Babyproofing home a must

By Kent Steinriede
Gannett News Service

Babies spend much of their time satisfying their curiosity. Babyproofing your home can eliminate many of the potential dangers. Gannett News Service

It's an ongoing process, because children spend much of their day exploring and satisfying their curiosity.

Here is how to begin babyproofing your house. Although there are plenty of products to help, babyproofing is as much about vigilance and forming safe habits as it is locking up things.

Step 1: Get down

Lie down on the floor in the middle of the room and look around. You now have a baby's-eye view of the world.

Look for electrical outlets, extension cords, cabinets and drawers that a little person just 3 feet tall can access. These are what you'll need to address first. Also, look for hidden, small, loose objects that a baby can grab and put in his mouth, such as coins, poker chips or game pieces. These are all choking hazards.

Among children less than 1 year old, choking is the leading cause of accidental injury-related death, followed by motor-vehicle accidents, drowning, and fire and burns. Each year, nearly 1,000 children die from choking, according to the National Safe Kids Campaign.

Step 2: Clear clutter

Clear off the coffee table, or remove it. Toddlers love clearing books, trinkets and ashtrays off a coffee table in one swoop. As they get older, many children like to climb onto the coffee table. Don't empty your pockets and leave your wallet, change and keys on the table. Children like to play with keys and empty out wallets, spreading credit cards and receipts all over the floor. More important, they can choke on the change.

Step 3: Get rid of poisonous chemicals

Take note of where things are stored. Bug killers, detergents, cleaning products and other toxic substances should be stored in locked cabinets as high as possible or in a locked room where the child is not allowed to go. To a child, a bottle of Windex looks like blue juice. Have the number of your local poison control center posted on the fridge or another central location near a phone.

Step 4: Inspect the kitchen

On a boat, all the cabinets in the galley lock so that things don't go flying when the boat starts to rock. It's almost the same when you have a child in the kitchen. Lock all drawers and cabinets within reach of a child. There are several different cabinet- and door-locking systems, so make sure that you get the right kind for your house. Keep hazards such as knives and liquor as high as possible because, eventually, many children figure out how to open child-proof locks. On the stove, install knob covers so that the child cannot turn on the stove. If the child is in the kitchen, use the back burners and make sure that no pot handles hang over the edge of the stove, where a child can touch them or knock over the pot. There are many products that cover and lock electrical outlets and switches. Make sure that each outlet has a cover, even ones with cords plugged into them.

Step 5: Inventory your plants

Many common plants are poisonous, such as philodendron and rubber plant. If possible, remove them.

Step 6: Cool it

Reduce the temperature of the water heater to 120 degrees. It takes just three seconds for tap water at 140 degrees to cause third-degree burns on a child.

Step 7: Banish bathroom hazards

A child can drown in a toilet. Keep a lock on the toilet seat. As in the kitchen, store any household cleaning products, soaps and cosmetics up high or locked away.

Step 8: Step up stair security

Install a gate at the top and bottom of all staircases and in the doorways of any rooms where you don't want the baby to go. Permanent gates, which are screwed into the wall or doorjamb, are better than those held in place by pressure because a child is likely to rattle and climb on a gate, making it unstable.