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What Causes Accidents in the Home?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the accidents at home most often happen where there is:
water (the kitchen, bathroom, or swimming pools and hot tubs)
heat or flames (the kitchen or a barbecue grill)
toxic agents (under the kitchen sink, in the medicine cabinet or the garage, or even in the purse of the mother or caretaker)
potential for a fall (stairways and slippery floors)
The most important message for parents to remember is to watch your kids. As Heather Paul, PhD and executive director of the NSKC campaign, says, "supervise small children at all times. Be conscious of your child's surroundings."
Kate Cronan, MD, a pediatrician who specializes in emergency medicine, agrees. "This cannot be emphasized enough," she says. "Baby- and childproofing is crucial inside and outside the home, but these things are not foolproof. The bottom line is that all young children need to be properly supervised by an adult or other capable caretaker."
If you are expecting a baby, you should do the following things before the baby is born: learn CPR; learn the Heimlich Maneuver, in the event that your child is choking; buy syrup of ipecac accessible in case of poisoning (use it only when and as directed by Poison Control or your doctor); learn the poison control numbers; and install a fire detector.
Once you bring your child home from the hospital, you should take precautions based on her age.
From Birth to 1 Year
Babies reach, grasp, roll, and eventually crawl. As a result, it's easy for them to roll off changing tables, sofas, and beds. Keep your baby safe by never leaving her where a fall can happen. If the doorbell rings and your baby is on the changing table, bring her with you while you answer the door. If you must leave her for a moment, put her on the floor, in a playpen, or a crib - never a place high off the ground from which she could fall.
Another way to prevent falls is to make sure you use a safety gate at the door of your baby's room to prevent her from reaching the top of the stairs. It only takes a moment for a curious child to peer over the edge and tumble down. Placing a gate at the top of the stairs allows for the possibility that your baby will climb the gate and fall from an even greater height, so take a few minutes to properly install a safety gate in the correct place.
The American Academy of Pediatrics warns against using walkers because they create a falling hazard.
Burns and drownings are also common accidents in the home, so you should take special precautions when your child is around water. Always test the temperature of feeding bottles and bath water. In addition, never leave your baby alone near water. Drowning can happen very quickly and in less than 1 inch of water, so filled bathtubs, swimming pools, wading pools, buckets of water, and sinks can be dangerous. A child can drown in the water in a toilet, so be sure to purchase and install toilet locks that prevent accidents.
The time when your baby starts to crawl and stand presents different dangers. Shut the doors to all rooms your baby shouldn't enter to prevent her from wandering into places that haven't been properly
baby proofed. To keep your young adventurer out of cabinets that may contain poisonous substances, make sure all cleaning agents and toxic substances - including paint - are in cabinets with safety locks. Because your child will constantly be putting items in her mouth, remove all breakable items and items small enough to fit in her mouth. Finally, take a look at your houseplants - are they poisonous or otherwise harmful to your child?
"Be sure to get down on your hands and knees and check your home from a child's perspective," Dr. Paul says. Making sure all electrical cords are out of reach and paying attention to what you have on low shelves and piled in corners now can save you from a trip to the emergency room later. Furthermore, using safety covers for electrical outlets can prevent electrical burns, shocks, and fires.
Your baby will spend a lot of time in her crib. It's your job to make sure it's safe, with no protruding screws and sides that latch securely. The mattress should fit snugly against the sides and should be kept at its lowest position once your child can stand to prevent a suffocation hazard. Soft toys and pillows should be kept out of the crib as well, because these items can suffocate a baby. Remember also how easy it is for her to grab anything - keep the cords of drapes and window shades well away from her little hands to avoid strangulation.
1 to 3 Years
Your toddler is increasingly active and curious. Enjoy this time, but take a few precautions, in addition to those you've already taken.
Climbing is something all kids do, but toddlers may not have the coordination to react to certain dangers. They'll pull themselves up using table legs; they'll use bureaus and dressers as jungle gyms; they'll reach for whatever they can see.
You can help keep toddlers safe by strapping them into strollers and high chairs. When they're on the move, be extra careful. Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove and unplug countertop appliances. Make sure anything they might climb on is sturdy enough and won't fall over. If you have play equipment to encourage climbing, make sure the surface under it is soft enough to break a fall. If the toy box has a hinged lid that might pinch fingers, remove it and leave the top off. You might also want to pad the corners and sharp edges of furniture and fireplace hearths with soft material to prevent bumps and bruises.
Never leave your child alone around water - even if it's just a pail of water. If you have a pool, make sure it's fenced to the proper height on all four sides. Consider installing a pool alarm or cover, and remove toys from the pool when children are finished swimming to prevent the youngsters from attempting to recover them when unsupervised.
Another common childhood injury occurs when children fall through screens or open windows, so make sure to open windows from the top or use window gates.
3 to 5 Years
The good news is that older kids are less likely to get hurt from falls then younger kids. But don't relax too much yet - as their curiosity grows, so do their adventures.
Your child is older and wiser now, but she weighs more, too. Double check that the furniture won't tip over as she climbs. Remind her not to run on slippery floors.
Start thinking about outdoor safety, too. "In this phase," says Dr. Cronan, "we're concerned about sports and playground-related injuries and bicycling and pedestrian accidents." If your child has started to ride a bike, make sure she wears a helmet and is well versed in bicycle safety and signals. Head injuries are far too common in this age group, so enforce your helmet rule.
Water safety continues to be important at this age - kids are not old enough to be left alone around water, so continue to watch your child carefully around pools, tubs, and buckets of water.
Remember that the world is new to your child. Everything she sees fascinates her. Make sure her curiosity leads her to no harm. A few simple precautions and careful supervision can ensure that you - and your child - feel secure in your home.
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