Dreamstime
Babyproofing Your Home
Baby-proofing your home is essential to keeping children safe. Their view of the world takes on an entirely different perspective when it’s just inches off the ground. Susan Helms, LeBonheur’s Director of Injury Prevention and Safe Kids Mid-South offers a few simple tips on how to prevent injuries.
Curious Kids Don’t Always Understand Danger
Keeping children safe is always a top priority for parents. Unfortunately, accidents happen around the house and children may fall out of their crib or run into a sharp corner and injure themselves. But many childhood injuries are easily preventable if parents properly babyproof their home.
“The best way to find potential dangers is to explore your home at a child’s level by getting down on your hands and knees,” Helms says. “Cover every room and ask yourself what looks tempting and what is within reach (between the floor and about 40 inches above). Also, check carpets for buried dangers like pins or coins.”
Although childproofing a home can never be 100 percent effective, Helms stresses that parents should always supervise their children, especially around water, in the kitchen or bathroom, and wherever known hazards exist.
Here are 10 ways to babyproof your home:
- Move appliances, breakables, and cords out of reach. Be sure to keep these items away from cribs and bathing and diaper-changing areas.
- Change your baby's diaper on a low surface so he or she cannot roll off. Changing your child on the floor is a good alternative.
- Take any large stuffed animals, bumpers, and pillows out of your child’s crib so your child can’t climb out.
- Place corner guards on sharp edges, such as table corners or fireplaces.
- Place a baby gate at the top and bottom of the staircase.
- Cover all electrical outlets.
- Prevent scald burns by setting your water heater to 120 degrees.
- Plan and practice a fire escape plan.
- Lock up all cupboards that contain medications and toxic products. Post the Poison Hotline number 1-800-222-1222 in a high-visibility area.
- Mount flat-panel TVs to the wall and place large, box-style TVs on a low, stable piece of furniture. Use brackets, braces, or wall straps to secure unstable or top-heavy furniture to the wall.
Baby Powder
Baby powder is used by many parents when changing diapers to prevent friction and absorb extra moisture. For many parents, the sweet smell of baby powder is synonymous with an infant. However, there is a real risk of powder inhalation that can occur when applying powder to the child, as it is almost impossible to keep the powder out of the air. In some cases, the child may play with the powder or even confuse it with a bottle. Inhaling the powder can actually cause breathing problems, severe lung damage, and even death. While only a small percentage of children may experience breathing problems and complications, this is an unnecessary risk given that there is no real medical indication for these powders. Therefore, pediatricians generally recommend against using these products.
- If you do choose to use these products on your child, keep these things in mind:
- Keep the powder away from the child’s face.
- Put the powder in your hands first, away from the baby, and then apply to the baby’s skin.
- Only use it sparingly, and remember to keep the bottle put away so that children don’t have access to it.
Products made with cornstarch should be used instead of products made with talc, as these particles are larger and more difficult to inhale, but they may still cause problems. Don’t use these products around any high-risk patients with preexisting lung problems, such as premature infants, children with recent lung infections, or those with asthma. Alternative options to treat diaper rash include over the counter creams and ointments.