Preparing your home for the arrival of a new child involves more than just setting up a crib. Parents need to be vigilant about implementing a range of safety measures throughout the house. While some precautions are widely known, others may not be as familiar. To assist you in creating a safe environment for your young children, here are some valuable tips.
Let’s begin in the kitchen, a room often deemed the most hazardous by parents. Alongside bathrooms, this space is commonly labeled a ‘danger zone’ due to its high potential for accidents. Both kids and adults can face risks such as burns, cuts, and crush injuries. To mitigate these dangers, it’s advisable to either restrict children’s access to the kitchen with baby gates or allow entry only under supervision.
Children have a knack for exploring forbidden areas, so implementing child-proofing methods is essential. Install safety locks on oven doors, stove knobs, refrigerators, garbage cans, and cabinets. Parents should also keep a fire extinguisher within reach, secure cleaning products and chemicals, store sharp objects out of children’s reach, and anchor countertop appliances to prevent them from being pulled down.
Moving on to another potential hazard—the bathroom—there are various preventive measures to consider. Similar to the kitchen, install locks on the medicine cabinet, toilet lid, and doorknobs to deter unsupervised entry. Since falls are a leading cause of nonfatal injuries for children, it’s recommended to use nonskid strips on bathroom floors and inside the bathtub.
In addition to these measures, there are often overlooked safety considerations for the bathroom, such as installing antiscald devices. These devices monitor water temperature and prevent children from accidentally turning the faucet too hot, thus avoiding burns. While these measures may seem minor, nearly 40% of parents whose children experienced in-home injuries believe that proper childproofing precautions could have prevented these incidents.
Finally, consider securing the entire house with a home security system. Advances in technology have made home security more accessible than ever. Installing smart home devices, including smart baby monitors, indoor cameras, and motion sensors, has proven effective in reducing child injuries. With the convenience of a mobile app, parents can receive important notifications, view live video feeds, and take proactive steps to ensure their little ones are safe.
While it’s impossible to shield children from every potential harm, there are numerous ways for parents to prepare and create a secure home environment. For further examples of home safety measures that can be implemented, check out the accompanying resource to better protect your kids.
Infographic created by Alarm Detection Systems, learn more about business security cameras