1. Use bolts or screws to fasten bookshelves to the wall. If a toddler likes to climb, this is one of the many types of furniture they’re very likely to climb on, pull down or fall off of. There are also straps, anti-tip kits and anti-tip devices that secure your bookshelves to walls keeping your toddler safe. Falling bookshelves, bookcases, dressers and in general, falling furniture happens more often than people think and it can be fatal.

2. Electrical and pull cords can strangle a baby or toddler. Tape down all electrical cords and put cords on blinds and curtains up, out of reach of a child as they may be dangerous. Even the cord on the treadmill should be removed so a baby or toddler doesn’t strangle herself. As most of us know, a celebrity just tragically lost a small child because of a loose treadmill cord. Cord shorteners are available for curtain and blind cords. It only takes a moment to walk into a room and take precautions that will dramatically enhance child safety.

3. Put covers on electrical sockets so that a baby or toddler doesn’t get shocked, or electrocuted by putting his fingers or a metallic object in the socket. This does happen in real life, it is not an urban myth.

4. Medications and household cleaners can be dangerous. Items as mundane as bath oil or nail polish remover are toxic when ingested by a child. Put them up in a locked cabinet. Remember, a baby or toddler cannot tell you what they swallowed. Assume the worst. If you suspect that your child has swallowed something toxic, call your local poison control center. In fact, always make sure you have a legible list of emergency numbers next to every phone in the house. Take the time to program those numbers into your mobile phone.

5. Beware of small objects on the countertops like coins and paperclips. A toddler can reach these items and there is a high probability that they will at the very least put them in their mouth and at the worst, swallow them. Obviously, there is also a high probability that these item will cause the child to choke. It only takes a minute to look at your countertops and to remove those small, dangerous objects.

6. Keep electrical appliances, knives and glass objects high up and far away from your toddler. A small child will grab at anything that looks bright and shiny. These objects need to be locked up in cabinets and those cabinets should be up very high and they absolutely need to be locked. When a baby becomes a toddler latched doors and drawers in lower cabinets are no longer safe. A small child will try and open that lower cabinet if given the opportunity. All cleaning supplies should be kept high and locked up to ensure that the toddler can’t reach them. Never leave cleaning supplies out and absolutely never, never leave them open. That is just asking for trouble.

7. Cover any and all sharp edges on furniture. Toddlers aren’t all that agile or coordinated plus they wobble when they walk. It is not abnormal for a small child to bump their head or other body part on the corners of coffee tables, other tables, cabinets, table legs and just a countless list of furniture parts and pieces.

8. If you don’t have a garbage disposal and have a garbage can, secure it, hide it or keep it secured outside. Babies and toddlers are insatiably curious and the child can reach in and remove, examine and possibly swallow small objects or toxic objects. I am not exaggerating. Remember, whether you keep a garbage can inside or outside child proof it by securing it.

9. Put safety gates at both the top and bottom of stairs. Use baby safety gates that require a hardware installation as pressure gates are insufficient. Stairways are dangerous for babies and toddlers at both the bottom and top of the stairs. Make sure the railings of the gate are less than 2 3/8 inches apart. The last thing you want is to give a small child an opening between rails. Small children love to explore and will simply look at this as another adventure and the last thing you need is that type of adventure.

Please follow this checklist to ensure the safety of your children. Remember, child safety and home safety should always be priority number one.

___ Place child-resistant covers on all electrical outlets.

___ Install safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.

___ Don’t use baby walkers because they have been known to have caused serious injuries to babies. Use stationary exercisers instead.

___ Keep all dangerous chemicals out of the reach of children.

___ Shorten curtain and blind cords.

___ Install smoke detectors on each floor of your home, especially near sleeping areas. * Be sure to change the batteries each year.

___ Keep all small objects away from young children. (This includes tiny toys and balloons.)

___ Use corner bumpers on furniture and fireplace-hearth edges.

___ Know the names of all plants in case a child eats one of them.

___ Be sure that furnaces, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, space heaters, and all gas appliances are vented properly.

___ Place screened barriers around fireplaces, radiators, and portable space heaters.

___ Keep firearms and ammunition safely locked away.

___ Secure unsteady furnishings.

___ Check your house for lead and asbestos. If you detect either of these substances, contact a professional. Any house built before 1978 is at risk for lead paint.

Protect your kids rooms:

___ Ensure that your crib meets national safety standards.

___ Place guards on windows and stops on all doors.

___ Make sure your baby’s crib is sturdy and has no loose or missing hardware.

___ Make sure that the mattress fits snugly.

___ Be sure the crib sheet fits snugly.

___ Never put stuffed animals or heavy blankets in the crib with your infant.

___ Never leave your baby unattended on the changing table.

___ Remove mobiles and other hanging toys from the crib as soon as your child can reach up and touch them.

___ Place infants under one year of age on their backs to sleep. Mattress should be firm and flat with no soft bedding underneath. * Following this advice will reduce the risk of suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

___ Place night-lights at least three feet away from the crib, bedding, and draperies to prevent fires.

___ Check age labels for appropriate toys.

Keep the bathroom safe:

___ Put a lock on the medicine cabinet.

___ Lower the household water temperature. (It should be set at 120 degrees F or below to avoid burning your baby)

___ Always test the water first before bathing a child.

___ Never leave your child alone in the bathtub or near any water.

___ Secure toilet lids. Many young children are fascinated by putting objects inside.

___ Make sure that bathtubs and showers aren’t slippery.

___ Install ground-fault circuit interrupters on outlets near sings and bathtubs.

For the Kitchen:

___ Keep all knives, cleaning supplies, and plastic bags out of children’s reach.

___ If stove knobs are easily accessible to children, use protective covers to prevent kids from turning them.

___ Never leave your baby alone in a highchair. Always use all safety straps.
___ Replace any frayed cords and wires.

___ Keep chairs and step stools away from counters and the stove.

___ Remove all household cleaners from the bottom cabinets or put them in a cabinet that is out of your baby’s reach.

In the Yard:

___ Store tools, garden, lawn-equipment, and supplies in a locked closet or shed.

___ Don’t use a power mower when young children are around.

___ Don’t allow children to play on a treated lawn for at least 48 hours following an application of a fertilizer or pesticide.

___ Know the types of trees and plant life on the property in case children ingest berries, leaves, or other plant life.

___ If you have a swimming pool, install a fence that separates the house from the pool. ( Make sure that the gate is childproof)

This list is a general guide. For more in-depth information go to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at
http://www.allhottips.com