Parents obviously get very excited when
they have a baby and while they're little, although you'll have the sleepless
nights, they can't yet crawl about so they're much easier to keep safe! It is
even more exciting when the little one gets a little older and becomes a
baby-on-the-go. But this is when the potential dangers increase too! The
playful and inquisitive child will get from one corner of the house to the
other in its escapades, at this age they have no fear, they won't worry about potential dangers. You as the
parent must see all the potentials dangers in your home and take care of the
things that may harm your baby. It's a good idea, even before you bring baby
home from hospital, to set to with baby proofing your home. There are various
things that you will need to know about, identifying and locking down the
dangers that are in every part of your house. We'll look at some suggestions
below...
Safety Electric Plugs
When a baby is playing around the room,
plug sockets can often be at reachable height, little fingers can often
be tempted to put things in the inviting empty holes of a socket, which
can be dangerous if whatever is being inserted into the hole is a good
conductor. An electric shock can kill so it's very important to take care of
this. Fortunately, there are safety plugs that you can buy for these sockets
that the baby can reach. These simply fit into the empty socket as a plug
would, filling the holes and so keeping those little fingers out! They are very
cheap to buy and are a must-have when baby-proofing your home.
Keeping dangerous items locked away
There are many toxic items around the
house. Medicines of any kind should be kept away from babies and young
children because they can ingest them
unknowingly. Especially tablets that have a sugar coating; they taste like
sweets so a little one could easily unwittingly take an overdose. Always keep
medicines in a locked cabinet, preferably high on the wall. Cleaning and DIY
products should also be kept locked
away, and when storing products, don't be tempted to use old fizzy drink
bottles. Several children have drunk products such as turpentine or bleach
because their parents have stored them in a bottle marked 'Lemonade' etc!
Baby Stair Gate
The staircase is another area of your house
that is dangerous for your crawling baby, or one who has just learned to take
his first steps. A plunge from the higher step down to the base of the stairway
can kill or seriously injure your child. To make sure that the child does not
get a chance to get access to that area, you should buy and install a baby
stair gate, which you will be closing when the baby is playing and crawling
around the upper rooms. It's a good idea to have stair gates at the top and the
bottom of your staircase, so your child cannot access the stairs at all.
Water
Water obviously is a drowning hazard, but
you may be surprised at how tiny an amount of water you can actually drown in.
Never leave a bath or basin unattended with even the smallest amount of water
in. Also be very careful if you have a pool or a pond. Tragically children
drown in ponds and pools every year.
Hot items
You never want to go through the trauma of
seeing your child suffering from a burn. Always keep hot items away from
children, such as the iron, and hot pans. When you're cooking, make sure you
never leave anything unattended, and turn pan handles inwards so they can't be
grabbed. Put a guard around the fire too.
Items within reach
Check your surfaces and floor to make sure
there is nothing lying around that could be hazard. Sharp objects are dangerous
. Clear sharp objects from the reach of children. Babies are fond of putting
everything they come across into their mouths. Small items such as coins can
choke them. One thing you may not think of as a hazard is the latex balloons
that you use at parties. These should not be left all over the house when you
have a crawling child. The danger arises when a child starts chewing the
balloons. Balloons are dangerous because they can conform to the shape of the
baby’s throat and block the airway
completely. Don't let young children blow up balloons, and keep balloons
attached to a wall or furniture away from the smaller children. Pieces of
balloons that have popped should be thrown away immediately.
For more information about childproofing
your home please visit the Lindam website - http://www.lindam.com/category/safety-accessories.html
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