Important Child Safety Issues to Address Around Your Home #CP

Thinking about all of the ways children could get hurt around your home can feel pretty morbid. But it's an essential thing to consider when you have kids, especially once your baby starts to move around of their own accord. Of course, there's a balance between making your home safer and being so anxious about anything happening that you wrap up your children in cotton wool (and bubble wrap, just to be safe). Going overboard isn't healthy, but it's also vital to pay attention to some major hazards in the home. Here are some of the things that you should be sure to address.

Poisoning Hazards

It's necessary to have various products in your home for a range of purposes. You need cleaning products, toiletries and all kinds of things around the house. But a lot of these products can be very tempting to children of all ages. From laundry capsules that look like sweeties to paint tins that look like very messy fun, your kids could get into a lot of things that are toxic when ingested or even just touched. Locking these things away so they're not accessible is crucial, so be sure to put locks on your cupboard under the sink, as well as other places.

Fires and Open Flames

If you have a fireplace or stove in your home that you use during the winter, you need to keep children away from it. It could lead to serious burns or worse if little ones get too close. A fireguard is the simple solution to this problem, making your fireplace inaccessible for children and keeping them safe. Any other open flames are cause for concern too. If you're burning candles, it's always important to keep an eye on them. When you have children around, it's even more important to be careful.

Drowning

Only a very small amount of water is necessary for a child to drown. Watching your child in the bath is vital, but it's not the only thing to be concerned with if you want to remove drowning hazards from your home. If you fill buckets with water for cleaning or anything else, be sure to put them away when you're finished. If you're playing with a paddling pool, make sure you're supervising at all times. Some people also put a latch on their toilet seat to ensure it can't be opened by toddlers, which also helps to protect small fingers.

Strangulation Risks

There are things in your home that could present strangulation risks without you really realising. All blinds now come with cord organisers to tie up the cord because they lead to strangulation. The cord should be tied up out of the way so it's inaccessible to small children. Alternatively, choose other options that don't have dangling cords. Other cords like electrical cords should be kept out of the way too, and you should never place cots or other baby furniture near them.

These are just some of the child safety issues to pay attention to around your home. Be sure to cover all of the top hazards to make your home safer.

Photo by Ellie Burgin from Pexels