5 Child Safety Hazards in your Home

New arrival on the way?  Or perhaps your little one is about to start crawling or walking.  There are several items in your home that could be a potential safety hazard to your child.

1.)  The Dishwasher:  Your dishwasher is a kids climbing dream.  For younger babies who haven’t quite mastered how to walk, having the dishwasher door to help pull up on is very convenient.  Dishwashers can give children easy access to sharp knives and utensils.  the detergent pods can look like candy or toys and cause serious reactions if ingested.

Safety Tip:  Keep all utensils face down when loaded in the wash.  Also don’t fill the dispenser with any soap until you are about to run it, and of course always keep the door closed and locked.

2.)  Hand-me-downs:  Who doesn’t love hand-me-downs?  Especially when it is an item that your child will outgrow within the next 6 months.  There are several dangers with hand-me-downs though.  To start items get recalled all the time, and if you did not purchase the item, then you may never be informed of this recall.  Second, new safety regulations come out all the time, so that second hand car seat that you just got may actually be out of date.  Lastly items might be missing parts by the time it gets to you.

Safety Tip:  Always thoroughly check items to make sure every part is where it should be.  You can also visit www.cpsc.gov to make sure items are up to today’s standards.

3.)  The family dog:  Dog toys, medicines, food, etc. need to always be kept out of reach from small children.  Toys with small squeakers in them should be removed, not only for your child’s safety, but for your dogs as well.  You also want to make sure you never leave your child alone with your dog.  Even the most well behaved ones can become aggravated by a child’s rough nature.

Safety Tip:  Teach your child to respect your dogs boundaries.  Don’t let them mess with your dog when they are sleeping or eating, and always teach them to be gentle when petting or loving on your dog.

4.)  Laundry Room:  Cleaning supplies, hot irons, wobbly drying racks are all safety hazards that can be found in this room.

Safety Tip:  Keep all chemicals, cleaners, and detergents up high on a shelf and out of reach.  Make sure you are always in the room when an iron is plugged in, and always unfold your drying rack when it is not in use.

5.)  Bathroom:  Similar to your Laundry Room, bathrooms are also filled with poisonous cleaning products, hot curling irons and straighteners, and plenty of make-up and hair products for a child to get into.

Safety Tip:  Always keep irons and straighteners unplugged when not in use.  It is also a good idea to keep cords up on the counter and not hanging off the side, the last thing that you want if for your child to try to pull themselves up by your cord.  Also make sure you keep items put away in your cabinets and place a safety lock around the doors!