Think your home is child-safe? It probably isn't as safe as it could be. Consider this: - Half of all childhood injuries occur in the home.
- More than 1,000 children die from ingesting poistion.
- Over 4,000,000 children go to the hospital after ingesting poison or medications found in the home.
Tom Corvin, along with child safety expert Lane Holloway, shares tips to childproof every area of the home. Kitchen The kitchen can be one of the most hazardous areas for children. Large appliances, kitchen tools, and poisonous chemicals are not only fascinating discoveries for children, but are often on "kid-level". - Locker drawers and kitchen doors are your best preventive measure. A drawer full of kitchen utensils is a dangerous find for little ones. And many homeowners store poisonous household chemicals and pesticides under the sink, easily accessible to children. Special locks can be added to cabinet handles, as well as the inside of drawers.
- To prevent the risk of burn injuries, take a good look at the stove. Purchase knob covers to lock the controls and always keep hot pans on the back burners with the handles pointed away from the edges. Keeping hot drinks away from countertop edges is yet another way to prevent burn injuries to your child.
Living Room - Get down to a child's level to see the room from his or her perspective. Take a good look at items on the floor. Are they potentially hazardous? Be aware of electrical cord placement. Make sure the cords are away from toys or other items that would attract a child. Cords should be secured to prevent tripping. Corner guards should be applied to sharp edges of tables to prevent injuries to toddlers who are just learning to walk.
- Stairs are often very dangerous for children. A child gate (not a pet gate) should be secured to the strongest part of the top of the stairs. All banisters and railings should be checked for sturdiness and repaired as necessary.
Nursery - Side slats on the crib should be close together to prevent the child from slipping his or her head through and becoming trapped or choked. The slats should be no greater than 2-3/8" apart.
- Test the room between the mattress and the crib. There should be room for no more than 2 fingers' width. This will prevent the child from rolling into the space.
- Outlet covers -- costing less than $1 each -- are a safety necessity to protect children learning to walk or crawl. Add outlet covers to all open, unused outlets.
Windows - Don't leave long cords -- in which the child can become entangled and choke --on blinds or curtains.
- Use window guards to prevent windows from being raised more than 5" -- through which a child could fall.
Bathroom - Keep the toilet lid down or the door locked.
- Never leave a child unattended in the bath. Use bath mats to prevent slipping.
RESOURCES :
The Home Depot Information
To locate the Home Depot store nearest you, click here.
The Home Depot U.S.A. Inc.
Website: www.homedepot.com
The Complete Guide to Personal and Home Safety: What You Need to Know
Model: 0738207861
Author: Captain Robert L. Snow
Fisher Books, LLC / Perseus Book Group
Website: www.fisherbooks.com
Household Safety Sourcebook
Model: 0780803388
Author: Dawn D. Matthews
On the Safe Side: Your Complete Reference to Childproofing for Infants and Toddlers
Model: 0966256956
Author: Cindy Wolf
Home Safe Home: Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Everyday Toxics and Harmful . . .
Model: 087477859X
Author: Debra Dadd-Redalia
Penguin Putnam Inc.
E. Rutherford, NJ 07073
Phone: 201-933-9292
Fax: 201-896-8569
Email: webmaster@putnam.com | putnam@genevaonline.com
The Panic-Proof Parent: Creating a Safe Lifestyle for Your Family
Model: 0809223929
Author: Debra Smiley Holtzman
McGraw-Hill Companies
Website: www.mcgraw-hill.com
GUESTS :
Lane Holloway
Phone: 404-250-KIDS
Website: www.choa.org
Child and Home Safety Expert, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
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