visit to the store you will likely be overwhelmed by all of the products on the market designed to child proof or baby proof your home. There are literally hundreds of different choices.

Some child proofing requires no devices, just common sense. Other areas definitely require the use of a child proofing device. Not all children are the same. If you feel a certain product would help protect your child from a situation they are more likely to get into, you may consider adding that to your arsenal as well.

Here are some basic steps for child proofing your home.

Move Cleaners, Medicine and Other Poisons

You need to move any poisonous substance out of the reach of your children. A common mistake is to keep cleaners under the kitchen sink or bath products on the ledge of the tub. While you might think that child resistant caps will protect your children, you should be aware that the requirements for a child resistant package may mean that at least 80-85% of children couldn't open them. That means your child might. All poisons and medicines should be stored in a high cupboard or locked area.

Block Stairways

Not surprisingly, falls are one of the biggest causes of injury to young children. Stairways are particularly dangerous and should always be properly gated. Never use pressure mounted gates at the tops of stairs since your child may be able to put enough pressure on them to give way.

Despite having a gate it is important for parents to keep a close eye on children around staircases. No safety device outweighs the importance of adult supervision.

Keep Children out of Dangerous Rooms

The bathroom, garage, and office can all be dangerous areas for you child. To keep them safe, use door-knob covers and door locks. Place a slide lock or hook-and-eye latch hign on the door, out of child's reach.

Keep Windows Safe

Lock windows or use guards to prevent them from opening too far. Screens will not keep your child from falling out of a window.

Make sure that blind cords are out of reach and the beds, cribs and other furniture are moved away from windows where a child could climb up and reach. You'd be surprised what they are capable of.

Outlets, Drawers and Cupboards

There is a huge assortment of products aimed at protecting your children's fingers from being caught in door hinges, slammed in drawers or by closing cupboard doors. Test out several products in a children's store that demonstrates how different products are used. The main purpose should be to prevent an accident but if you find the products difficult to use you may end up not using them at all.

Small Toys and Other Choking Hazards

Another major cause of hospital visits for small children is choking. Small toys, batteries, buttons, coins and other objects go straight into the mouths of babies and toddlers (and even some preschoolers). Prevention is the key. If you have older children they should be taught to keep small toys out of the reach of younger children. Keep a keen eye for objects on the floor where your baby is present.

Monitor New Dangers

You will need to be constantly aware of what your child can get access to. As you child grows and develops they may suddenly be capable of reaching or pulling down items you didn't think of.

Don't forget that most child proofing devices you can buy are temporary solutions to prevent the most disastrous accidents. Your children should also be taught how to behave and where to be especially careful. After all, your children will likely be in many homes that are not child proofed like yours and their safety will depend on understanding what's not safe.

BONUS : Childproofing Your Home.

There comes a time in the life of every parent when the relatively easy period of the newborn times makes way for the harder work as the baby becomes mobile. At this stage, it will no longer be possible to lay your child down on a blanket on the floor surrounded by her toys and be assured that she will remain safe. Her advanced abilities ensure that she is now well able to get into situations unforeseen a few short months before, and the consequence is that it is time to child proof your house.

Childproofing can occur in several stages, depending on the mobility of your little one. Most babies will start out there movement phase by rolling from location to location. This offers more reaction time for the parent, but do not be deceived into thinking that the next move on your baby’s part will be easily anticipated. Even this limited form of mobility can be deceptive in its range and speed. You will want to make sure that any stairways are closed through the use of some kind of barrier. Gates that lock into place, attached to the wall by hinges, are the safest route to go. Do not rely on gate brands that lock into place by a lever and push themselves into the wall; an active child will have no trouble in pushing it over eventually, and the period when they are developing the strength to do this will inevitably lull the parent into a state of false security.

During the initial stages of movement, you will also want to make sure that you frequently vacuum and check your floor for small objects that could present a choking hazard. Babies in this stage rely on taste as perhaps their main sense, so any object they find is liable to go straight into the mouth.

As your baby starts to crawl, you will want to take further measures in childproofing your home. Your baby will now be able to cover ground with increased speed, so it is best not to take any items that you usually would just leave on the floor for granted, even if it is just for the second it takes to grab the phone. The added height your child receives from this point will also mean that it is time to raise any house plants to a higher level. You can also count of the baby to figure out a way to open most lower cupboard doors, so make sure to buy child locks that prevent her from swinging them open.

Remember that with the crawling phase near, it will not be long until your baby is hauling herself up onto other objects. Make sure that ay hard surfaces such as fireplace mantle edges are well covered to avoid head injuries. Corners on coffee tables and other furniture should also be padded in order to prevent a bad bump.

Childproofing your house is essential in protecting both your baby and your belongings from harm. Remember, if your baby can get into it, the odds are pretty good that she will get into it. Curiosity is a natural part of development, and it is your responsibility to make sure your child develops in the safest environment possible.