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| Home Safety for Kids |
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Home Safety for Kids (and Adults)
You and your kids chances of getting hurt in your own home are higher than getting hurt at work or school. Young children and the elderly are the most likely to get hurt. Falls kill more people than any other accident besides car crashes. Child safety in the home is crucial because, young children get into everyday items that often hurt or even kill them. Many children become sick or die from ingesting household items like medicine, makeup or plants. Fire is still one of the main causes of death in the home, the elderly are most at risk because they may not be able to flee the building. Choking on food that is stuck in the throat along with suffocation are also causes of deaths in the home. Children under 4 are most likely to choke, especially on items not intended to be placed in the mouth, such as buttons or coins. Suffocation can happen from getting tangled in sheets, blankets or plastic bags. Drowning kills more than 1,000 children ages 14 and under every year. Below are some useful home safety for kids tips to help you make your home a safer place.
Falls
1. Keep floors, especially in hallways and on stairs, free of things that could cause a trip or slip.
2. Make sure your stairs are in good shape, including the railings.
3. Make sure your home is well lighted.
Poison
4. Go through your home with a child's view to find items that may be in her reach that could cause damage. Make sure your cleaning supplies and medicines are kept securely out of reach.
Fire
5. Make you have smoke alarms spaced throughout your home and that they are in good working condition.
6. Keep matches and lighters in a secure place.
7. Talk about fire safety with your children and go over an exit plan.
Choking
8. Keep an eye on children while eating and playing.
9. Make sure the toys that are available to your child are appropriate for their age.
Drowning
10. Put a fence with a locked gate around your pool.
11. Don't leave toys in the pool or near the edge of the pool to create a tripping hazard.
12. Don't let your children run around the pool.
13. Never leave your child unattended in the bath tub, sink or near any water. Shallow water can easily drown a small child.
©2005 ForeverAndAlways.com |
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