CHILD SAFETY IN THE HOME A home should be a safe and welcoming place for a child where he or she can feel secure and safe. However, the home is also where most accidents occur, some of which can be very serious. This article will guide you through some basic precautions to take to ensure that your child does not fall victim to any household injuries. The first thing to understand is what children do to unwittingly cause themselves to be injured. The following useful section shows what you expect and need to consider at various, younger ages. 0-6 months. At this point your child will begin to wriggle and kick; grasp; and begin to suck things. As such you should ensure that they are not left unsupervised on a raised surface. 6mths-1 yr. At this age, your child should have learned to stand, sit, crawl, and will increasingly put things in their mouth. To prevent choking on any foreign object, it is important to keep small objects and dangerous substances out of reach. 1-2 years. Your child will now wish to move about independently and will be able to reach and find objects that were previously out of reach. At this point, they should not be left unsupervised and all place hot drinks well out of reach. It would also be prudent at this point to consider the use a fireguard and a stair-gate. 2-3 years. Children will begin to increase in confidence at this age and begin to climb higher and will show much more interest in the workings of objects. They will also begin to copy your own behaviour, so it is important to be a good role model remain vigilant. At this point you need to keep matches and lighters out of sight and reach as these hold an untold fascination for young children. 3-4 years. This is the point where your child starts to feel like a grown up and will attempt to be helpful and use objects. Fortunately, they are also now at a stage where they will be able to understand instructions, but will also enjoy experimentation as they become more adventurous and are under less direct supervision. You should continue to be a good role model and remain watchful but start safety training. 4-5 years. Children will now want to play more exciting games and are likely to be much more independent. As such, the setting and of maintenance of household rules are very important in order for them to remain safe. Keeping Your House Safe. Most child safety rules just involve common sense and are relatively inexpensive to implement. In general children, should be supervised as much as possible and at a level consumerate with their age. The house should be kept clean and tidy and the floor space should be kept free of toys, when not in use, and clear obstructions that can be tripped over. Falls are by far and a way the most common causes of injuries to children and the use of stair gates at both the top and bottom of the stairway is a must. Water is a real danger for children also, whether it is in a paddling or swimming pool, a precariously positioned boiling pan, or an overfilled bath. Never leave your child unsupervised around water. You should also be aware of the positioning of any dangerous chemicals such as disinfectant bleach. If you have them under the sink, or in the lavatory, you should remove them to a place that it well out of reach. The same applies to medicine; children are very attracted to brightly coloured containers and may think that the pills or bottle contain a treat. As your child grows older, education is also key. Helping them understand the dangers of the household will assist in their self regulating behaviour and they will hopefully be a second pair of eyes for you in supervising younger siblings. |
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