Go into each room of your house and look for hazards for your child. Here is a list of some items you can look out for.
In the bedroom
Remove all cords that could get caught around your baby’s neck. Tie up electrical cords, curtain cords, or drapery cords so they are less than 6 inches long and out of your child’s reach. Mobiles and hanging crib toys should also be kept out of your baby’s reach. Remove cords from crib toys and pacifiers.
The crib is the main piece of furniture in the bedroom. Choose a crib with bars no wider than 2 cm. 3/8 inches apart. If the space between the bars is too wide, your baby could slip through and strangle between the bars. Use a ruler to check the width of the space between the bars. Weave a fabric between the bars if they are too far apart.
When assembling the crib, place it away from any items that have cords.
The crib should not have protruding corner posts. Corner posts are an area of the crib where objects wrapped around a child’s neck or clothing can get caught. Unscrew corner posts or cut them off with a saw.
The mattress should fit snugly against the sides of the crib. A baby can suffocate if his or her head or body gets caught between the mattress and the sides of the crib. No more than two fingers should fit between the mattress and the side of the crib. Place rolled towels between the mattress and the crib if the mattress is too small.
When your baby is able to pull himself up, you should remove bumpers, pillows, and toys from the crib, including toys that are strung across the crib or playpen. Your baby may step on them or use them to climb out of the crib and fall.
Note: Many cribs manufactured before 2012 included a “feature” where one side of the crib would drop down. However, this “feature” was found to be responsible for infant deaths, so it is not part of new cribs. However, if you have a crib manufactured before 2012, it may include this drop side. You can make an older crib safe by using screws to permanently attach the drop side to the end posts (or otherwise modifying the crib) so that it no longer allows the drop side to move.
Toys
Look for toys that are well-made and appropriate for your child’s age.
- Be careful with toys that have sharp edges, small parts, or sharp points.
- Look for toys with securely attached parts. Toddlers pull, push, and twist toys.
- Look for safety information on the toy or label, such as “Not recommended for children under 3 years” or “non-toxic” on toys that may end up in a child’s mouth. Look for “washable/hygienic materials” on stuffed toys and dolls.
- Avoid marbles, balls, ball games, and other toys that have pieces smaller than 1 3/4 inches in diameter or smaller than 2 1/4 inches long. Younger children may choke on these products if they swallow them.
- Keep toys intended for older children out of the reach of infants and toddlers.
In the bathroom
Since children can drown in very little water, you should always stay with your child when he or she is in the bathtub. NEVER leave your child alone or with an older child in the bathroom or bathtub, even for a minute. If you have to answer the phone or door, take your child with you.
Always test the water before putting your child in the tub. Young children have sensitive skin and burn easily if the water in the sink or tub is too hot. Set the water heater to 120°F or lower. To check the temperature of hot tap water, run the water over a meat or candy thermometer for 3 minutes.
Place non-slip rubber mats or decals on the bottom of the tub to reduce the risk of your child slipping while in the tub. Make sure your child sits up during bath time. Encourage this by giving them water-safe toys to play with.
Add a lock to your toilet lid to prevent drowning.
Keep electrical appliances, such as hair dryers, away from water. Unplug them when not in use. They can cause an electric shock if they fall into the sink or bathtub while plugged in.
Encourage your child to never run in the bathroom. The child or the floor may be wet. Running on a wet surface may cause your child to fall.
In the kitchen
Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
- Use the back burners of the stove for cooking.
- Keep hot foods and drinks out of reach and away from the edge of a counter or table.
- Keep knives and other sharp objects out of reach or in locked or “childproof” drawers or cabinets.
- Coil appliance cords and keep them out of reach.
- Put latches on cabinet drawers to prevent your child from opening and closing them. This will help prevent your child from getting his or her fingers crushed between the drawer and the cabinet when closing it.
All over the house
Store medicines, vitamins, cleaning products and other poisons in locked cabinets. Children cannot distinguish between medicines and candy.
If your child swallows something he or she shouldn’t, call a poison control center right away. Keep the phone number near your phone or programmed into your cell phone. The National Poison Control Hotline number is 1-800-222-1222.
Indoor plants should be placed out of reach of children. Some indoor plants are poisonous. Call your local poison control center to find out if your plants are poisonous.
Use child gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Don’t use gates with large gaps between the slats, as children can get trapped in the openings. Also, make sure the gates are high enough so that children can’t fall over them.
Put doorknob covers on doors leading to the garage, basement, attic, or outside. This can help prevent your child from going where he or she shouldn’t.
Keep children away from windows to prevent them from falling out. Screens are designed to keep bugs out, not keep children in. Use window guards to prevent children from falling out. Keep chairs and other furniture away from windows so children cannot climb up to them. If possible, open windows from the top, not the bottom.
Anchor furniture to walls. This will prevent it from tipping over if your child climbs on it. All large furniture, such as bookshelves, dressers, and TVs that are not mounted on the wall, should be anchored. Visit your local hardware store for safety strap kits. If you buy new furniture that comes with safety straps, install them right away.
