10 Bathroom and Kitchen Safety Tips for Children
With their sharp objects tucked in drawers and chemicals stored in cabinets, the bathroom and kitchen are the two rooms in your home you'll want to take extra measures in to ensure home safety for kids.
These 10 home safety tips for children and infants are easy to install and use, and - best of all - won't unnecessarily complicate adult's lives when following them.
1. Enter your local poison-control center's phone number in your cell phone in case of emergency.
When a possible poisoning emergency arises, you need to reach the center nearest your home - stat.
You should also have a bottle of syrup of ipecac in the medicine cabinet to induce vomiting when - and only when - you are advised to do so by a physician.
2. Place child-safety devices on cabinets with cleaners or sharp objects inside.
Do the same for drawers containing sharp tools like carving knives, scissors and skewers. Stow trash in a locked cabinet. (Side benefit: It'll keep the dog or cat out, too.)
3. Place plastic covers over gas stove knobs so little fingers can't turn them.
Inexpensive plastic covers help keep curious toddlers from turning on the gas, setting the stage for a movie-worthy explosion. (Don't try this at home.)
It's much less expensive to pop for the inexpensive covers and theater movie.
4. Keep refrigerator magnets out of a child's reach.
If one of these breaks, or is pulled down by a curious hand, it could cause a choking hazard. Eliminate the possibility by moving magnets well out of a child's reach.
5. Add a non-slip mat or decals to the bathroom tub and shower to prevent falls by visitors of all ages.
That's actually for the entire family's safety. Conditioner - rinsed -
can cause anyone to slip. Non-slip mats are one of the most inexpensive home safety products around.
6. Pad the bathtub spout with an insulating cover.
A simple malleable plastic spout cover - mine was a soothing grey spouting elephant - can attractively and
effectively protect younger family members against bruising and
scalding.
7. Stash razors, blow-dryers, and other electric appliances out of younger family members' reach.
A
drawer, under sink (with door safety latches) area - even a shelf - are
close by but kid-safe storage space for these potentially dangerous
items. Keep hair dryers and flat irons unplugged when not in use.
8. Set your hot-water heater no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius).
This both saves on your monthly energy bills and helps prevent burns and scalding.
9. Close the toilet lid and the bathroom door after each use.
Even
an inch of water is enough to drown a small child. Remind everyone
in the home to close it and put a lid on it after nature calls.
10. Finally, remember there is no substitute for adult supervision here.
Be diligent with your younger family members and ensure they're supervised in these rooms at all times.
Suggested Reading
Beyond Bathroom & Kitchen: Return to Safe at Home
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About the Author
Tara Aronson is a native Californian. Having grown up in San Diego, she studied journalism and Spanish to pursue a career in newspaper writing. Tara, whose three children - Chris, Lyndsay, and Payne - are the light of her life, now lives and writes in Los Angeles. She also regularly appears on television news programs throughout the U.S.
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