Home should be the safest place for you and your children. Yet, millions of children get hurt at home each year. Especially with the pandemic restricting movement, your children are going to be indoors for most of the day. Your home may seem safe, but there are unexpected dangers that you must make yourself aware of and fix. Luckily, most of the causes of common household accidents can be prevented with some diligence and minor changes to how you carry out chores.
Before you begin making your home into a safer place, make sure that all the big safety features are taken care of as well. Ensure that your house is sealed well, have your chimneys cleared out, and get your heating system evaluated and repaired.
Make Your Bathtub Safer
People tend to think that strong grip pads on the bottom of bathtubs are for older adults. But small children need something to help them keep their grip while bathing as well. This is even more important for small children because they can drown quite quickly if they happen to slip while unsupervised.
Install a bathtub thermometer at the same time that you install the strong grip bathtub mat. Children are more at risk of being scalded by hot water than adults. A bathtub thermometer will allow you to know when the water is a safe temperature for your children.
Make Your Windows Safer
The type of window cover that you use matters when you have small children. Blinds with cords are quite dangerous as a small child could wrap these around their neck. Replace all blinds and window cords with drapes made of a light and breathable fabric. Consider installing railings or guards over your windows as well. Children are not instinctually afraid of heights, so they may lean on the window and risk falling out. If a window happens to break, the glass can wound a small child severely.
Add Baby Gates Everywhere
Toddlers have a gift for finding ways to risk their lives. They do not know the meaning of fear and can move surprisingly fast once they learn how to crawl and walk. Give yourself peace of mind by installing baby gates at the top and bottom of every staircase. Install them in the doorways of the main living area as well.
They should allow your child a greater area to explore and enjoy their newfound walking ability safely.
Fire Safety Is Key
Home fires are terrifying and always unexpected. Small children are especially likely not to know what to do in the event of a fire, so you must make your home as safe as possible.
Residential fires can be prevented by proper maintenance of smoke alarms, keeping fire extinguishers handy, and being aware of fire hot spots. Install smoke alarms on every floor of the house and test them regularly. Make sure to take your fire extinguishers for maintenance and refilling. If your fire extinguisher does not get maintained, it may fail you at a critical moment.
Install Carbon Monoxide Monitors
Carbon monoxide is a silent killer and can be an unintended side effect of your heating system. This is why it is important to maintain your heating system and seek repairs as soon as you think there is a problem.
Due to its odorless nature, a detector may be the only way you will find out that there is a problem if your chimney or flue happens to be increasing the levels of carbon monoxide in your home. Generators are also a carbon monoxide source, so avoid leaving your car on if your child has access to the garage. It is also better for older children to operate lawnmowers and power washers as they can better follow safety guidelines.
Children are also more prone to irritants and allergens than adults. A simple way to keep the air in the home safe and prevent mold is to use fans and dehumidifiers. A fan in the bathrooms will help dry the wet areas faster and not give any stray mold spores a suitable base to grow in. Dehumidifiers prevent mustiness and make the air cleaner and more breathable.
Be more aware of your common cleaning products as well. They can be very caustic and leave residue that your child could absorb through the skin. Look into products that are safe for use around small children.
Ensure that your home is well-sealed against bugs to prevent having to use pesticides for this same reason. Pesticides might be very effective against bugs, but they leave residue that is unsafe for children. Thus, preventing bugs from making their way into your home is the best solution.
