The 10 Child Safety Devices You Need in Your Home
992
Home & Family > Babies
Mar 1, 2007
Joan Yankowitz
The 10 Child Safety Devices You Need in Your Home
Did you know that you can childproof your home for a fraction of what it would cost to have a professional do it? Child safety devices are available at hardware stores, baby equipment shops, supermarkets, drug stores, home and linen stores, and through mail order catalogues.
Here are 10 child safety devices you need to help prevent injuries to young children.
1. Safety latches and locks ? use on cabinets and drawers to help prevent children from gaining access to medicines and household cleaners, as well as knives and other sharp objects.
Look for safety latches and locks that adults can easily install and use, but that are sturdy enough to withstand pulls and tugs from children. Safety latches are not a guarantee of protection, but they can make it more difficult for children to reach dangerous substances. Even products with child-resistant packaging should be locked away, out of reach. A safety latch or lock usually costs less than $2.00
2. Safety gates ? use to help prevent falls down stairs and keep children away from dangerous areas. Look for safety gates that children can?t easily dislodge, but that adults can open and close without difficulty. For the top of stairs, gates that screw to the wall are more secure than pressure gates.
New safety gates that meet safety standards display a certification seal from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). If you have an older safety gate, be sure it doesn't have "V" shapes that are large enough for a child's head and neck to fit into. A safety gate will cost from $13.00 to $40.00
3. Doorknob covers and door locks ? use to help keep children away from places with hazards, including swimming pools. Be sure the doorknob cover is sturdy enough not to break, but allows a door to be opened quickly by an adult in case of emergency.
By restricting access to potentially hazardous rooms in the home, doorknob covers could help prevent many kinds of injuries. To prevent access to swimming pools, door locks should be placed high out of reach of young children. Locks should be used in addition to fences and door alarms. Sliding glass doors, with locks that must be re-secured after each use, are often not an effective barrier to pools. A doorknob cover usually costs about $1.00 and a door lock usually costs $5.00 and up.
4. Anti-scald devices ? use for faucets and shower heads and set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to help prevent burns from hot water. An anti-scald device will cost from $6.00 to $30.00
5. Smoke detectors ? use on every level of your home and near bedrooms to alert you to fires. Smoke detectors are essential safety devices for protection against fire deaths and injuries.
Check smoke detectors once a month to make sure they're working. If detectors are battery-operated, change batteries at least once a year or consider using 10-year batteries. A smoke detector usually costs less than $10.00.
6. Window guards and safety netting ? use to help prevent falls from windows, balconies, decks, and landings. Check these safety devices frequently to make sure they are secure and properly installed and maintained. There should be no more than four inches between the bars of the window guard.
If you have window guards, be sure at least one window in each room can be easily used for escape in a fire. Window screens are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows. A window guard or safety netting usually costs from $8.00 to $16.00.
7. Corner and edge bumpers ? use to help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces. Be sure to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges. A corner and edge bumper usually costs $1.00 and up.
8. Outlet covers and outlet plates ? use to help protect children from electrical shock and possible electrocution. Be sure the outlet protectors cannot be easily removed by children and are large enough so that children cannot choke on them. An outlet cover usually costs less than $2.00.
9. Carbon monoxide (CO) detector ? use outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning. Install CO detectors near sleeping areas in your home. A carbon monoxide (CO) detector usually costs from $30.00 to $70.00.
10. Cordless phone ? use to make it easier to continuously watch young children, especially when they're in bathtubs, swimming pools, or other potentially dangerous areas. A cordless phone costs $30.00 and up.
You don?t need to spend a lot of money to childproof your home. But you do need to do it now. Joan Yankowitz publishes the popular consumer and business ?Kwik eGuides? at www.kwikeguides.com. Instantly download ?How to Keep Your Child Safe? Kwik eGuide at www.kwikeguides.com/child_safety.htm
Here are 10 child safety devices you need to help prevent injuries to young children.
1. Safety latches and locks ? use on cabinets and drawers to help prevent children from gaining access to medicines and household cleaners, as well as knives and other sharp objects.
Look for safety latches and locks that adults can easily install and use, but that are sturdy enough to withstand pulls and tugs from children. Safety latches are not a guarantee of protection, but they can make it more difficult for children to reach dangerous substances. Even products with child-resistant packaging should be locked away, out of reach. A safety latch or lock usually costs less than $2.00
2. Safety gates ? use to help prevent falls down stairs and keep children away from dangerous areas. Look for safety gates that children can?t easily dislodge, but that adults can open and close without difficulty. For the top of stairs, gates that screw to the wall are more secure than pressure gates.
New safety gates that meet safety standards display a certification seal from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). If you have an older safety gate, be sure it doesn't have "V" shapes that are large enough for a child's head and neck to fit into. A safety gate will cost from $13.00 to $40.00
3. Doorknob covers and door locks ? use to help keep children away from places with hazards, including swimming pools. Be sure the doorknob cover is sturdy enough not to break, but allows a door to be opened quickly by an adult in case of emergency.
By restricting access to potentially hazardous rooms in the home, doorknob covers could help prevent many kinds of injuries. To prevent access to swimming pools, door locks should be placed high out of reach of young children. Locks should be used in addition to fences and door alarms. Sliding glass doors, with locks that must be re-secured after each use, are often not an effective barrier to pools. A doorknob cover usually costs about $1.00 and a door lock usually costs $5.00 and up.
4. Anti-scald devices ? use for faucets and shower heads and set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to help prevent burns from hot water. An anti-scald device will cost from $6.00 to $30.00
5. Smoke detectors ? use on every level of your home and near bedrooms to alert you to fires. Smoke detectors are essential safety devices for protection against fire deaths and injuries.
Check smoke detectors once a month to make sure they're working. If detectors are battery-operated, change batteries at least once a year or consider using 10-year batteries. A smoke detector usually costs less than $10.00.
6. Window guards and safety netting ? use to help prevent falls from windows, balconies, decks, and landings. Check these safety devices frequently to make sure they are secure and properly installed and maintained. There should be no more than four inches between the bars of the window guard.
If you have window guards, be sure at least one window in each room can be easily used for escape in a fire. Window screens are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows. A window guard or safety netting usually costs from $8.00 to $16.00.
7. Corner and edge bumpers ? use to help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces. Be sure to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges. A corner and edge bumper usually costs $1.00 and up.
8. Outlet covers and outlet plates ? use to help protect children from electrical shock and possible electrocution. Be sure the outlet protectors cannot be easily removed by children and are large enough so that children cannot choke on them. An outlet cover usually costs less than $2.00.
9. Carbon monoxide (CO) detector ? use outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning. Install CO detectors near sleeping areas in your home. A carbon monoxide (CO) detector usually costs from $30.00 to $70.00.
10. Cordless phone ? use to make it easier to continuously watch young children, especially when they're in bathtubs, swimming pools, or other potentially dangerous areas. A cordless phone costs $30.00 and up.
You don?t need to spend a lot of money to childproof your home. But you do need to do it now. Joan Yankowitz publishes the popular consumer and business ?Kwik eGuides? at www.kwikeguides.com. Instantly download ?How to Keep Your Child Safe? Kwik eGuide at www.kwikeguides.com/child_safety.htm
Write a Review
Add to My Favorite
Refer it to Friend
Report Article
Other links owned by this user
Before heading out to catch some bass, take a look at these 20 important bass fishing tips. 1. Fish slowly, providing better action and enabling the fish to have ample eye contact. 2. When the bite seems to slow down, you
Category:
Did you know that you can childproof your home for a fraction of what it would cost to have a professional do it? Child safety devices are available at hardware stores, baby equipment shops, superrkets, drug stores, home and linen stores, and through
Category:
It?s a fact. Clear, high-quality photos will greatly enhance your chances of selling your products on eBay. Here are 12 simple tips that will help you make the most of your eBay product photos. 1. You don?t need an expensive, high-resolution
Category:
Did you know that you can negotiate the value of the vehicle, capitalized cost reduction, length of the lease, mileage allowance, and options and equipment when you?re leasing a car? Here?s all you need to know to get a great deal. ? The
Category:
Other links at Home & Family > Babies
Naming a baby is easy. All you have to do is think of a name that would suit him or her and viola, the child will carry it all throughout its life. Some pressure. Relax though, naming a baby should not be difficult. Just make sure that
Category:
Are you on a tight budget, but have an important baby shower that you must attend? Don?t worry; here are 10 great and inexpensive items that you can give as a gift, without breaking the bank: Gifts at $10 and below 1. Engraved
Category:
For the first ur to six months of your baby's life, his or her diet consists solely of milk, whether from breast or bottle. When it comes time to start feeding your baby solid od, many experts give conflicting advice about what the right types of
Category:
Babies are such a joy to be around and the feeling of excitement usually elevates during the period where its time to buy and select baby furniture for the baby. One of the essential pieces of baby furniture that a baby needs is a crib.
Category:
Who doesn' ge excied when a baby is on is way? Aside from he caring moher, everyone else in he family ges ha wonderful hrill as well. Welcoming anoher being ino his beauiful world comes wih an immerse joy, so o celebrae
Category:
Site Sponsor
Directory Statistics
Articles: 68191
Categories: 501
Yahoo Entertainment
