The pool gate is shut, the doors locked and your child is inside safely playing in your line of sight. Or is she? A child can find anything, with in a matter of seconds, inside a childproof home that could cause serious injury or death to herself."The home is the most common place for accidental child injury," says Dr. Milan Pharo, a Dallas Pediatrician. Many parents/guardians do not realize there is more to watching your child around the pool, you have to watcher her 24 hours a day seven days a week, especially at home. A parent/guardian may believe that their home is childproof, but what they do not realize is that even the smallest object like a ponytail rubber band or a large object l ...view middle of the document...
If that means reaching a pot of boiling water on a stove or touching the shiny metal on a nearby curling iron she will find a way to get it unless her parents places items like these out of reach and out of sight of their child. Any pot on a stove should have its handles facing towards the back of the stove no part of any pot or pan should be crossing the edge of the counter. Oven doors should have latches on them making it difficult for children to open them. In a bathroom any heated object like rollers, curling irons, and even bath/sink water can severely burn a child; these items should always be kept out of reach.Thirdly, watch those doors you never know who may be chasing after you. Nancy McGee [cq] recalls when her granddaughter was following her father, which he did not realize, and her tiny hand became stuck in the edge of the door. "Her hand had to be removed with butcher knife." Swinging doors can cause severe injury even death when encountering a child. The term "door" does not only refer to front doors and kitchen doors; they include elevator doors, garage doors (which can/will crush an infant before retracting), car doors, and cabinet doors."It only takes half a cup of water to drown an infant," says Laurie Stuart (Miss Laurie, as her students affectionately call her) [cq], director of TLC daycare center. A toddler's head is heavier than any other part of her body, so if she peers into the toilet to see what is on the inside she has a good chance of tipping forward and drowning. It is a necessity to keep an eye out for water when infants are around because what seems like a sip to an adult is a pool to a baby.Pets, dogs particularly, have tendencies to turn on young children either due to aggravation, jealousy caused by the child or other unknown provocations. A dog can severely disfigure and even kill a child. A cat can cause sever damage if the feline begins to fight and not paw at the infant.Dr. Pharo's five safety facts are just the beginning of a long line of childproofing landmines, in the home, that parents/guardians do not always see as potential danger. For further childproofing techniques, that your physician may not give you, ask your child's daycare center or preschool. If your child is not enrolled in either day care or preschool search the net for statistics and advice on childproofing your home.Miss Laurie has also provided a list that is similar to Dr. Pharo's, but hers covers the daycare center safety guide regulations, and the most commonly asked questions/comments by parents. Daycare centers, like TLC, take pride in their knowledge of safety guidelines and are a valuable source for parents who are not sure if their home is the safest it can be.*Magnetic top lock laws for cabinets containing toxins*Playground equipment laws*Crib dos and don'ts*Safety gates and plexiglass*Bathroom accessibility*Coffee table corners*Never leave gas key in fireplace*Always keep your eyes on the childrenThe TLC daycare center,...
