Children . . . their sense of interest and creativity gives them the ability to explore and turn their imagination loose on everyday household items! Boxes become their Ferrari or an industructable fortress. The attic takes on the role of a secret cave loaded with hidden treasure. Your favorite kitchen dishes are also the choice set for use when make believe royalty comes for tea. This is all natural for children to explore their senses, however, this can mean they also venture into dangerous situations in the home.

Children below seven years of age often have trouble making the correlation between their actions and potential consequences. Occasionally, those actions result in injury. The following are some accident prevention tips that may help avoid such accidents.


IN GENERAL . . . 

*Children like to mimic adults. They may try to seem grown up by taking their parents medication. It is advisable to never let your children see you take medication and to store bottles well out of reach. Make sure all family members know what mumber to call in case of a poisoning. In most parts of Canada, 911 can dispatch an ambulance in the event of poisoning. You may also wish to check the front of your local phone book to see if there is a direct number for poison control.
* Another case in which imitation can be hazardous is cigarette smoking. Children playing with matches and lighting cigarettes has lead to serious burns and home fires.
* Place your plants on secure furniture at least one metre off the floor. Some household plants are poisonous to people and pets alike eg: chrysanthemums (referred to as mums), poinsettia, aloe vera and hydrangea, to name a few.

KITCHEN

*Never put enedible products in food or drink containers, even when you have re-labelled accordingly. Children may not be able to read, but could recognize the container.
*Drawers should have stops to prevent them being fully pulled out.
*Keep sharp objects such as scissors and knives out of reach of little hands.
*Oven cleaners, disinfectants and other chemical agents should be stored in a locked cupboard or on a high shelf.
*Ideally, power outlets shold be located well away from the sink and taps to prevent any electrical appliances from coming in contact with water. (Check & find out if the plugs have a G.F.I. (ground fault interupter) either built in or at the electrical box. If not, its not a bad idea to have them installed.)
* Cook on the rear stove elements to prevent children reaching up and burning their hands. Stove guards around the front and sides of the stove is also a good idea.
* Childproof fasteners on kitchen drawers and cupboards will help keep them closed.

BATHROOM

*Put non-slip stickers on the bottom of the bathtub or shower stall.
*Young children should never be left unsupervised in the bath
*Tap water can be hot enough to scald a child. Set your hot water heater to a maximum of 50 degrees C. and also ensure that hot water pipes are not exposed for small hands to grab.
* Do not use bathroom accessories (cups, soap dishes, etc.) that are made of glass, ceramic or other shattering materials. Plastic is the way to go with small soapy, slippy hands!
* Electrical appliances should be unplugged and placed out of the way. Even better, it could be an idea to cover the electric outlet with tape and paint over it until all the children are older.

LAUNDRY

* Ironing boards are never an engineering marvel and always tend to be wobbly. A wall mount ironing board is preferable.
* Bleach, detergents, etc. should be stored in a locked cabinet.

BEDROOMS

• * Bunk beds are not recommended for children under the age of eight. Bunk beds should have sturdy guard rails on all sides and a ladder that is permanently attached.
  * Young children tend to trip and stumble quite often, carpet is much better at impact absorbing than wood or tile floors.
  * All bookshelves and wall units should be firmly anchored to the wall to prevent a child from pulling them over.
  * Paint the kids rooms using a lead-free low-emmission water-based paint (as well as other areas of the home!).

BALCONIES & DECKS

* Install nylon netting or Plexiglas across deck and balcony railing to prevent squeezing through or getting trapped.

FIRE HAZRDS

* Have a fire evacuation plan in place and practice escape routes with your family twice a year.
* Be sure there is at least one window or sliding door on the upper level of your home which opens wide enough to allow an adult to exit easily. If your home is tall, an escape ladder may be an idea.
* A fire extinguisher in the kitchen is essetial and one in a room with a fireplace plus one upstairs is great planning (plus a cost savings on your home insurance). Make sure to read the instructions on how to use the extiguishers . . . seconds count!
* Place screened barriers around fireplaces, radiators, and portable space heaters. Children are amazed at heat and naturally drawn to it.

These steps will make your home a safer environment for children to grow up in and while they may never stop imaging new uses for household items, they will be limited in the danger they can cause themselves.