The Importance of Child Safety at Home

Homes play a significant role in the lives of our little ones. As they grow up, they want to play, engage in adventures and explore all that they possibly can. Our homes are also the most common place where our young ones are prone to physical injury. They often fall off beds and stairs, try to put everything in their mouth and swallow, and slam doors and drawers on their fingers. Since more time is being spent at home these days, child safety has become more important than ever before. While most minor injuries and accidents are preventable, it is always safe to child-proof the environment much before the baby arrives in the picture. It is extremely crucial to make the inside of your home safe for your baby and weed out all the possible hazards from the indoor as well as the outdoor areas.

Baby-proof Your Home

As our young ones start growing, they start becoming mobile. Their movements and adventures can cause injuries and accidents. This is the reason why it is important to be aware of the child proofing requirements based on their age. Let's explore how to baby-proof your home for different age groups.

 

1) Newborns – 0 to 1 years:

Newborns have less control over their body and even lesser environmental awareness. Therefore, they have a higher risk of falling due to their poor body balance. Since they often roll over or start crawling when left unrestrained or unsupervised, they are prone to falling off from heights. Here is how you can manage them:

• When you place your sleeping newborn in a crib, make sure it is not stuffed with heavy blankets and pillows. This will reduce the risk of suffocation.

 

• Ensure that the gaps between the bars of the crib are not wider than 6cm and meet the modern safety standards. The safety guidelines can be used as a benchmark to decide whether a crib is safe enough to be used. Cribs must have strong, fixed sides as the drop-side cribs are not safe for babies. The crib mattress should not have space between the mattress and the sides of the crib. It should be tight-fitting and firm. Cribs that are broken, modified or more than 10 years old must be discarded. There shouldn't be any broken or missing slats and design cutouts in the footboard or headboard. As a rule, avoid placing a crib near a window with hanging curtain chords or baby monitor chords.

 

• Since infants tend to crawl, it is important to cover up all the electrical outlets at the floor level. A plug socket cover is instrumental in restricting babies from inserting their fingers or any objects into the sockets.

 

• Use the floor while changing clothes for your infant or alternatively, use a changing table with a strap.

2) Toddlers – 1 to 2 years:

Although at this age, the cognitive and risk assessing abilities of the toddlers are underdeveloped, with increasing vigor they tend to become agile. They begin to climb surfaces that increases the risk of falling or getting hurt. Here is how to reduce those risks:

• Place safety guards and cover up the sharp edges of your furniture.

 

• Secure large-sized furniture close to the wall to prevent your baby from falling off or getting stuck in cornered spaces. It can also be done using a safety strip.

 

• Toxic substances or medication should not be accessible to toddlers. Keep them stacked away inside close cupboards.

 

3) Young kids – 3 to 5 years:

Between the age group of 3-5 years, young kids develop strength and motor abilities. They frequently try to emulate adult behavior and are, therefore, at the risk of suffering injuries which can be quite fatal such as burns, choking, drowning or strangulation. Here's how to manage them:

• Keep climbable furniture away from windows

 

• Keep inflammable substances out of their reach

 

• Keep hot liquids and immersion rods beyond access points
• With a good amount of strength, they tend to stick their head out of the window and the balcony fencing. Therefore, the windows and balconies must be locked.

Given the risks, the amount of precautionary measures needed might seem daunting to first-time parents, but it is worth the effort. With proper planning and preparedness, parents can certainly bypass the risks and dangers, and baby-proof their space.

 

Safety Products - Recommendations

One of the best ways to reduce the risk of any potential injury is to assess the possible dangers and make physical changes inside the house. While it helps to eliminate furniture such as the ones with sharp corners, it might also help to procure certain safety products and keep them handy. This will minimize the chances of injury. Incorporating safety products from the very beginning saves you from hassles at a later stage. Here are some recommendations for products that can aid you in maintaining safety at home.

1. Philips Avent Dect Baby Monitor

For parents to newborns between 0-12 months, this unisex baby monitor is ideal. It lets you relax. With a 100% private connection, it has a talk-back function that lends you the time and space to go about your daily tasks. With a starry night light projector to soothe your kid and vibration alert, this monitor lets you keep a track of every movement of your baby.

2. Summer Infant Stairway Gate

This versatile, easy-to-install stairway gate provides a secured barrier for your child. With an extra-wide hinged door that can be opened in either direction, this stairway gate is appropriate for providing safety to your little one. This stylish New Zealand pine and slate metal finish gate can be wiped clean for regular use.

 

3.  Max First Aid Cabinet with Kit

This shelf-styled First Aid Kit is designed to help you keep yourself well-stocked in the event of an emergency situation. It comes with a locking system that enables only authorized users to access its contents and rearrange the shelves for easy use. This metal cabinet allows the user to customize the shelves inside the box.

 

4. Juniors Plug Socket Cover - Set of 6

Infants between 12-36 months are brimming with energy but they are also the most vulnerable. They need to be protected from any harm, especially, in the terms of electrical shock. Grab this set of six plug socket covers designed to prevent your kid from accidental electric shocks. The easy installation and convenient storage makes it a must-have safety product.

 

5. Safe Corner Cushion  - set of 4

Babies grow and so do their mobile limbs. They want to explore surfaces but unknowingly hurt themselves from the sharp edges and corners. Using an edge guard protects your baby from sharp edges and corners of cabinets, tables or other hard furniture. 

 

6. Canpol Babies Multi-Purpose Safety Lock - Set of 2

This safety accessory is easy to install and can be quickly opened by an adult. Installing the lock directly on the door of the cabinets can assist you in baby-proofing your house. Getting this multi-purpose safety lock installed can effectively protect your cabinets, drawers or refrigerators from curious toddlers.

 

7. Al Premio Baby Support

This accessory is ideal for mothers who have had Caesarean sections, instrumental deliveries and long durations of labor. It helps them breast-feed in a stress-free manner. This baby support is apt in shape and size, and ensures the right position for the baby during breast or bottle feeding.

 

Home safety is not just about monitoring and supervising your baby but to create a safe environment even in the most dangerous areas of the house including the kitchen, bathroom, balcony, driveway and the staircase. Keeping an eye on your little ones is, therefore, cardinal.

In case of an emergency situation, it is prudent to have Emergency numbers listed on your Speed Dial. If you are in the UAE, dial 998 or 999 for an Ambulance. For a non-emergency help from the police, dial 901.