Babies reach, grasp, roll, sit, and eventually crawl, pull up,
"cruise" along furniture, and walk. At many stages in the
first 2 years or so, they're able to move around, tumble over,
and get into things in one way or another. And climbing is
something all kids do, but toddlers may not have the coordination
to react to certain dangers. They'll pull themselves up using
table legs; they'll use bureaus and dressers as jungle gyms;
they'll reach for whatever they can see.
So the potential for a dangerous fall or a tumble into a sharp
edge can happen in nearly every area of your home at nearly every
age. Here are some steps you can take to help prevent your child
from getting hurt in your home:
Walkers
- Don't use a walker for your infant. Baby walkers send
more than 14,000 children to the hospital every year for falls
and other injuries, according to the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP), which discourages parents from using them.
Babies in walkers can fall over objects; roll into hot stoves,
pools, and heaters; and roll down stairs. Walkers may give a baby
the momentum needed to break through a gate (sometimes with
stairs on the other side).
- Instead of a walker, use a stationary activity saucer.
Windows
- Don't rely on window screens to keep children from
falling out of windows.
- Open windows from the top or use window guards to prevent
your child from falling through screens or open windows (kids can
fall from windows opened as little as 5 inches, or 12.7
centimeters). Make sure window guards are childproof but easy for
adults to open in case of fire.
- Move chairs, cribs, beds, and other furniture away from
windows to prevent children from climbing onto sills.
Stairs
- Never leave a child unattended around stairs - even those
that are gated. Babies can climb up the gate at the top of the
steps and fall from an even greater height. Properly install a
safety gate at the door of your child's room to prevent the
baby from ever even reaching the top of the stairs.
- Keep stairways clear of toys, shoes, loose carpeting,
etc.
- Place a guard on banisters and railings if your child can fit
through the rails.
- Install hardware-mounted safety gates at the top and bottom
of every stairway (pressure-mounted gates aren't as
secure).
- Avoid accordion gates, which can trap a child's
head.
- When you child reaches 10 to 12 months old, teach him or her
how to go down stairs backward - your child's only example is
you going down forward.
Around Your Home
- Don't keep loose rugs on the floor. Put specially
designed pads under rugs to hold them securely to the floor's
surface.
- Never put babies in child safety seats, infant seats, or
bouncer seats on a countertop or atop furniture. The force of the
baby's movements could propel the seat over the side and
cause serious injuries.
- Make sure all pieces of furniture a child might climb on -
tables, bureaus, cabinets, TV stands, etc. - are sturdy and
won't fall over. Be particularly careful of top-heavy pieces
like overloaded bookshelves or entertainment centers that can
fall on your child. You can also buy "L" brackets to
attach furniture to walls to prevent your child from climbing on
furniture and having it topple over.
- Attach protective padding or other specially designed covers
to corners of coffee tables, furniture, and countertops with
sharp edges.
- Clean up any spills around the home immediately.
- Apply nonskid strips to the bottoms of bathtubs.
Cribs, Beds, and Changing Tables
- Never leave a baby unattended on a changing table or bed. If
the phone rings while you have your baby on the changing table,
bring the baby with you while you answer the call. If you must
leave for a moment, put the baby on the floor or in a playpen or
crib.
- Don't put a child under age 6 on the top bunk of a bunk
bed. Attach guardrails to the side of the top bunk.
- Keep side rails up on cribs.
- Use changing tables with 2-inch (5-centimeter)
guardrails.
- Always secure and use safety belts on changing tables, as
well as on strollers, carriages, and highchairs. Be sure to strap
a small child securely into the seat of a store shopping
cart.
- Remove bumpers from cribs once your baby starts to pull up
and stand to prevent him or her from using the bumpers to try to
climb out of the crib.
Outdoors
- Never allow a child to play on a trampoline, even with adult
supervision.
- Be sure outdoor playground equipment is safe, with no loose
parts or rust.
- Make sure playground surfaces are soft enough to absorb the
shock of falls. Good surface materials include sand and wood
chips; avoid playgrounds with concrete and packed dirt.
- Make sure sidewalks and outdoor steps are clear of toys,
objects, and anything blocking a clear path. Repair any cracks or
missing pieces in walkways.
- If your child has started to ride a bike, make sure he or she
wears a helmet and is well-versed in bicycle safety and signals.
Head injuries are far too common in this age group, so enforce
your helmet rule.
Be Prepared
If you're expecting a baby or you already have a child,
it's a good idea to:
- Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the Heimlich
maneuver.
- Keep the following numbers near the phone (for yourself and
caregivers):
- toll-free poison-control number
- child's doctor's number
- parents' work and cell phone numbers
- neighbor's or nearby relative's number (if you need
someone to watch other children in an emergency)
- Make a first-aid kit and keep emergency instructions
inside.
- Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
Maintaining a Safe, Kid-Friendly Environment
To check your childproofing efforts, get down on your hands and
knees in every room of your home to see things from a child's
perspective. Be aware of your child's surroundings and what
might be potentially dangerous.
Completely childproofing your home can be difficult. If you
can't childproof the entire house, you can shut the doors (and
install doorknob covers) to any room a child shouldn't enter to
prevent wandering into places that haven't been properly
childproofed. For sliding doors, doorknob covers and childproof
locks are also great for keeping little ones from leaving your
home. Of course, how much or how little you childproof your home is
up to you. Supervision is the very best way to help prevent kids
from getting injured. However, even the most vigilant parent
can't keep a child 100% safe at all times.
Whether you have a baby, toddler, or school-age child, your home
should be a haven where your little one can explore safely.
After all, touching, holding, climbing, and exploring are the
activities that develop your child's body and mind.
Reviewed by:
Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: November 2007
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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