Child Safety: Babies and Toddlers: More Safety Tips

by Warren P. Silberstein, M.D.
09/29/97

Babies love to master a new skill. Once they do it, they want to do it again and again. Once your child figures out how to crawl or climb up stairs he amy do it for hours no matter how many times you retrieve him. The danger at the top of a flight of stairs is obvious to most parents, but keep in mind that if your baby can climb up a flight of stairs, which may happen before he learns to walk, once he climbs up he can fall down. Keep gates at both ends of a flight of stairs to protect your baby from falls.

Walkers are a great diversion for infants, but they provide no developmental benefit. Infants don't learn to walk by being in walkers. A walker may provide an infant with a significant increase in mobility which can be a danger if he is left unsupervised even briefly. An 8 month old scooting around the room at lightening speed sitting in his walker may have access to items on shelves or table tops which he couldn't get to previously. Walkers are a particular danger near stairs. When a child falls down the stairs in a walker, the walker prevents his natural protective reflexes from breaking the fall. Walkers may tip over on carpeted floors if the infant struggles to move a walker stuck in the carpeting. Never place your infant in a walker unless you intend to stay by his side the whole time he is in it.

Guns pose a danger to children of any age. A loaded gun should never be kept anyplace where any child has access to it. It is unlikely that a toddler could fire a gun even accidentally, but if you have firearms in your house, it's best for children to learn early on that they aren't playthings. While accidental discharges from a firearm are rare, the statistic would be no comfort if your child is hurt by a bullet from a gun he handles.

Cigarette lighters and matches left on table tops are a potential fire hazard. Toddlers and young children love to imitate adults. If they find your lighter, they will try to do what they've seen you do with it. They may succeed.

In ground swimming pools should be fenced and the gate kept latched and locked when adults are not around to supervise. Above ground pools should have the ladder placed up off the ground so children can't climb in. Even with these precautions placing a motion detector with an audible alarm in your pool can be a life saver. It takes just an instant for an infant to crawl away from your side and into a pool. While you and your family or guests are busy saying, "I thought the baby was with you." an alarm can call you in time to prevent tragedy.

The kitchen has its share of dangers. Not only should any poisons or cleaning agents be kept out of reach or in locked cabinets, but also, drawers which contain sharp instruments like knives should have childproof safety latches until your child is old enough to understand the danger. If your oven is under your stove don't forget that the door can get hot when the oven is in use and it can be easily reached by a crawling infant or toddler. Some stoves have surfaces that remain hot for a long time after the stove is off, and these hot surfaces can sometimes be reached by little hands. Pot handles that stick out over the edge of the stove are just perfect for little hands to grab for resulting in hot material pouring out onto the curious child.

Bouncing on the bed may be fun, but it's particularly dangerous if it's done by an open window. In many cities landlords are required to place window guards on the windows of tenants with children to prevent falling out of windows. If you live in apartment with window guards, check to be sure the window guard is firmly attached before you allow your child to sit or play by the open window.

Many houses and apartments are easy to open from the inside. If you have a young child who is a wanderer, you may need to put a childproof latch on the doorknob or sliding door in order to prevent your child from going out unsupervised.

There is never a convenient time for a child to be hurt or poisoned, but there are reasons why these accidents seem to happen at the worst possible times. When there is company the extra people take your attention away form your child. If grandpa is staying over, he may leave his pills out so he doesn't forget to take them or so he doesn't have to struggle with the childproof cap. When other children visit, they may introduce your child to dangerous activities. Sometimes children sense when they are doing something wrong and are more prone to act when sharing the guilt or coaxed by another child. Often an older child will convince a younger child to take something poisonous or do something dangerous. Whenever there is turmoil or the natural order of your life is disturbed there is a greater risk of your child getting into trouble. If you are packing for a trip, all kinds of items that might be dangerous are laid out on the bed or floor for packing from hunting gear to pills and potions. With your attention focused on the packing, what better time for your child to amuse himself with all the new and exciting forbidden items.

Go to The Baby-Proof Home Web Site for just about everything you need to know about keeping your child safe at home.

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