How to Babyproof Your Home

Chasing a crawling infant or an active toddler around the house is physically and mentally challenging enough. The last thing you need to worry about is your child grabbing a hazardous item, getting too close to a fireplace or a heavy object falling on them. Avoiding these potentially dangerous interactions is why babyproofing your home is so important. This blog will provide tips on which items you need for your home and give a room-by-room checklist of what to babyproof.

Common causes of childhood accidents

Childhood accidents occur at home more than you’d think. Each year, about 3.5 million children end up in the emergency room from injuries that commonly happen under your own roof.

Here are some of the most common preventable causes of accidents at home:

• Drowning: If doors aren’t locked or certain areas of your house aren’t secured, children can wander into pools or bathtubs.
• Burns: Exposure to heat or flames in the kitchen can cause burns. Access to an outdoor grill or fire pit can also lead to injury.
• Poisoning: Failing to secure toxic substances, chemical sprays and medications in cabinets or storage containers can lead to a trip to the hospital.
• Falls: Climbing on furniture or falling down the stairs are common ways for children to suffer an injury.
• Suffocation: This mainly occurs in your bedroom or nursery. Knowing safe sleep habits can help prevent suffocation.
• Choking hazards: Small food and toys can easily become stuck in your child’s throat and cause them to choke.

When should you babyproof your house?

Ideally, you can make many of these modifications or additions during your pregnancy before your child comes home from the hospital. But there isn’t a set timeframe, per se. 

Setting up the nursery and creating a safe sleep environment are the first priorities. You should ensure smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are installed. During the newborn stage, an anti-scald valve is also recommended to help ensure the water temperature is safe for your child once you start bathing them, either in the sink or bathtub. 

From there, you have several months until your child begins to sit up and move. You’ll want to have all of your baby proof measures in order by the time your child begins to crawl, which typically occurs anywhere from 6 to 9 months old.

One important note to consider: Babyproofing is an evolving concept. You’ll need to constantly add and tweak safety protections as your child grows and is more active.

Tools to have on hand

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends parents use the following items to remove hazards and prevent household injuries.

Safety latches and locks: Whether in the kitchen or a bathroom, latches and locks are important in preventing your child from rummaging through drawers or cabinets with potentially dangerous materials. Locks can either be flex locks or magnetic locks that require a key.

Safety gate: Gates serve many purposes, from preventing a child from entering or exiting a room to preventing them from falling down the stairs.

Door knob covers and door locks: Much like gates, knob covers and locks prevent your child from entering a room or area of the house you don’t want them in.

Anti-scald devices: These devices are placed on sinks, showers and tubs to prevent your child from burning themselves from hot water.

Smoke alarms: Each level and bedroom should have a smoke alarm to alert you of a fire.

Window guards: Screens won’t prevent your child from falling out a window, so window guards and wedges should be installed so windows can’t be opened more than a few inches.

Corner and edge bumpers: Coffee tables, chairs and other furniture can have sharp edges that need a bumper to prevent injury.

Outlet covers and outlet plates: Covering electrical outlets prevents your child from sticking their fingers in a socket and getting electrocuted. 

Carbon monoxide (CO) alarm:  You should install carbon monoxide alarms in all sleeping areas.

Cordless window coverings: Cords from curtains or blinds pose a strangulation risk. You can either buy new window coverings or request a free repair kit from the Window Covering Safety Council. Continuous-loop cords should be anchored to the floor or wall.

Furniture and appliance anchors: Children tend to climb on things, so securing televisions or bookcases can prevent them from falling over.

Childproofing your home

Before you start, get a glimpse of how your child views things. It may seem silly, but get on your hands and knees to simulate what is at eye level and within reach to grab and touch.

Here is a room-by-room checklist of things to do to childproof your home.

Bathroom

• Place childproof latches on doors and drawers.
• Install a toilet-lid lock.
• Lock away cleaning supplies and prescription medications – even over-the-counter medications can pose a safety risk to your child.
• Put away any liquids that can be dangerous to your child, such as perfumes, mouthwashes and nail polishes.
• Cover all unused electrical outlets with safety plugs.

Kitchen

• Put knives away in a cabinet with a childproof latch or lock.
• Place a lock on your dishwasher so your child can’t climb in it.
• Cover all unused electrical outlets with safety plugs.
• Place a lock on your stove.
• Install knob protectors on cabinets.
• Install an anti-tip bracket for your oven/range.
• When cooking, place the handles of pots and pans inward so children can’t grab or knock them over.
• Place garbage in a latched cabinet
• Place a latch on the cabinet under your sink if this area has cleaning supplies or other hazardous materials. As an added layer of prevention, store these supplies in a high cabinet out of the reach of your child.
• For kitchens with a gas stove, install a carbon monoxide detector.
• Keep plastic bags, sandwich bags, storage bags and things like plastic wrap and aluminum foil in a cabinet with a childproof latch. Plastic bags can cause suffocation, and aluminum foil has sharp edges that can create cuts.
• Place portable appliances – toasters, coffee maker, stand mixer – out of your child’s reach.

Bedroom

• Firearms, whether in your bedroom or a common living area, should be kept in a locked space. Hide the key to the lock and keep the ammunition locked in a separate area.
• Place non-slip pads under any area rugs
• Cover all unused electrical outlets with safety plugs.
• Push TVs to the back of the wall or bracket them to the wall to avoid tipping over.
• Keep the cords from window blinds and curtains away from your child’s reach.
• Lamps should go behind furniture to prevent your child from pulling them down.
• Install window guards or wedges. Windows should only be able to open a few inches to prevent your child from climbing out.

Nursery

• Purchase a safety belt for the changing table so your child doesn’t roll off when you’re not looking.
• Place the crib away from windows to prevent your child from climbing out the window when they become more mobile.
• Install a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm.
• Cover all unused electrical outlets with safety plugs.
• Place child proof screens over heater vents
• In the winter, keep electrical space heaters at least 3 feet away from any flammable objects, such as curtains or a bed.
• Clear any toys or stuffed animals from your child’s crib or bassinet when they sleep.
• Keep the cords from window blinds and curtains away from your child’s reach.
• Place non-slip pads under any area rugs
• To store toys, purchase an open box or bin instead of a closed box to prevent your child from climbing in and becoming trapped inside.

Living room/family room

• Cover all unused electrical outlets with safety plugs.
• If you have a fireplace or gas stove, place a child proof screen around the opening.
• Place child proof screens over heater vents.
• If possible, bracket your TV to the wall to avoid tipping over.
• Install a smoke alarm.
• Keep the cords from window blinds and curtains away from your child’s reach.
• Place non-slip pads under any area rugs.
• Place lamps behind furniture to prevent your child from pulling them down.
• Any sharp corners or edges should have guards attached to them.

Laundry room

• Store detergents and other supplies in a high cabinet or one with a childproof latch or lock. Detergent pods are especially dangerous because they can resemble candy.

Garage

• Keep tools locked away, including power tools, hammers, drills and saws. If possible, store them in a separate place such as a shed.
• Place poisonous liquids, such as pesticides, locked away and out of reach.

Outdoors

• Secure garbage cans to prevent them from toppling over on your child.
• For backyards, install a climb-proof fence
• If you have a pool, install a child-proof lock on your gate.

For more lifestyle and wellness tips and information, visit the INTEGRIS Health For You blog.