You can never completely ‘child-proof’ your home. You can, however, dramatically reduce the risk of injuries and accidents by making a few changes to your home and keep your child under constant supervision. Your baby’s safety is an important aspect of the early years’ agenda and affects the whole of the workforce. It is now recognized that unintentional injury is one of the main causes of childhood death and is the most common cause of emergency hospital admissions.
Your preschooler is becoming more aware of hazards like cars and stoves, and they might be more likely to understand and follow safety rules, but at this age, he or she is also curious and wants to explore. Playing with things and trying things out is how they learn. And if they on a mission to find out how something works, your child might not remember the safety rules.
This means it’s up to you to reduce the risks around your child.
Preventing unintentional injuries in the home
In order to keep your child safe, you need to find out what the risks are, and then preventing or removing them either at home, surrounding neighbourhoods, nurseries and childcare facilities. Children at this stage will more likely experience injuries in the home(e.g. Falls, burns, scalds, and food poisoning) than in other locations.
Preventing Falls
Falls are the most common cause of injury for children of all ages. The seriousness of the injury depends on the height the child falls from, the surface the child falls into and what the child may hit as they fall. To minimise fall injuries, look at the environment from your child’s level.
Use gates on stairways and balconies and lock windows, particularly upper-storey windows or install operable window guards so your child can’t fall out
Use low power night lights and an efficient torch to make looking after your child at night safer.
Use sensor lights for stairs and steps
Put non-skid rubber mats in the bath and shower
Don’t allow your child to walk or run while carrying sharp objects such as scissors
Make sure swings, slides and climbing equipment have soft fall materials underneath, to a depth to 300mm. Bed bunks should only be used for children over nine years
Always use full-body(five-point) safety harness in strollers, high chairs, and shopping trolleys
Preventing Burns and Scalds
The kitchen can be a dangerous place for your child, especially when you’re cooking. Hot liquids, grease and hot foods can spill on him or her and can cause serious burns.
Find something safe for your child to do when you’re cooking.
Lock matches, cigarette lighters, and flammable liquids away and out of the reach of children
Install a safety switch to prevent electrocution
Keep hot drinks away from children and keep them away from stove pots, fireplaces, heaters, barbecues, etc
Your home MUST have a working smoke alarm installed. Test your smoke alarms every month and change the batteries of the smoke alarms every year.
Have the hot water delivered to your bathroom at a maximum of 50c. But remember that you still need to mix cold water with hot water coming out of your taps to get the right bath temperature for babies and children.
Preventing Poisoning
Young children tend to put every object they can find into their mouths. Children are often poisoned by common household chemicals and medicines.
Safety suggestions include:
Keep ALL medicines and household products out of the reach and sight of your children, put them safely after purchase or after use.
Clean out your medicine cupboard regularly. Take unwanted and out- of- dates medicines and properly dispose them
Avoid distractions while administering drugs, double check before administering
Teach your child never to pick up or touch any insects they find such as cockroaches, wasps or spiders.
Read warning labels and directions for use very carefully
Child resistant locks can be installed on most cupboards especially where dangerous products like drain cleaners, bleaches, dishwasher powders, and so on are stored.
Preventing Suffocation and Strangulation
Many homes have everyday items that could strangle or suffocate a child. These items are soft toys, beddings, blinds, cords, ropes, bags, boxes and packaging materials.
Some essential key tips are;
Putting children cots, beds, high chairs or playpens AWAY from the window, where children can’t reach the blinds or cords. The cords can get around children’s necks and strangle them while they are playing or sleeping
Always supervise children in any room with reachable curtains or cords. Accidental strangulation can happen very quickly, so never leave your children alone in these rooms, even for a short while
Tie knots in plastic bags and keep them from the reach of children
Choking and harm caused by swallowing objects
Child safety to prevent swallowing and choking on objects include:
Being aware of the foods that can choke children such as lollies, apple, meat and nuts
Encouraging children to sit calmly and not eat their meals quickly
Checking toys regularly for any small parts that can become a choking hazard.
Around Cars
Active adult supervision is paramount to the navigate driveways, cars, roads, and car parks safely. Always holding your child’s hand when he or she is near cars is a great first step. You can also teach your child about road safety, including how to be safe around parked cars and on footpaths and driveways.
A top tip for helping children learn about pedestrian safety and road safety is to describe what you’re doing, so your child can understand why it’s important. For example, ‘We always look both ways before we cross the road’.
Do not allow your child to play or ride a tricycle in the street. Your child should play in a fenced yard or playground.
Car Safety
Car crashes are the greatest danger to your child’s life and health. The crushing forces to your child’s brain and body in a collision or sudden stops, even at low speeds; can cause serious injuries or death.
To prevent injuries, correctly USE a car safety seat EVERYTIME your child is in your car. The safest place for all children to ride is in the backseat. If a child must in the front seat, move the vehicle seat back as far as it can go, away from the airbag.
More home safety tips
Get a licensed electrician to do repairs
Replace electrical appliances and cords immediately their worn out
Lock away hand tools like saws and drills, and keep lawn mowers, chainsaws, and other sharp tools out of reach
Unplug tools whenever you take a break
NB: Keep first aid kits in home and car. Take kits on holidays too.
References
1. WebMD. Baby safety. Childproof. Accessed on 30th September 2018.