Childproofing your home can be a daunting task. It’s only when you consider the possibility of having a toddler running around your house that you realize just how dangerous an average house can be for a kid. If you’re looking for a way to protect your child and prevent accidents, here’s how you can go about childproofing your home.
1 – Sharp edges
Small children are still figuring out how to walk and run properly, and most kids enjoy doing both. So it’s never a question of whether or not they’ll fall around the house, but just when, and what they’ll hit on their way down. A tumble on a hard surface can lead to a pretty mild ouchy, but any fall that includes the child hitting a sharp edge of some sort can be much more dangerous.
The solution is to cover any sharp edges that are low enough that your child might hit them when falling. This includes the corners of coffee tables, the steps of a staircase, the corners of walls — especially in their playroom — and more. There are different solutions to cover all of these corners; foam pads can help with coffee tables and wall edges, while a fluffy carpet can make a staircase much safer to fall onto.
2 – Slipping hazards
While falls are somewhat inevitable, slips can be prevented. Get rid of loose carpets, don’t leave sandals and shoes around the house, and make sure any toys with wheels are put away when no one is using them. Slips can lead to much harder falls than your typical tumble — especially if the child lands on their back — so it’s wise to prevent them.
And of course, slipping hazards can be dangerous for parents and senior citizens as well. The potential for accidents like these is one of the reasons why parents are wise not to skip on life insurance, especially now that Insurance Hero Portal has made comparing insurance prices much easier.
3 – Choking hazards
Of course, it’s no mystery that potential choking hazards need to be kept away from kids. But it’s a good idea to look up a list of common choking hazards because it includes many items that adults often pay no attention to. Make sure your child doesn’t have access to bottle caps, grapes, AAA batteries, small toys, small rocks, chewing gum, pen caps, balloons, coins, nails, marbles, small balls, push pins, and many, many other items. Rule of thumb: if it’s small and colorful, keep it out of a child’s reach. Batteries are of particular concern since kids might remove the battery cover from any remote they can reach — securing those covers with tape is a good idea.
And of course, the best protection against choking is to make sure the child is always being watched by someone who knows how to help a choking child. Which is something you can learn by watching a 5-minute video today.
4 – Swallowing hazards
It’s also important to keep anything a child shouldn’t swallow out of their reach. This includes alcoholic beverages, medication, cleaning products, and more. The kitchen is a major source of these dangers, and having high cabinets and a kitchen gate to keep the child out of the room can make it a lot safer.
5 – Electrical dangers
Power outlets and power strips that aren’t being used should either be hidden away or protected by child-proof covers. It’s also important to be mindful of any appliances that a child might be able to pull towards them by pulling on their cord. This includes small electrical appliances like coffee makers, toasters, hairdryers, and more.
