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How to Protect Your Young Child in the House and Around the Garden
Child safety is an area that we simply can not afford to allow our vigilance to slip. Babies and toddlers are notorious for their ability to climb into many areas that we think are secure and safe. A true example of this is a child of 3 who was able to climb a pool fence that was allegedly child proof! However, my point with respect to the above situation is to still do all we can to protect our children in and out of the home. In addition, we need to keep a close eye on them all the time. It is not uncommon for accidents to happen ‘in a split second’ when one of the parents went to answer the phone, turned their head and so on. Regrettably, the hospital emergency rooms are full of kids with similar stories, where they were not been looked at for a split second or short time. I am in no way wanting to have a go at parents or guardians, but rather emphasise the importance of care and attention at all times. Whilst we do not want to be ‘over the top’ care is better than an accident. When it comes to safety for kids, we need to look at everything from the perspective of a little person who is around 70 cm high!
The Kitchen and Bathroom
The cupboards in the kitchen, the bathroom cabinet under the sink, and so on are all very appealing to little hands and inquisitive babies in general. Your baby or toddler will want to explore as much as possible, and in most cases, will try to taste for good measure as well. Inside, as I have mentioned, in an area where safety corners are advisable, child locks on cupboards and in the kitchen are essential as well.
The Garden
However, I want to concentrate on the outside areas here- like the back garden. It is a good idea to look at fences, and ensure they are sound and in good order, as they can be a source of a child either climbing on and over, or even digging a hole, or slipping underneath. These may sound like far fetched ideas, but children are notorious for getting themselves into jams this way. Further, with gates, it is always a good idea to use the self closing systems, so they are never left open where a child could wander off. Regarding water and pools, the only item that should contain water near a child is a drinking cup. Some people mistakenly think that a shallow puddle or pond is harmless, but when children fall in, they can often drown silently. It is also a good idea to ensure that any play equipment in the yard is suitable in terms of being safe and in working order. It is regrettably not uncommon for children to fall off toys, and injure themselves. Garden equipment is another area where extreme care needs to be exercised. If you have barbeques, or outdoor furnaces for home heating, these are areas that need to be guarded as they may pose a risk to inquisitive hands. Further, when you have finished with your barbeque, if it the coal style, it is a good idea to bury the coals fairly deep, as inquisitive hands could attempt to pick up the coals and result in severe burns. Garden equipment, like lawn mowers, and spades and pitchforks should also be safely stored away, preferably in a locked shed. Regarding the garden, it is also advisable to know the names of all the plants in it, as some can be poisonous. It is also beneficial to have the number of your local poisons information centre handy, such as on your fridge door, for emergency access. Kids can easily also pick up garden fertilizer, or similar products, and place them in their mouths. I realise this may at first sound rather negative, but it is in a desire for safety that I have mentioned the above. With care, a safe and pleasant experience can be had by all in your home and garden.
For more information on general safety and kids, it's a good idea to go to the kids safety website for the protection of children. For information on posions, it is a good idea to be aware of the poisons information in your area. I have included a link to the Australian Poisons information centre here.
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