How To Ensure Total Toddler Safety At Home

You can make your home a safer place for your toddler by covering electrical outlets, using safety gates, attaching toilet and cabinet locks, and supervising your child around water. First of all, keep all electrical cords tucked away, or shortened to avoid any little hands from pulling at them, or conceivably wrapping a cord around their neck. Always unplug my small appliances. Purchasing electrical outlet covers for all exposed outlets will ensure that little fingers dont plug in things besides an electrical plug, such as bobby pins, or anything that is metal.

Make sure that all hazardous contents are removed, placed out of reach, or latched securely in a cabinet. This includes cleaning solutions, cosmetics, toiletries, toothpastes, and even jewelry. Perfumes, soaps, and lotions may be pleasant to look at or smell, but may be dangerous if consumed.

Medicine bottles should have childproof lids and be kept out of the reach of little hands. Razors, scissors, and other sharp objects may present serious risks for injury so they are best kept in a locked drawer or cabinet. Soaps, shampoos, mouthwash, and other cosmetic products should not be accessible to children who may consume them or have a skin reaction to them. This also applies to chemicals, cleaners, air fresheners, drain cleaners, and other poisonous materials.

There are a variety of cabinet locks available at reasonable prices and they are fairly easy to use when installed properly. It is a good idea to have on hand a bottle of ipecac syrup in the event that your physician or poison control center suggest you administer it to a child who has ingested something that may be harmful.

Bathrooms can pose a number of potential risks to children. Children should be supervised closely when using the bathroom for any reason from taking a bath to washing their hands after they have used the toilet. A small child can drown in a small amount of water. You should never leave your child unattended around any body of water. This includes toilets and bathtubs. There are now toilet seat locks that you can purchase, and they are very simple to install. Never leave your child alone in the presence of water or a bathtub even for a second. Keep the bathroom doors bolted when not in use.

Always test the water temperature before placing a child in the bathtub or shower. It is a good idea to set your water heater thermostat at 120 degrees or less to reduce the chance of burn incidents. Non-slip mats in the tub or shower area may prevent falls and all bathroom rugs should have non-slip backings as well. Keep all electrical appliances like hair dryers away from the tub or other water source so electrocution does to occur if the item were to fall into the water. Always empty water from a sink or tub when you are finished using it.

If you have sharp edges on tables or hard edges on hearths, you may want to buy padding to place along these edges. If you have a fireplace, you will need to buy a safety screen to keep your baby away from the fire and hot surfaces. Furniture and appliances can tip over, seriously injuring a child. If you have furniture or televisions and other appliances that pose this type of hazard, you can buy straps that will attach the furniture to the wall and prevent it from tipping over.

While cooking, be sure to always turn pot handles to the inside so that your baby cant accidentally grab a handle and pour the hot contents of the pot on her. You can also purchase stove guards that will prevent small hands from being able to reach hot burners on the stove top. You also need to have rail guards for open stairways. You will need to use gates to limit your childs activities and access to other rooms and stairways also.

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