Indiachildren - Safety Measures (2

General Safety Measures at Home

The first few years with a new baby is a challenging time. As the baby grows and develops, his curiosity impels him to investigate activities, as a result, many apparently harmless household items may also become dangerous for the child.

Given below are a partial list of safety concerns :

a.	Certain products like insect killers, shampoos, medicines, matches, lighters and plastic bags should be kept out of reach of small children.

b.	Pad sharp corners of furnishings, which a child may bump into and get hurt.
c.	Keep electrical cords of small appliances out of reach. Adjust lamp cords so that the cord is not easily accessible.
d.	Cap all electrical outlets not in use.
e.	Remove breakable and valuable objects from your child's reaching and climbing range.
f.	Tie cabinet doors securely shut (using strings or rubber bands).
g.	Remove poisonous plants and check before purchasing plants to make sure they are safe.
h.	Keep the child away from wet slippery floors.
i.	Take caution when leaving windows open, if required put grills on the window.

Safety in the Bedroom

Once a baby is able to get around alone, the average home becomes a wonderland as dangerous as it is exciting. It is very necessary to minimize all the possibility of any accidents.

Many accidents occur at home, it is very necessary to remove dangerous objects and substances from the reach of the baby. Here are some tips on how to modify the factors that contribute to accidents.

a.	Windows : Install grills if the child is able to reach the windows by climbing up on beds, sofas, chairs, etc.
b.	Electric switches : Move them out of reach, so that the baby will not put his finger in them to get an electric shock.
c.	Medicines and poisonous substances : Lock all potentially poisonous substances out of reach and out of your baby's sight.
d.	Storage of food and non food items : Never store any medicines in empty food containers. For e.g. bleach in an apple juice container.
e.	Curtains : Tie the curtains up so that the baby does not get entangled in them.
f.	Unstable furniture : Put rickety or unstable furniture out of reach as the baby could topple on it. Remove all loose knobs on furniture which are small enough to be swallowed.
g.	Lock all drawers : Lock all chest drawers so as to keep it safe from prying fingers.
h.	Fire places : Put grills at fire places to prevent children's fingers from getting burnt.
i.	Glass topped tables : Put them out of children's reach or cover them with heavy table pad.
j.	Hazardous items : Sharp knives, blades, pens, jewellery especially pearls or small ones, moth balls (poisonous), perfumes (toxic), balloons can be very hazardous.
k.	Table cloths : Remove the table cloths if they hang over the side of the table as baby's can pull them.

No matter how carefully you attempt to child proof your house you can not make it completely accident proof. So it is necessary to be extremely vigilant. Do not let your attention get diverted in stressful times of the day.

Safety in the Bathroom

The bathroom could be a hazardous place for your baby. It is necessary to make the bathroom safe by taking the following precautions.

a.	Medications : Keep all medications, mouthwashes, sprays, lotions out of baby's reach.
b.	Lock : Put a lock or latch on the bathroom door and keep it latched when not in use.
c.	Electrical appliance : Never leave electric appliances plugged in when not in use as the baby could get a fatal electric shock.
d.	Non-slip mats : Put non slip mats in the bath tubs to prevent falls.
e.	Heater : Never put a heater switch in reach of the child.
f.	Tubs : Never leave a child unattended in a bath tub. Always cover the tub spout.
g.	Water temperature : Always test bath water to prevent scalding. Always turn off the hot water tap before turning the cold water tap.

Safety in the Kitchen

It is necessary to baby proof the kitchen as it is the heart of most homes.

a.	Child locks : Attach child locks to drawers and cabinets that contain breakable glass items, sharp implements and food items.
b.	Use back range or burners : Use back burners on stove as far as possible. Keep handles of pots and pans that are on the stove turned the rear, out of the baby's reach.
c.	Never make baby sit on a counter top : Never make a baby sit on the counter top near electric appliances. You may find he may touch a hot pot of tea, a knife or may poke his finger in the toaster.
d.	Never carry the baby and hot tea at the same time : Babies are jumpy, you could land up spilling the tea and burning yourself. Never leave it at the edge of the table.
e.	Let them explore : Set aside at least one cabinet that is safe for the children to explore.