Stair Safety for Active Toddlers

A child falling down the stairs can be a parent's worst nightmare, and once a crawling baby turns into a roaming toddler, it can be much harder to keep him away from the staircase! But fortunately, there are quite a few things you can do to prevent such an accident from happening.

- First, you should definitely install a gate at the bottom of the stairs. Without it, your child can and probably will attempt to climb the stairs by himself and have a chance of tumbling back down them. A gate at the bottom will prevent this.

- Common advice says you should install a gate at the top of the stairs, as well. However, this has a potential for causing even worse damage if your toddler begins to try and climb over it. This can start at a very early age. Because of this, it's probably better to not let him roam around upstairs alone at all. Or as an alternative, install a wall-mounted gate at the top of the stairs, and then put a pressure gate above that one for when he is upstairs.

- If your stairs are bare, consider having them carpeted. In the chance of there being any accidents, this will help prevent slips in the future and make the stairs slightly more cushioned against any falls.

- Make sure to give your child plenty of time to practice learning how to go up and down the stairs. At 15 months of age, usually a child is old enough to start descending the stairs backwards on hands and knees. Encourage him to do this, while staying behind him at all times just in case. At around a year and a half, try walking him up and down the stairs while holding his hand.

- By the age of 2 you should teach your toddler to hold onto the railing while using the stairs. In some cases, a staircase's handrail is out of a small child's reach. If this is so, just buy a lower rail that will attach underneath the main one. This will make it easier for him to hold onto the railing while going up and down the steps. Of course, even with this you should remain with your child when using the stairs.

- If your stairs are carpeted, make sure there are no rips or holes in it. This can cause a danger for when your child begins to actually use the stairs, as he will be more susceptible to tripping and falling.

- Some staircases have gaps between each step. This can be a great hazard - children have been known to slip through them, which can cause a major injury or strangulation. If your staircase is like this, make sure to install backing between the steps.

- Always make sure to keep the stairs clear of any clutter. This is a danger for anyone, child or adult. Prevent risk of tripping and falling by not leaving things laying around on the stairs, and teach your children to avoid this as well.