Posts Tagged ‘Home’

Child-Proofing Your Home

About 2-1/2 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year. The good news is that many of these incidents can be prevented – by using simple child safety devices on the market today. Any safety device you buy should be sturdy enough to prevent injury to your child, yet easy for you to use. It’s important to follow installation instructions carefully. In addition, if you have older children in the house, be sure they re-secure safety devices. Remember, too, that no device is completely childproof; determined youngsters have been known to disable them.

Here are some child safety devices that can help prevent many injuries to young children.

SAFETY LATCHES and LOCKS on cabinets and drawers can help prevent children from gaining access to medicines and household cleaners, as well as knives and other sharp objects.

Look for safety latches and locks that adults can easily install and use, but are sturdy enough to withstand pulls and tugs from children. Safety latches are not a guarantee of protection, but they can make it more difficult for children to reach dangerous substances. Even products with child-resistant packaging should he locked away, out of reach; this packaging is not childproof.

SAFETY GATES can help keep children away from stairs or rooms that have hazards in them.

Look for safety gates that children cannot dislodge easily, but that adults can open and close without difficulty. For the top of stairs, gates that screw to the wall are more secure than pressure gates.”

New safety gates that meet safety standards display a certification seal from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). If you have an older safety gate, he sure it doesn’t have “V” shapes that are large enough for a child’s head and neck to fit into.

DOOR KNOB COVERS and DOOR LOCKS can help keep children away from places with hazards, including swimming pools.

Be sure the door knob cover is sturdy enough not to break, but allows a door to be opened quickly by an adult in case of emergency. By restricting access to potentially hazardous rooms in the home, door knob covers could help prevent many kinds of injuries. To prevent access to swimming pools, door locks should be placed high out of reach of young children. Locks should be used in addition to fences and door alarms. Sliding glass doors, with locks that must be re-secured after each use, are often not an effective barrier to pools.

ANTI-SCALD DEVICES for regulating water temperature can help prevent burns.

Consider using anti-scald devices for faucets and showerheads. A plumber may need to install these. In addition, if you live in your own home, set water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to help prevent burns from hot water.

SMOKE DETECTORS are essential safety devices for protection against fire deaths and injuries.
Check smoke detectors once a month to make sure they’re working. If detectors are battery-operated, change batteries at least once a year or consider using 10-year batteries.

WINDOW GUARDS and SAFETY NETTING for balconies and decks can help prevent serious falls.

Check these safety devices frequently to make sure they are secure and properly installed and maintained. There should be no more than four inches between the bars of the window guard. If you have window guards, be sure at least one window in each room can be easily used for escape in a fire. Window screens are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows.

CORNER and EDGE BUMPERS can be used with furniture and fireplace hearths to help prevent injuries from falls or to soften falls against sharp or rough edges.

Be sure to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges.

OUTLET COVERS and OUTLET PLATES can help protect children from electrical shock and possible electrocution.

Be sure the outlet protectors cannot be easily removed by children and are large enough so that children cannot choke on them.

A CARBON MONOXIDE (C0) DETECTOR can help prevent CO poisoning.

Consumers should install CO detectors near sleeping areas in their homes. Households that should use CO detectors include those with gas or oil heat or with attached garages.

WINDOW BLIND CORD SAFETY TASSELS on miniblinds and tension devices on vertical blinds and drapery cords can help prevent deaths and injuries from strangulation in the loops of cords.

For older miniblinds, cut the card loop, remove the buckle, and put safety tassels on each cord. Be sure that older vertical blinds and drapery cords have tension or tie-down devices to hold the cords tight. When buying new miniblinds, verticals, and draperies, ask for safety features to prevent child strangulation.

DOOR STOPS and DOOR HOLDERS on doors and door hinges can help prevent small fingers and hands from being pinched or crushed in doors and door hinges.

Be sure any safety device for doors is easy to use and is not likely to break into small parts, which could be a choking hazard for young children.

CORDLESS PHONES help you watch your child continuously, without leaving the vicinity to answer a phone call. Cordless phones are especially helpful when children are in or near water, whether it’s the bathtub, the swimming pool, or the beach.

Ten Things You Need to Child-Proof Your Home

Did you know that you can childproof your home for a fraction of what it would cost to have a professional do it? Child safety devices are available at hardware stores, baby equipment shops, supermarkets, drug stores, home and linen stores, and through mail order catalogues.

Here are 10 child safety devices you need to help prevent injuries to young children.

1. Safety latches and locks – use on cabinets and drawers to help prevent children from gaining access to medicines and household cleaners, as well as knives and other sharp objects.

Look for safety latches and locks that adults can easily install and use, but that are sturdy enough to withstand pulls and tugs from children. Safety latches are not a guarantee of protection, but they can make it more difficult for children to reach dangerous substances. Even products with child-resistant packaging should be locked away, out of reach. A safety latch or lock usually costs less than $2.00

2. Safety gates – use to help prevent falls down stairs and keep children away from dangerous areas. Look for safety gates that children can’t easily dislodge, but that adults can open and close without difficulty. For the top of stairs, gates that screw to the wall are more secure than pressure gates.

New safety gates that meet safety standards display a certification seal from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). If you have an older safety gate, be sure it doesn’t have “V” shapes that are large enough for a child’s head and neck to fit into. A safety gate will cost from $13.00 to $40.00

3. Doorknob covers and door locks – use to help keep children away from places with hazards, including swimming pools. Be sure the doorknob cover is sturdy enough not to break, but allows a door to be opened quickly by an adult in case of emergency.

By restricting access to potentially hazardous rooms in the home, doorknob covers could help prevent many kinds of injuries. To prevent access to swimming pools, door locks should be placed high out of reach of young children. Locks should be used in addition to fences and door alarms. Sliding glass doors, with locks that must be re-secured after each use, are often not an effective barrier to pools. A doorknob cover usually costs about $1.00 and a door lock usually costs $5.00 and up.

4. Anti-scald devices – use for faucets and shower heads and set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to help prevent burns from hot water. An anti-scald device will cost from $6.00 to $30.00

5. Smoke detectors – use on every level of your home and near bedrooms to alert you to fires. Smoke detectors are essential safety devices for protection against fire deaths and injuries.

Check smoke detectors once a month to make sure they’re working. If detectors are battery-operated, change batteries at least once a year or consider using 10-year batteries. A smoke detector usually costs less than $10.00.

6. Window guards and safety netting – use to help prevent falls from windows, balconies, decks, and landings. Check these safety devices frequently to make sure they are secure and properly installed and maintained. There should be no more than four inches between the bars of the window guard.

If you have window guards, be sure at least one window in each room can be easily used for escape in a fire. Window screens are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows. A window guard or safety netting usually costs from $8.00 to $16.00.

7. Corner and edge bumpers – use to help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces. Be sure to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges. A corner and edge bumper usually costs $1.00 and up.

8. Outlet covers and outlet plates – use to help protect children from electrical shock and possible electrocution. Be sure the outlet protectors cannot be easily removed by children and are large enough so that children cannot choke on them. An outlet cover usually costs less than $2.00.

9. Carbon monoxide (CO) detector – use outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning. Install CO detectors near sleeping areas in your home. A carbon monoxide (CO) detector usually costs from $30.00 to $70.00.

10. Cordless phone – use to make it easier to continuously watch young children, especially when they’re in bathtubs, swimming pools, or other potentially dangerous areas. A cordless phone costs $30.00 and up.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to childproof your home. But you do need to do it now.

Home Remodeling Safety Before Bringing Baby Home

There is a lot of excitement in a home when new parents are planning to bring a new baby home from the hospital. The new parents probably feel that the home is ready for the new baby because they took some time to do some home remodeling projects that had the baby’s safety in mind. The past few weeks were filled with a lot of commotion from busy construction workers who fixed various hazards in the home and created a space that would be a safe haven for the child for a long time.

The home remodeling plan included repairs to many areas that were below knee level because this was the range that a child would have access to for many years to come. All loose screws were tightened so that the child would not swallow them and the construction workers checked all of the windows to make sure that they locked tight and did not slide open easily. Screen doors were added at the front and the back of the house to make sure that a toddler could not go visiting friends without the parents being with them.

The parents put all wiring deficiencies at the top of the home remodeling list because they wanted the family safe. The electric plugs in the home were equipped with plastic covers that made them usable but were sure to keep a child from poking objects in them on the spur of the moment. The family also checked each space in the home for lead paint and paint that was chipping and chose to add some color to their remodeling project by painting the baby’s room with a soothing color.

With safety in mind, the new parents thought an alarm system was the right choice. They chose to get services that would alert fire departments and police to the residence whenever there was trouble. Each room in the home remodeling project was wired with sensors and a fire extinguisher was purchased for each of the living spaces. A sliding door was included at the top of the stairs because the new parents did not think a mesh screen was enough to keep their little one safe.

The home remodeling safety issues were not quite complete because the parents had a pool to consider and the back yard steps. They knew that the baby would be crawling all around the house and the yard, so they installed a brick and metal fence around the pool with a locking gate to ensure that the child never reached it. The stairs were a problem but the parents decided to place a handrail in that was low enough for a child to hold on to. The home remodeling project was completed on time and the parents were definitely ready to bring the child into the home.

4 Ways in Preparing Your Home for a Baby

Before you even think about conceiving a child, it’s best to plan already on how you can keep a safe environment for your little one. Babies are very sensitive and as they are growing up, they would tend to be very curious about their surroundings and try to reach out and feel things even ending up putting them inside their mouth. So to help you prepare your home for a more baby-friendly environment where they can safely grow up in, here are some useful tips you can use:

1. Discard old paints or keep them out of the house – If you have some opened cans of paint and other other things that smell strongly of chemicals, it would be best to have them disposed already especially if you haven’t been using them for a very long time. Or if you think you will still find use for them eventually, keep them out of the house tucked safely elsewhere like the garage where their smell will not spill into the house. Chemical fumes are very dangerous to you during your pregnancy because it can have a drastic effect on your baby’s development.

2. Provide a baby gate on the front door and on the stairs – If you have a second floor, it would be best to have a baby gate right on its lowest and highest steps so you can prevent accidents from happening. This is going to be safe for your baby so even if they crawl you would not run the risk of having them on the stairs.

3. Keep sharp and pointed objects away from view – When you have a baby at home, it’s always best to make sure that the floor does not get littered with objects that are sharp and can easily cut them. You should not let things such as scissors also lie around the living room. Better keep a container, best if it can be shut, where all these items can be placed so you can still easily locate them when needed. You also need to cover up and soften sharp corners which may be dangerous for babies.

4. Keep baby supplies in check – Aside from dwelling so much on how your nursery room would look like, you should also focus on the baby supplies that you would need such as infant milk, diapers, medicines, and towels to name a few. If you are also a working mother yet you want to make sure you breastfeed your baby, you would need to consider getting a breast pump so that you can continually do this.

Keeping your home a comfortable and safe place for your baby to dwell in lies on you and your partner. It would be best to do this together so that both of you can become familiar with the new arrangements you have done at home. This way both of you also get really involved as your baby’s parents. If you are also going to be working, you need to consider who will you turn to for extra help in taking care of your baby.

How To Baby Proof Your Home

Injury is the leading cause of death in children under 14 years old, and over one-third of those injuries occur at home. 70% of children who die from home injuries are under four years old. Your child doesn’t need to be part of that statistic, if you prepare.

Adult Supervision Required

Unfortunately, there are many parents who wish they could just go back and re-claim the two or three minutes they left their child alone and he was seriously injured. Answering the telephone while baby is in the tub, or leaving a crawling baby in a room unattended even for a moment can have disastrous consequences. If you need to attend to other things place your baby in his crib, a playpen or other confined area where he can’t get into trouble.

H20 Hazards

Drowning is all too common with small children. If you have a swimming pool, make sure that it is fenced and has a locked gate at all times. However, children can drown in even a few inches of water. Because children’s heads are often bigger than the rest of their bodies they are pretty “top-heavy.” If they lean over too far, they’re apt to fall into buckets or toilets, lifting their little feet off the ground. Then they’re stuck, and can easily drown. Never leave buckets of water or cleaning solution sitting around, and keep bathroom doors closed. You can purchase an inexpensive toilet lock to keep inquisitive toddlers out of the commode.

Scalds are another typical injury seen at the ER. Make sure to set your water heater no higher than 120 degrees, and never leave a small child or infant in a bathtub unattended. When cooking on the stove, keep pan handles turned to the side so little ones can’t reach up and pull a hot meal down on top of themselves.

Suffocating/Choking Hazards

Babies love to put things in their mouths – it’s one way they learn about their environment. Of course, there are many things that simply don’t belong in baby’s mouth! Make sure he can’t get hold of plastic bags. And latex balloons, whether inflated or not, pose a huge choking hazard.

Small infants should not have pillows or stuffed animals in their crib or anyplace else they sleep.

If you have older children, make sure that they keep small toys and puzzle pieces picked up and out of baby’s reach.

Electricity

Cover all outlets, and make sure any cords to appliances are tucked away. Crawl around on your hands and knees to find all the dangers – your child is sure to find the one outlet you don’t cover!

Secure Heavy Furniture

Heavy armoires or dressers should be secured to the wall, so that a baby pulling himself up to them doesn’t tip them over. You can purchase special straps for this purpose. Televisions should only be placed on top of furniture specially designed to hold them – otherwise there may be a tipping hazard.

Pesticides and Poisons

Install latches on all cabinet doors, and keep pesticides and cleaning products stored up high where baby can’t reach. Medication should also be stored far from children’s curious little fingers.

Keep carpet vacuumed, and hard floors cleaned regularly, and remove shoes upon entering your home. Shoes can track in pesticides and fertilizer, or pet feces.

Keep houseplants away from baby, too. She may be tempted to have a little nibble, and some are poisonous. And the potting soil is never a good dietary supplement!

Enjoy a Gated Community

Install gates on all stairs – a tumble can cause everything from a nasty bump, to death. Infant walkers should never, ever be used in any home with stairs.

Sharp Edges and Hard Spots

Remove or install padding on coffee tables with sharp edges or corners, and baby-proof your fireplace and hearth.

Hand-Me-Down Hazards

Second-hand clothing or toys can be a godsend when trying to save money, but make sure they’re safe for your baby. Clothing shouldn’t have loose buttons or snaps, or strings of any kind. Toys should be free of lead-based paint or loose parts. And crib slats should be no farther than 6.1 cm apart.

With a little planning and a tour of your home on hands and knees, you’ll be ready for baby to go exploring safely!

Baby Proofing Your Home

When it is time for you to alter your home into a baby zone, all you need to do is take a wide, long look at your house from a baby’s point of view by being literally down on the floor. You need to search for corners that require cover for their sharpness, cabinets which seem tempting enough to open, and the hanging cords that appear alluring. Making the house childproof is to ascertain that the child is not harmed while staying there. Childproofing also entails restriction of children from reaching an unsafe area. So, its time for pads, child-proof locks, covers and gates!

A childproofing study guide helps to understand procedures of childproofing. Steps to baby proofing your home involves looking out for –

· Small things: remember anything small will go into the mouth. So anything smaller than one and a half inches round like coins, dust balls and paper clips need to be removed.

· Sharp things: remove broken glasses and knives, scissors and razor blades even from the waste baskets.

· Electrical things: unused electrical outlets must be covered with plastic plugs. Lamp cords must be tucked behind the furniture.

· Poisonous elements: dangerous chemicals should be packed in cup-boards with child-proof locks. Poisonous indoor plants should be kept away. Medicine cabinets should have child-proof locks.

· Plastic bags: keep away plastic bags. A baby can put his/her face inside the bag and suffocate. Balloons too should be kept away.

· Unsafe stairs: Take care of your stairs. Safety gates at the top and bottom of open staircases should be installed and always kept fastened.

· Uncared for valuables: Keep and store away valuables on a higher shelf out of his/her reach.

Baby proofing is protecting your little bundle of joy from every sort of injury. For baby proofing your home, you could refer to a baby proofing checklist to provide her a safe passage through every nook and corner of your home. Get aware of child proof furniture. Child proof furniture does not have sharp edges and the corners are rounded. For baby proofing your home, get jokes child proof drawers attached to the cupboards and chests. A baby proofing checklist identifies potential hot-spots:

Bathroom

Install toilet lid locks and baby proofing glass shower door. Turn down the water temperature of your water heater at less than 110 degrees. Install child proofing base board heaters so that you can ensure the baby’s safety in the bath tub, and avoid burning problem too. Set up child proof locks on the toilet doors; kids tend to be fascinated by water.

Doors

Invest in baby proofing door handles and place door knob covers for doors that you don’t wish your baby to open. Place decals on sliding-glass doors.

Windows

Mount up window guards in such a way that they do not open more than six inches. Fasten the cords to the blinds. Install safety glass in low windows and French doors so that even if the baby falls into them they won’t shatter. Nothing that could be climbed upon should be placed near the window.

Fireplace

How to baby proof a fire place hearth – get a fire-place hearth cover before the baby learns to crawl. Place cushiony devises called baby barriers around the hearth to keep her away.

Just get some intelligent safety gates and you can make sure that the angel doesn’t tumble over.

How to baby proof your home?

Keeping your baby safe at all times is one of your greatest concerns and responsibilities. There is so much to consider and it is very easy to overlook something that might be fairly obvious to some but escape others.
 
Q. What is the best way to approach baby-proofing our home?

The best way is to see your home from the eyes of your child. It is recommended that you get down on your hands and knees and crawl around your home. This will enable you to see hazards you might not have recognized at your full height. Are electrical outlets in baby’s reach or are there electric cords hanging down that your baby can pull on or get tangled in? Does your furniture have sharp corners? Are there precious items at your baby’s level that should be put up out of reach?

Q. What is the most hazardous situation for my baby?

Any situation that places your baby in harm’s way is the worst situation for your baby. The most hazardous situation for your baby is choking or anything that might cause him to stop breathing. The most hazardous situation for you baby is one that caused an injury that could have been prevented.

Q. What are some things I need to consider when I am baby-proofing our home?

There are many things to consider. Your baby is a quick mover so it is never safe to leave him unattended if at all possible. Consider putting up all valuables and breakable items out of reach of your baby’s. Anything that is small enough to fit in his mouth should be removed. If in doubt as to whether any one item is small  enough to fit in your baby’s mouth and pose a choking hazard take an empty toilet paper roll. If it fits inside the tube, it goes in his mouth and possibly harm him.

Q. Why do I need baby safety gates?

Baby safety gates can be placed in doorways or at the top and bottom of staircases. The gates can prevent your baby from getting into the kitchen or bathroom. They can also prevent your baby from tumbling down the stairs or climbing the stairs and falling. The mesh or the holes in the gate should not be large enough for your baby to put his toes through to climb the gate. Gates now are being made to operate hands-free or one handed. There are gates being made with the bars going vertical instead of horizontal reducing the chances of your baby being able to climb the gate.

Q. What are electric outlet covers or locks?

Electric outlet covers look like plastic plugs when they are inserted and prevent your baby from sticking his fingers or something else in the outlet and getting a serious shock. Electric outlet lock plates can replace typical outlets and in order to insert anything into the outlet the plug has to be inserted and turned.

Q. It was suggested to me that I have motion alarms on our doors and windows, why would I need them?

Some kids are very active and able to do things you would be very surprise about. Children have been known to open windows and fall through screens and become seriously injured. There are many news stories where toddlers have gotten up in the night and unbeknownst to their parents open the door and go outside. Some are found wandering around and others are not so lucky. Some windows now come with a mechanism to prevent the window from being opened more than an inch or two. The alarms will alert you to the door opening and you can intervene before something tragic happens.

Q. What kind of baby-proofing products are available?

There all kinds of baby products available and most are reasonably priced. There are motion sensors, corner cushions for sharp corners on furniture. There are electric outlet covers, cabinet and drawer locks of different types and cord retractors for window blinds.

Q. Is there anything available to protect my baby from getting in between banister posts?

There is netting available that can be attached with screws that will prevent your baby from getting between the banister posts. This product is similar to the deck netting available for outdoor decks.

Q. Are there baby proofing checklists available?

Yes, there are baby-proofing checklists available. You can locate them online and they are printable. Specialty stores, hospitals, and pediatricians are all possible sources for such checklists.

Q. How can I baby proof my nursery?

You can baby proof your nursery by keeping your baby’s crib away from windows and blinds cords. Put outlet protectors on all outlets. Make certain to dress your baby in sleepers rather than using blankets. When your baby begins sitting up place the mattress in the lowest position. Do not put stuffed animals or pillows in the crib with your little one, they could nestle up to them and suffocate.

Q. How can I baby proof my kitchen?

Put all cleaners or chemicals up out of reach of your baby. Make sure all drawers and cabinet doors. While cooking put all pot handles toward the rear of the stove. Do not allow electric cords to hang over counters where your baby can pull on them. Better still, if possible unless you are feeding your baby keep him out of the kitchen.

Q. How can I baby proof my car?

You can baby proof your car by making sure the car seat your baby will ride in is installed correctly and that it is the correct one for your baby. Remove all loose items that could become missiles in a crash or quick stop, and place them in the trunk.

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