It’s always exciting to see your child achieve new milestones. Rolling over, crawling, pulling themselves up on objects, and walking are just a few of the most memorable firsts. While you watch them achieve these awesome feats, you start to quickly realize all of the hazards of the home they are now exposed too. Fortunately, there are lots of devices on the market to help reduce the risk of injury to your little one.
- Safety gates – These are especially useful at stairways and can also be helpful for containing your children to a general area so you can keep a closer eye on them. Consumer Reports [1] has some excellent guidelines for choosing the correct safety gate for your needs.
- Safety latches and locks for cabinets and drawers – Important for preventing access to items such as medicines, cleaners, and sharp objects that you have stored away.
- Corner and edge bumpers – They can be applied to edges of furniture, fireplaces, and are especially useful for young children just starting to get their balance down.
- Anti-scald devices – These are used to help regulate water temperature from faucets. Additionally, you should consider lowering the water temperature of your water heater to help prevent accidental burns.
- Outlet covers – It seems like one of the first objectives of any baby learning to crawl is to unplug the nearest electronic device they can find. Outlet covers will help to remove the temptation and keep your child safe from the dangers of electricity.
- Cordless window coverings – The Consumer Product Safety Commission [2] recommends cordless window coverings in homes with young children to help prevent strangulation.
- Furniture and appliance anchors – “Every 24 minutes in the U.S. a child goes to the emergency room because of a tip-over incident involving furniture or a TV.”[3] TV stands, bookcases, dressers, etc. that your child might have access to should be anchored to the floor or wall to prevent them from being pulled down.
To be effective, follow the directions of the devices to be sure they are properly installed. It’s also important to know that no device is completely childproof and they are not a substitution for proper supervision. Keeping your child safe so you can witness all of their future milestones is the top priority.
[1] Consumer Reports “Safety Gates.” May, 2016
[2] United States Consumer Product Safety Commission “Window Covering Safety.”
[3] United States Consumer Product Safety Commission “Anchor It! CPSC Launches Nation’s Largest Campaign to Prevent Furniture and TV Tip-Over Deaths and Injuries.” June, 2015
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