Home Safety

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Children under the age of five are at the greatest risk of hurting themselves in the home because that is where children spend most of their time learning and growing.

40% of unintentional injuries occur in and around the home. The good news is that most of these injuries can be prevented.

Supervision is the best way to keep your children safe. However, here are some things you can do to help make your child’s environment safer.

Bathroom
	Put a lock on the medicine cabinet to help prevent a poisoning.
	Put a toilet lock on toilet lid to help prevent drowning.
	Turn down hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to help prevent scalds and burns.
Child’s Room
	Move furniture away from windows to help prevent falls.
	Wind up or cut blind cords to help prevent strangulation.
	Always use straps on changing table to help prevent falls.
	Always place baby on his/her back to sleep.
	Remove soft bedding and stuffed animals from cribs to help prevent suffocation.
Family Room
	Use window stops or locks so windows do not open more than 4 inches to help prevent falls.
	Put corner protectors on tables with sharp corners to help prevent injuries from falls.
	Keep toys and small objects away from children to help prevent choking.
	Install outlet protectors in all outlets to help prevent electrocution.
Kitchen
	Always strap your child in a high chair to help prevent falls.
	Cut all round-shaped foods into small pieces to help prevent choking (hot dogs, carrots, grapes).
	Install stair gate to help prevent falls.
	Put sharp objects in a locked drawer to help prevent cuts.
	Keep all buckets stored upside down to help prevent drowning.
	Keep emergency phone numbers including Poison Control by the phone - Poison Control 1-800-222-1222.