A Babyproofing Checklist for the Dangers You Might Not Have Thought About
If you have a toddler, or even a baby who’s not quite yet walking, but has learned to crawl and to pull herself up on furniture and “cruise” around the room, it’s likely that you spend a fair amount of time each day removing items from her reach, her grasp, or even her mouth. Young children are naturally curious, and they test the world around them by touching and tasting everything they can. This means that parents of little explorers need to babyproof their home, Grandma’s house and anyplace else the child might spend time.
Babyproofing your home is about more than just pushing plastic covers over electrical outlets and hiding the sharp knives. It’s an attitude you need to take while approaching each part of the home that your child has access to. Are you ready to make your rooms baby friendly? Here is a convenient babyproofing checklist.
Babyproofing Your Home: The Heavy Things
One of the most terrifying sounds you can hear is the sound of a heavy thud followed by a child screaming or crying. It’s a risk we often have trouble “seeing” because heavy cabinets and items aren’t usually a danger to us. Things you should keep in mind:
- Over 20,000 people end up in the emergency rooms as a result of unstable furniture. About 300 kids end up dying as a result of being crushed or otherwise injured by a large bookcase or shelving unit.
- Although most of us identify heavy televisions and similar items as potential hazards, many children have suffocated under something as small as a 30-inch dresser.
- Make sure any heavy items are not only properly secured, but also pose no risk if parts (like shelves) are pulled on by grabby hands.
- Very small children should be placed in cribs or playpens during nap time in order to reduce exploration.