The first step in providing a safe environment for your child is to prepare your home properly. Although childproofing is not a substitute for parental supervision, it substantially reduces the likelihood of injury. Here are some ways you can keep your toddler safe in the home.
* Use furniture with rounded corners, or else cover sharp corners with home made or store bought corner guards
* Use a screw mounted gate at the top and the bottom of all stairways. Never use pressure gates at the top of the stairs.
* Install vent locks or a window guard on upper story windows to keep them from opening more than three and a half inches
* Do not use a tablecloth when toddlers are around; they can tug on it and pull down harmful objects onto themselves
* Everything should be kept in its original container to avoid mix-ups between food items and poisons
* Make sure all purses are placed out of reach, especially ones with any pills inside
* If your TV stand isn’t sturdy, buy one with a wide base and keep the TV away from the edge. Secure the stand to the wall
* Never run fans on the floor with an infant or toddler around. Their fingers are small and can enter the grill area of the fan
* Keep floors clean and vacuumed. Toddlers have an amazing sense for small objects that end up in their mouth and could cause choking
* Install glow in the dark stair nosing to make your staircase as visible as possible, ensuring your toddler does not wander towards it and risk serious injury in the event of a sudden power outage
Other considerations for toddler safety:
* Keep all sharp objects and tools out of reach
* Never let your children run with something in their mouth
* Never let your children run with something sharp in their hands
* Never let your children walk with glass objects in their hands
* Keep an eye out for sharp objects on walls, toys, cribs, playpens, or strollers
* Use plastic instead of glass whenever possible
* Always pick up toys, so that no one slips and falls on them
Read More