Toddlers at home? - Make Your House Accident Safe

By Jyoti Pal

Bedroom
• Don’t put a pillow in your child’s cot until he is at least two.
• Never attach his toys to the cot with cords.
• Make sure anything he can reach out to is safe and large enough for him to swallow.
• His/her toys are made from non-toxic material.
• Never position the child’s bed close to windows.
• Use window guards.
• Remove furniture with sharp edges or use soft guards.
• Make sure the mothballs used in the closets are hung in containers and are out of reach of small children.

Living Room
• To prevent falls, keep rugs flat and smooth. Make sure they don’t curl in the corners
• Position the room furniture straight and uncluttered.
• Make sure the tables are not glass topped.
• Take special care while working and make sure coins, needles, glass bottles, match sticks, and alcohol is not left around.
• Place indoor plants out of reach and be sure they are not poisonous.
• Always put iron away when not in use; never leave it on ironing board, where child could tug the cord.
• Use safety gates to help prevent falls down stairs and to prevent unauthorized exploring.

Kitchen
• Keep child away from the cooking area.
• Install smoke detectors.
• Do not carry hot liquids or food near your child. During mealtimes, place hot foods and drinks towards the center of the table and avoid using a tablecloth.
• Electrical appliances should have short, coiled wires and should be switched off when not in use.
• Keep sharp utensils, implements, knives, matches in a drawer and away from the reach of children.
• All household cleaners, detergents, plastic bag should be out of reach of children.

Bathroom
• Keep electrical appliances out of the bathroom.
• Make sure all bathtubs and shower stalls have secure grab bars.
• Clothes hooks on the back of the doors or elsewhere should be above face height to prevent face injuries.
• Keep all household cleaners, chemicals and medicines out of reach, storing them in original containers with child resistant caps.
• Empty all water from bathtubs and pails, keep the door to the bathroom closed and never leave your child alone near any container of water.

Yards
• Store tools, garden equipments and supplies in a locked closet or shed.
• Make sure the types of trees and plants are not poisonous.
• Do not allow your child to play on a lawn treated with pesticides or fertilizer for at least 48 hours after application.
• Child proof the swimming pool by enclosing it in a fence with a self-closing and self-latching gate.