These simple measures will make your home safer

Your home is where you and your family spend most of your time, it is therefore important to not only ensure that it is comfortable, but also safe for everyone, especially your children.

This week, we will discuss ways in which you can childproof your home.

•Ensure that all household chemicals such as bleach, paraffin, and other toxic products are stored in places where a child cannot see or reach them. Most of these products are poisonous and could easily cause death if consumed.

Store them in locked cabinets or shelves that are not easily accessible to children. Medicine should be stored in original containers and away from food products, while paraffin should never be stored in soda bottles or containers that suggest whatever is in them is edible.

•To prevent your children from getting an electric shock, cover all sockets with safety caps, to prevent them from sticking objects or fingers in the outlets.

Electrical gadgets such as phone chargers should be unplugged immediately after use, since children can put them in the mouth, an action that can cause electric shock. Unplug the iron box too, since your child could easily switch it on and burn himself.

•Young children can drown in just a few inches of water, therefore do not leave buckets or bathtubs with water, and always supervise your children while they swim. Also, never leave your child alone in the bath even for a few seconds. Also, always keep the toilet seat closed, or better still, keep the toiled locked.

•To avoid choking, keep away small items that your child can easily put in the mouth. These include coins, beads, buttons, or even nuts. Also, buy toys that match your child’s age and skills, and avoid those with small parts. Also, do not buy toys with sharp edges.

• Avoid using table cloths – should your child pull them down, he might be burnt if there are hot beverages on the table, or get cut by broken glass.

•Cover the corners and edges of furniture to prevent injury.

•When cooking, the handles of pans and pots should be out of the way, since your child could grab them, and overturn the hot contents on himself. Better still, keep your children away from the kitchen while cooking. Also keep matchboxes and other lighters in an unreachable place.

•Ensure that your child’s bed is free of cushions or pillows, and other items that can interfere with  breathing and cause suffocation.

•Secure the windows, and keep doors locked to prevent your children from falling. If you have young children, install stair gates to prevent them from accessing the stairs.

•Ensure that there are fences or gates around the backyard to prevent them from wondering outside. If there are swimming pools or ponds outside, a gate or fence will prevent your child from accessing them.

Accidents and injuries cannot be totally avoided, but measures can be taken to help minimise their occurrence and reduce their severity should they happen.