All children are unique. They are filled with their own quirks, habits, and endearments, but the one thing that all toddlers have in common is curiosity. If you have a curious child then good, being curious can help your kid grown into a well rounded and intelligent individual. But sometimes your young one’s keen interest in the world can spill over from the fascinating learning experience you want for them, to a dangerous and harmful situation; this is why it is necessary to take every precaution with your little bundle of joy to insure their safety and wellbeing.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about 2.3 million children are accidentally injured every year and more than 2,500 are killed. Simple steps can be taken in your home to insure that nothing disastrous happens to your child and so your house can stay intact.
Possibly the most important tip is to keep an eye on your child. Young children and infants have a habit of getting into everything, but so long as someone is watching them attentively this shouldn’t be a problem. If the need arises the caretaker can swoop in and offer up something less hazardous to do.
The childcare industry has already created numerous products marketed towards child safety. The following are a list of products we found useful in the childproofing process:
o Outlet covers
o Door knob covers
o Stair gates
o Safety latches
o Corner edge bumpers (to keep your child from injuring themselves on sharp table edges)
o Anti-scald devices for indoor water sources
o Furniture anchors for unstable objects in the house
o Window guards
o Safety netting
You can find many of these items at: http://www.childsafetystore.com/
Some safety advice applies to children of all ages.
o Guns, chemicals, and dangerous electrical appliances shouldn’t be accessible to the children.
o Never leave a child alone in the bathroom.
o Don’t use a lot of soft bedding or other objects in beds, it can lead to suffocation.
o Secure windows and doors
o Make sure sharp objects, such as knives and scissors, are unobtainable
o Watch out for lead paint
o Keep pan handles on the stove turned in, so that the child can’t spill the boiling contents on themselves
o Have general household emergency preparedness up to snuff, i. e. first aid kits, fire alarms, and security systems.
Follow these guidelines and your child will live in the safe environment they need for their enthusiastic playing and learning.