Parenting Blog

The huge number of safety products created to keep your home safe for young children can be overwhelming, but it is actually quite simple to turn your home into a baby-friendly environment. It is easy and inexpensive to install basic safety devices yourself, and these devices can prevent many accident and injuries.

First, you should ensure that your home has working smoke detectors on every floor. Check them once every month to ensure that they are functioning properly and that the batteries are charged. Every house should have a carbon monoxide detector, preferably on every floor but particularly near the bedrooms. If you live in an old house or a house with an uncarpeted basement, you should conduct a radon test. After cigarette smoking, radon, an odorless, colorless radioactive gas, is the leading cause of lung cancer. Old houses are at particular risk for radon, but this test is important for everyone. You can have this test professionally done or purchase a home testing kit and follow the instructions. It is very easy to do and will protect your health and save you money in the future.

You can install safety latches on every drawer and cupboard that is within your child’s reach. Bathroom and kitchen doors are especially important to latch shut, as they frequently contain poisonous products and sharp objects. If you have a crawling infant, you should keep bathroom and bedroom drawers closed. Doorknob covers or locks can make it more difficult for a child to enter a room. Latches are not 100% effective, since persistent babies may be able to get past them, but they are nonetheless an important safety precaution. To ensure safety, keep all potentially dangerous objects out of your baby’s reach or locked up. Older children in your house should understand how all latches and locks work and re-latch them every time.

Gates that screw into the wall should guard all stairs. Pressure gates work but are not always guaranteed. You can also use gates to bar the entrances to certain rooms. Some older gates may have bars wide enough for a baby to fit his head through, but newly purchased ones should meet safer standards.

Door stops and holders can prevent a child from shutting his fingers in a door. Corner and edge bumpers can lessen pain and prevent injury if your child falls on a piece of furniture. Outlet covers that are too large for a child to fit in his mouth should be used on all outlets. Safety netting should be used on all bars, balconies and windows. The screen in a window is not an effective safety device as a child can easily fall through it. You should, however, keep one window per room free of netting so that it can be used to escape in case of a fire.

Make sure everyone in your household understands how to work these safety devices. These simple steps go a long way toward keeping your baby safe.