LITTLE ROCK — My husband and I are expecting a child in a few months. What are some quick, easy ways to childproof our home before the stork arrives?
“Scout your home for potential dangers by getting down to your kids’ level and looking for any small items that children could choke on,” recommends Real Simple magazine in a feature about home safety. In addition to the usual precautions — making sure blinds have safety cords or cord protectors to prevent a child from becoming entangled in them and placing outlet covers on unused outlets (sliding ones are better than push-in models) — there are many other steps that can be taken.
For example, make sure plastic bags from the dry cleaners, produce bags and trash bags are all stored out of reach, make sure that lighters and matches are placed out of reach, and take care that refrigerator magnets and loose change are not accessible to small children.
Be sure to post emergency numbers by every phone in the home, with numbers for police, doctors, the fire department and the National Capital Poison Center (800) 222-1222.
Here are some additional tips for specific areas of the home:
On upper floors — Install window guards. While not a substitute for parental supervision, these do offer some protection.
Real Simple also recommends keeping blinds cords away from the crib and the crib away from windows, if possible. Also, focus on the crib itself, making sure it meets safety standards. For a list of recalled products, visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website at cpsc.gov. Drop-side cribs, in particular, have been recalled by the millions.
In the bathroom — Always supervise young children in the bath. It’s also a good idea to use toilet locks.
In the kitchen — Attach safety latches to drawers where sharp utensils, knives, and scissors are stored. Install appliance knob covers to prevent children from turning on stove burners, and put a safety cover over the garbage disposal to protect small hands from danger.
On stairs — Use hardwaremounted (as opposed to tension-held) safety gates in front of stairs.
Outside — Install 5-foothigh fencing around the entire perimeter of a backyard swimming pool. During the off-season, don’t let water collect on the pool cover. It can create a drowning hazard for children. Make the area around an outdoor grill off-limits to children.
Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? We’ll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Linda S. Caillouet, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail:
HomeStyle, Pages 33 on 12/22/2012