When your baby starts walking, the number of dangers multiplies and parents must pay even more attention. Bookshelves become hazardous and table knick knacks become the object of unquenchable curiosity. Even table cloths can become dangerous. Yes, a simple tablecloth can create unintended havoc when a toddler is involved. Here are is a checklist for parents to follow and implement before your baby becomes a walking toddler:
1. Use bolts or screws to fasten bookshelves to the wall. If a toddler likes to climb, this is one of the many types of furniture they’re very likely to climb on, pull down or fall off of. There are also straps, anti-tip kits and anti-tip devices that secure your bookshelves to walls keeping your toddler safe. Falling bookshelves, bookcases, dressers and in general, falling furniture happens more often than people think and it can be fatal.
2. Electrical and pull cords can strangle a baby or toddler. Tape down all electrical cords and put cords on blinds and curtains up, out of reach of a child as they may be dangerous. Even the cord on the treadmill should be removed so a baby or toddler doesn’t strangle herself. As most of us know, a celebrity just tragically lost a small child because of a loose treadmill cord. Cord shorteners are available for curtain and blind cords. It only takes a moment to walk into a room and take precautions that will dramatically enhance child safety.
3. Put covers on electrical sockets so that a baby or toddler doesn’t get shocked, or electrocuted by putting his fingers or a metallic object in the socket. This does happen in real life, it is not an urban myth.
4. Medications and household cleaners can be dangerous. Items as mundane as bath oil or nail polish remover are toxic when ingested by a child. Put them up in a locked cabinet. Remember, a baby or toddler cannot tell you what they swallowed. Assume the worst. If you suspect that your child has swallowed something toxic, call your local poison control center. In fact, always make sure you have a legible list of emergency numbers next to every phone in the house. Take the time to program those numbers into your mobile phone.
5. Beware of small objects on the countertops like coins and paperclips. A toddler can reach these items and there is a high probability that they will at the very least put them in their mouth and at the worst, swallow them. Obviously, there is also a high probability that these item will cause the child to choke. It only takes a minute to look at your countertops and to remove those small, dangerous objects.
6. Keep electrical appliances, knives and glass objects high up and far away from your toddler. A small child will grab at anything that looks bright and shiny. These objects need to be locked up in cabinets and those cabinets should be up very high and they absolutely need to be locked. When a baby becomes a toddler latched doors and drawers in lower cabinets are no longer safe. A small child will try and open that lower cabinet if given the opportunity. All cleaning supplies should be kept high and locked up to ensure that the toddler can’t reach them. Never leave cleaning supplies out and absolutely never, never leave them open. That is just asking for trouble.
7. Cover any and all sharp edges on furniture. Toddlers aren’t all that agile or coordinated plus they wobble when they walk. It is not abnormal for a small child to bump their head or other body part on the corners of coffee tables, other tables, cabinets, table legs and just a countless list of furniture parts and pieces.
8. If you don’t have a garbage disposal and have a garbage can, secure it, hide it or keep it secured outside. Babies and toddlers are insatiably curious and the child can reach in and remove, examine and possibly swallow small objects or toxic objects. I am not exaggerating. Remember, whether you keep a garbage can inside or outside child proof it by securing it.
9. Put safety gates at both the top and bottom of stairs. Use baby safety gates that require a hardware installation as pressure gates are insufficient. Stairways are dangerous for babies and toddlers at both the bottom and top of the stairs. Make sure the railings of the gate are less than 2 3/8 inches apart. The last thing you want is to give a small child an opening between rails. Small children love to explore and will simply look at this as another adventure and the last thing you need is that type of adventure.
Please follow this checklist to ensure the safety of your children. Remember, child safety and home safety should always be priority number one.
Robb Auspitz writes articles on child safety and furniture safety. Robb works closely with the Katie Elise Lambert Foundation and Hangman Products to help inform the public about furniture safety issues and solutions. Visit the Hangman Store to learn more about furniture safety.