Childproofing Your Home from Some Unexpected Dangers

Whether you are getting ready to become a new parent or have been a parent for awhile now most every parent gets a little fearful when they think about all the dangers that their children could face throughout their lives. Parents begin childproofing homes usually while their child is still a baby and some go as far to childproof before the baby has yet to be born. One thing though is though parents are told by friends and relatives and other well wishers that the outlets need to be plugged and the stairs need a gate by them to prevent various injury's. There are some things and dangers that many new parents are either unaware of or they consider them an urban myth or a freak accident that does not happen on a normal basis enough that they should have to worry about them. It is dangerous to think like that or to just be unaware of what things can cause serious injuries, brain damage and in a lot of the cases death.

Cribs:

Besides SIDS (ask a doctor or nurse if you don't know what sids is) there are a couple other ways that the crib can cause serious harm or death to children and babies.

Just recently there has been a major crib recall over drop side cribs. The locking mechanism on the side that drops down can break or become faulty causing a hole in the side of the crib that is large enough for the child to fall into and get trapped. In most instinances when a child or baby becomes trapped they suffocate to death . Over 200 crib strangulations are reported each year. Make sure when you purchase a crib that it has not been recalled. It's best to buy your own rather than getting a used one from a relative or a garage sale. Try to buy one that does not have a drop side, if possible to find one.

Many people have known children or had children themselves that have grown into toddler hood still in their cribs have heard the screams that their child made while falling out of their crib. Many bones are broken each year because small children try to climb out of their cribs on their own. For the most part a broken bone can be mended the child will learn to not be so daring and the parents learn it's time to get the child a bigger bed; sometimes though when children go over the edge they can fall in a way that breaks that neck and causes death. This does not happen often but it still has happened. When your child can stand up it might be time to start thinking about getting them a toddler bed. Talk with your child's doctor about which beds are best for their transition from crib to bed.

Blinds:

This is something I unfortunately know something about. I had a friend whose young child got caught up in the lifting loop of the blind. While he had been playing jump up and down on the bed his neck got caught on one high jump and he was strangled to death. That is how my friend found her son, I can not imagine that but this happens and it never should. I would advise any parent of children of any age to just not use blinds in their home whatsoever but if you do then make sure you get ones that are made with child safety in mind. Most are made that way nowadays but not all. Just take a moment and inspect the blinds you never want to regret later on that you did not.

Co Sleeping:

Co Sleeping is something many parents, especially nursing mothers are doing lately. Bringing the new baby to bed with you and nursing them might seem like a nice idea for bonding time but it's better to just lay the baby down in the crib or basinet. A fall of the bed is not the only thing that can harm the child; sometimes the baby can get caught in between the bed and the wall and that can cause death from suffocation. Other times a sleeping parent either mom or dad might roll over onto the baby and suffocate them by accident either way the risks of suffocation death while co sleeping is very high.

Washers and Dryers:

Sometimes kids crawl into a dryer or washer for a hiding place and the other sibling will come along and playfully turn the machine on, not having any idea of the consequences that can happen. Children die this way because there is not a lock on the machines that prevent them from getting in; some places are starting to carry locks for that specific reason. Call around and find a place in your area that you can purchase them from or look online for one if you can't find one elsewhere.

As parents we want to do anything and everything we can to insure our children's safety but some things seem almost inconceivable in the way that they can cause harm. Don't think that just because you have not heard of something happening before or have not known of it happening to someone's child that it can't happen to yours.

References

http://www.parentguidenews.com/deadlyaccidents

http://www.prenswire.com/news/strangulationdeaths_of_children_prompt_recall

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsccpub