Accidents happen. What you might not know is that most of them happen at home. That’s right – at home. Every year, at least a million children under the age of 18 are taken to the emergency room to be treated for an accident-related injury. Most of those children are actually 4 years old or younger. It doesn’t have to be this way. Here’s how to prevent most accidents from every happening.
Keep Stairs Clean Tripping and falling is a common cause of accidents. Keeping your stairs clear of debris, toys, and other things will greatly reduce the odds of you or your children falling down the stairs, bumping your head, or tripping and falling in a hallway. Falling down the stairs is especially bad – since this is one accident that can easily be fatal. Safety gates should be used liberally around the home if you have children. Secure all doorways where you wouldn’t want your child to go. For example, it’s probably a good idea to gate the entrance to the kitchen and bathroom. It’s also a good idea to put a gate in front of the stairs – both at the top and the bottom. Keep kids indoors by putting a gate near the front and back doors. Alternatively, you can childproof your door handles with special attachments that make door handles difficult for kids to open.
Keep Unstable Furniture Away From Children
Keeping children away from certain kinds of furniture will also reduce the risk of injury. Keep chairs away from upstairs windows, from the base of a staircase, or from appliances like a stove. Children are curious by nature. Climbing on chairs seems like a natural thing to do. The problem is that stoves can easily burn your child – especially if you have a glass stove top. Have you ever turned your burners off only to realize the hard way that they remain hot for some time after you’re done cooking? Children have no real conception of a “hot stove” until they touch it – at that point, it’s too late. Even if you do manage to keep chairs away from dangerous places, chairs themselves represent a risk along with any furniture that your child can climb on. Anything that can tip over, or provides no support for your child is a potential hazard.
Keep Children Out of the Kitchen While You’re Cooking
Get the kids out of the kitchen. They don’t belong there, and the risk for being injured is high. Imagine trying to cook a hot meal for the family, baking cookies, or transporting a pot of boiling water to the sink with your child underfoot – it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Never Leave Your Child Unsupervised In The Bathtub
This should be common sense, but parents still do this. Never leave your kid unattended in the bathtub – even if there’s only an inch of water in the tub. Your best bet is to place a small plastic or inflatable swimming pool in the tub when giving your child a bath.
Keep Medicines Locked Up
Always keep medicines locked up. Even though your meds have safety caps, they’re not foolproof. All it takes is one accident to kill your child. It’s not worth it.
About Author:
Josh Hayward is a health and safety consultant who has worked with multiple insurance giants for over 7 years. His articles mainly appear on homeowner and insurance related blogs. He recommends FBD home insurance to anyone looking for a reliable and authentic insurance policy.