Children who are under four years of age are more at risk of injuries in their home than in any other place, as they spend the majority of their time there. As children get older, home injuries and death diminishes in great measure. According to recent statistics, the number one injury that children suffer at home is falls. Thankfully, there are a couple of things that parents can conduct in order to make a home childproof so that it can be a more child-friendly environment (read below).
Childproofing Your Kitchen
When it comes to the kitchen, it is important to always keep hot liquids and foods away from the reach of young children. Turn the pot handles toward the stove’s back and always utilize the back burners on the stove. Keep tablecloths, placemats, appliance cords, knives, and glassware away from their reach. You have to do these if you have an outdoor kitchen too
Childproofing Your Bathroom
The bathroom is one of the areas in a home that children tend to fall a lot as the floor may be slippery after somebody takes a shower. Make sure to remove sharp appliances and utensils, such as razors. Toilet locks should be installed and locks should be placed on medicine cabinets. The thermostat of your water heater shouldn’t be any higher than 120°F.
Childproofing Your Bedrooms
In bedrooms, keep cords out of reach and keep low-standing furniture and cribs away from the windows. Old cribs tend to have sharp edges, so beware of them. Around the house, keep first aid supplies, install window guards, secure bookcases, keep firearms in a locked location, and check for fire hazards. All unused electrical outlets should be covered, and safety gates should be at the bottom and top of stairs, at all times.
Childproofing Your Swimming Pool
If you have a swimming pool, there are a couple of things that you can do in order to childproof it. Don’t forget about undertaking this action as the number of drowning cases that involves children keeps augmenting at fast pace. According to statistics, approximately 250 children drown in the United States last year. In order for this situation to never occur to your children, you can opt to place a fence around your swimming pool. Make sure that is at least four feet high with gaps that are no wider than three inches. You can also opt to place a cover to the pool. There are even some alarms that you can place that will alert you when there is underwater movement in your swimming pool. If you have an above –ground pool, make sure to always remove the ladder when the pool is not in use, or lock it up.
Even after conducting all of these steps to childproof your home, never let your young children be by themselves around the house. Close adult supervision is required—at all times. It is better to prevent than lament.