Children under the age of five are at the greatest risk of hurting themselves in the home because that is where children spend most of their time learning and growing. Supervision is the best way to keep your children safe. However, there are some things you can do to help make your child’s home safer.
Bathroom
- Put a lock on the medicine cabinet to help prevent poisoning.
- Put a toilet lock on the toilet lid to help prevent drowning.
- Turn down hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to help prevent scalds and burns.
Child’s Room
- Move furniture away from windows to help prevent falls.
- Wind up or cut blind cords to help prevent strangulation.
- Always use straps on changing table to help prevent falls.
- Always place baby on his/her back to sleep for safe sleep.
- Remove soft bedding and stuffed animals from cribs to help prevent suffocation.
Family Room
- Use window stops or locks so windows do not open more than 4 inches to help prevent falls.
- Put corner protectors on tables with sharp corners to help prevent injuries from falls.
- Keep toys and small objects away from children to help prevent choking.
- Install outlet protectors in all outlets to help prevent electrocution.
- Install stair gate to help prevent falls.
Kitchen
- Always strap your child in a highchair to help prevent falls.
- Cut all round-shaped foods (hot dogs, carrots, grapes) into small pieces to help prevent choking.
- Put sharp objects in a locked drawer to help prevent cuts.
- Keep all buckets stored upside down to help prevent drowning.
- Keep emergency phone numbers including Poison Control1-800-222-1222 by the phone.
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Safety Resources from the Pediatric Experts at CHOC
For more important tips to prevent injuries in children and teens, visit choc.org/safety.
