Is Your House Safe?
Don’t Forget Cords
“Families usually do outlets and drawers, but often forget about cords hanging down,” says Swanson. In addition to an electrocution risk, if they’re longer than 12 inches, cords are a strangulation risk. If they’re on the floor, your child could crawl over them and pull a lamp or other item off the table. Make sure cords aren’t within easy reach of inquisitive, grabbing children.
Use Two Gates
Does your little one love to climb? Then be extra careful when it comes to those hazardous staircases. “Really, everyone loves to plug outlets, but I worry far more about having gates at bottom and top [of stairs],” Swanson says. “Sometimes, both are needed for those monkey kids!”
Check out furniture
Swanson says furniture is a big worry. Make sure any sharp edges—like those on coffee tables or countertops—are not in your kid’s running or crawling path. Opt for non-wingback furniture if possible, because recliner chairs are also incredibly dangerous if a playing child accidentally collapses the footrest after his head gets trapped in the space between the chair and the footrest.
Get Big Risks out of Reach
If it’s a drug or chemical, it needs to be well out of a child’s reach, and preferably locked up. “Biggest risks are often related to drowning and ingestions in toddlerhood,” says Swanson. “Meds, cleaners and chemicals need to be up and out of reach. Those laundry pods are a great example.” Also remember that children can drown in just two inches of water. Keep kids away from dog water bowls, toilets, standing water in bathtubs, play pools, streams in the backyard and ponds without supervision.
Be Wary of Secondhand Items
If you shop thrift stores or garage sales, or got a crib from your sister since her kids are grown, be careful. Health and safety standards change with each passing year, so that crib may no longer be the best idea. The item in question could be broken, outdated or recalled. Check out the safety of individual items and recalls on the Kids in Danger website.
Nix Choking/Suffocation Hazards
Kids are endlessly curious. On top of that, picked-up items tend to go directly in their mouths or over their heads, posing risks like ingesting toxins, suffocating or choking. Always put items away immediately after events like birthday parties or simple trips to the grocery store. According to the University of Michigan, plastic bags are the biggest suffocation risk for young kids, and balloons are major choking hazards (anything that can take the shape of a windpipe is a danger).
