How child proof is your home?

How child proof is your home?

PARENTS worry endlessly about how to protect their children from abduction and violence but often overlook one of the biggest threats to their child’s safety - their own home. When you have babies and toddlers in the home there is a lot of information about how to child safe your home, but many parents forget that even older children can come to harm in the home.
Children between the ages of one and four are more likely to be killed by fire, burns, drowning, choking, poisoning or falls. Making sure your home is child safe can seem overwhelming when you think seriously about all the factors that need to be considered. Here are some safety checks to help you see at a glance what needs to be done before your home is safe for children.

Childs Viewpoint

The most effective way to ensure your child’s safety is to look at it from the level a child would be. Get down on your hands and knees to see what things look like from a very young person's level. It is important to not only physically put yourself in the place from which children would view your home, but also assess the home thinking as you would imagine they would. Ask yourself what would look tempting or interesting if you were a child and you will figure out which cupboards, drawers and other spaces pose a danger to your child. Because children's points of view and interest changes as they grow, this is an exercise which will need to be done regularly and for each age group of child to determine where dangers lie. Here are some tips for each area of your home designed to keep children safe.

Kitchen:
► Install safety locks on all your cabinets and doors to keep children away from household items which include cleaning products, cutlery and appliances.
►Never leave any hot pots or pans unattended on the stove. A child may try to reach for these, causing the hot contents to fall on them.
► Put latches on oven, microwave and refrigerator doors and install covers on all stove dials so your child can't turn on the burners.
► Put a lid on your dustbin.
► If you have a dishwasher or washing machine, make sure it remains closed at all times.

Bathroom:

► Remember to keep the toilet lid down. Install a toilet lock to prevent your baby from lifting the lid.
► Put razors, scissors, nail clippers, tweezers and other sharp objects in a locked cabinet or high up in a linen closet well out of your baby's reach.
► Unplug all electrical appliances (hair dryer, curling iron etc.) and store them away in a high drawer or cupboard.
► Store all medications including supplements and vitamins out of reach of children.
► Place a non-slip mat inside and outside the bath and shower.
► Never leave your child in a bath or shower unattended.

Around the house:

► Cover all sharp furniture edges with padding or foam.
► Cover all plugs with safety covers.
► Hide electrical cords behind furniture or use trunking or other cord-hiding devices.
► Use doorstops and door holders to stop them from slamming into your child.
► Cut looped window blinds to prevent your child from becoming entangled.
► If you have a fireplace, install a grill and never leave a child unattended.
► Keep electronic equipment like decoders, DVD players and stereos out of reach or locked up.
► Secure furniture that can topple over (bookcases, chests of drawers for example).