Keeping Toddler Safe
Toddlers are a lot of work, but great fun. Their boundless energy and curiosity helps you to see the world in a different way, and gives you plenty of reasons to smile. A toddler’s curiosity knows no bounds, which means that you almost literally need eyes in the back of your head. There are some points to keeping toddler safe.
At this age, children are extremely accident-prone, so you have to redouble your efforts to keep them safe. Below are some of the most serious hazards, which you need to be aware of and take steps to mitigate.
Image Source: Flickr
Drowning
Image Source: Flickr
In the US, the leading cause of death for children aged between 1 and 4 is drowning. Therefore, you should never leave a young child alone in the bath. If you have a pool fence it off, and fit the gate with an alarm. To be doubly safe invest in a pool alarm as well.
If there are puddles in the garden, do not let a toddler play out until they have dried out. Toddlers can drown in just an inch or two of water. If a child trips and falls face down into a deep enough puddle, they could drown. For the same reason it is safer to fill in your garden pond rather than cover it with a mesh.
When visiting public pools, always follow the advice given on the safety signs. No matter how confident your child is in the water resist the temptation to sit at the poolside, and watch them. Should your toddler slip over, they could easily panic and swallow a lot of water. If you are actually in the pool with them, you can always reach them quickly enough to scoop them up before any damage is done.
Scalds
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Every year, hundreds of children have to attend A&E after being scolded at home. When cooking turn all your pan handles inwards. Make sure that the cable of your kettle cannot be reached from the floor. This will prevent a child from pulling it off the counter. Fit fireguards, and if your radiators are particularly hot make sure your toddler cannot reach them. A child’s skin is far more delicate than yours is, so a surface you can happily touch can be too hot for a toddler.
Suffocation
We all know that you need to keep plastic bags away from children. But, despite the warnings, every year, hundreds of kids suffocate. It only takes a moment’s inattention, so it is worth making your home a no plastic bag zone. Switch to using paper shopping bags, and replace plastic food bags with tubs.
If you need to use nappy sacks keep them well out of reach of your baby and young children. Both toddlers and babies have died after finding a roll of nappy sacks, and putting them in their mouths.
Strangulation
Another hidden danger is the cord on window blinds. Every year, a handful of children are killed when they become entangled in them. You need to be aware of this risk, and take steps to keep the cord out of your child’s reach, or consider changing your blinds for curtains.
If you are feeling a little overwhelmed or worried after reading this article, you will find this checklist helpful.