Childproofing Your Home

About this topic

Your child has a very high risk of being injured at home. The injury may be bad enough that you have to call an ambulance or take your child to the emergency room. Watching your kids is the best way to avoid injuries, inside and outside your home. Accidents sometimes happen. ‚
To have a safer home, look for possible risks and get rid of them. Childproofing is one of the best ways to prevent injury to your child. ‚

General

All parts of your house: ‚

Put outlet covers and plates on electrical outlets to avoid electrocution.
Put smoke detectors in every room including the kitchen.
Use window guards, window stops, or safety netting to avoid children from falling out of windows.
Take away window blind cords that have loops. Use safety tassels to replace the cord loops or use cordless blinds.
Do not leave children in rooms with doorknob covers and door locks. They can lock themselves in a room without knowing it.
Use a slide lock or hook-and-eye latches that are out of your childs reach for door locks.
Use a cordless phone or cell phone so that you can follow or watch your child when walking around.
Have at least one charged cell phone ready for use in emergencies when the power goes out.
Keep a flashlight with new batteries on hand.
List emergency numbers next to all phones in the house. Also, put emergency numbers in your cell phones.
Remove chipped or flaking paint in your house, especially if old.
Keep drugs, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and natural products in a locked box.
Keep breakable things in secured cupboards.
Unplug all appliances when not in use.
Keep electrical cords coiled and out of your children's reach.
Keep the iron in a safe place when not in use.
Take away tablecloths that can be pulled down.
Keep ladders and step stools in a safe place. Do not leave up when not using.
Use gates at the top and bottom of stairs to prevent your child from falling down the stairs.
Keep all trash cans covered with good lids.
Set the water heater to 120 ‚ °F (49 ‚ °C) to avoid scalding.
Put bumpers on all sharp corners of furniture.
Keep glass-top tables away from your child.
Put nonslip pads in all areas with rugs.
Keep indoor plants out of your children's reach. They can be poisonous if eaten.
Position the bookshelves, TV, and other furniture against walls to avoid tipping.
Keep remote controls, CDs, and videos out of your child's reach.
Keep unused extension cords out of reach.
Keep matches and fireplace tools out of your child's reach.
Take away any toys or clutter near the stairs to avoid tripping.
Put handrails along entire length of the stairs.
Put carbon monoxide detectors in bedrooms where people sleep.
Secure drawer chests, bookcases, and other furniture to avoid toppling over.
Use door locks or safety gates to keep children out of garages.
Check your garage door to see if it reverses and comes back up automatically after going down. Make sure it stops if something is in its way.
Keep your child away from exercise machines and equipment.
Secure any firearms in a locked area. Make sure there is a safety lock on all guns. Make sure they are not loaded.
Make sure the sitter knows how to operate household appliances.
Teach your school-age children what to do in an emergency.

In the kitchen: ‚

Put safety latches on all cupboards and airtight containers like refrigerators, chests, or coolers.
Store knives, sharp objects, and heavy pans out of your child's reach.
Always latch your trash compactor and dishwasher.
Place the fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Make sure not to put it near heat sources.
Have a cupboard filled with wooden spoons, plastic cups and lids, and other harmless items for your child to play with while you are cooking.
Use back burners when cooking. Turn handles away from the counter edge.
Use a safety gate to keep your kids out of the kitchen when you are not there.

In the bathroom: ‚

Keep detergents, soaps, alcohols, and other dangerous items out of your child's reach.
Install your faucets and shower heads with an antiscalding device.
Make sure your toilet seat cover is always closed to avoid drowning.
Keep your hair dryers, curling iron, electric shavers, and other electric devices unplugged and out of your child's reach.
Put drugs, toiletries, and cleaning supplies out of your child's reach.
Keep razors, manicure scissors, and clippers out of reach.
Put nonslip stickers in the bathtub and rubber guards over the bathtub faucet to avoid injury.
Put a nonskid bath mat in the bath or shower.
Never leave your child alone in the bathtub.

In your child's room: ‚

Position the crib, playpen, and other baby furniture away from the windows, dangling cords, heater vents, wall hangings, or sharp objects.
Use a crib mattress that is firm and snugly fits into the crib.
Avoid putting stuffed toys, blankets, comforters, pillows, or other bedding in your infant's crib to avoid suffocation.
Check the crib and playpen before putting your child in it.
Make sure that the diaper changing table has safety straps. Changing supplies that you will need should be within your reach.
Put a carpet under the changing table and crib to soften any accidental fall.
Check toys for small pieces or parts that may come off.
Throw away broken or dangerous toys.
Keep balloons or plastic bags away from your children.
Put safety rails on bunk beds. Make sure ladders are firmly attached.

Outdoors: ‚

Check outdoor play structures for loose screws, sharp edges, splintered wood, and small removable parts. Your child could choke on these.
Keep your children away from the barbecue grill, especially when in use.
Fix any loose bricks or pathway breaks that may cause tripping.
Put stickers on sliding doors so your child won't walk into them.
Protect your child from ponds, wells, kiddy pools, and deep puddles. Always watch them carefully.

What will the results be?

Your children will be safe. ‚

Where can I learn more?

KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/home/childproof.html# ‚
SafeKids ‚
http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-spotlight/childproofing-your-home/ ‚
World Health Organization ‚
http://www.who.int/gho/phe/chemical_safety/poisons_centres/en/index.html ‚

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer

This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚

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