Smart Safety: Ages and Stages of a Home Safety Checkup

Americans have become obsessed with keeping their homes neat and uncluttered, thanks to the rise of organization experts that inspire neatness in the home. But as the seasons change and children turn six months, 18 months, three-years and older, it’s time to also realize that living with children isn’t always conducive to a tidy home and parents need to remember to take into consideration their child’s height and point of view so parents can review the precautions they take and make sure their home is safe for their kids.

As children grow, the dangers in the house change, so it’s important for parents to adapt and make sure there’s a balance between protecting children from injury while allowing them to explore so they learn their limits.

Areas of house to pay special attention to for childproofing:

• Stairs: Make sure safety gates are correct size as children grow
• Bathroom: install safety rails like bathtub bars to help kids get in and out of the tub and shower & make sure your child is actively supervised during bath time
• Laundry Room: Detergent and other cleaning products pose a big danger for children, so make sure you purchase childproof products and keep them stored high on shelves  and out of child’s reach
• Kitchen: Kids can get injured by pulling hot items out of the microwave, so keep them out of reach & stove knob protectors are a great investment

In this interview, Dr. Sadiqa Kendi, medical director of Safe Kids Worldwide, helps remind parents about the safety issues they need to know to protect their children in the home.

She discusses some of the biggest threats in the home for kids that parents may not even realize are present. She also outlines safety tips for new parents and for those with babies and toddlers. Dr. Kendi believes every space in the home should be available for a child to play in and explore, as long as that area has been childproofed appropriately. She says a tidy home is a safe home, and when spaces are free of clutter, it’s easier to see where the dangers might be.

Courtesy: Tide