As a parent, nothing is more important than providing your kids with a safe and healthy environment to grow in. Understandably, this concern has become more urgent within the context of the global pandemic. However, this shouldn’t necessarily come at the expense of impeding upon their freedom just to keep them away from harm.
Kids will naturally grow to become more curious as they age, wanting to explore their surroundings to learn more about the world. Not to mention, their energy levels will also be filled to the brim. Letting them run around and experience their environment is an essential part of the process of growing up. Striking a delicate balance between these two factors is vital.
The Perils of Summer
Additionally, it’s also been observed that the summer months are generally a more hazardous time for children. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have reported that approximately 40 percent of all unintentional injuries inflicted on newborns to 19-year-olds happen between May and August. Parents should essentially be more aware of the potential risks that are scattered within the home.
As the family spends more time indoors, it also increases the need for children to be supervised. Particularly as parents might be more distracted while juggling their responsibilities between home and work. Here are some of the most common household dangers you should look out for, and ways you could prevent accidents from occurring.
Walled Off
Walls are quite possibly kids’ worst enemies, especially for energetic younger children who love to run around the house. These can prove to be the biggest causes for bumps and bruises precisely because kids will often run into them.
To avoid this from happening, consider installing faux wall panels in areas where your kid frequently plays like their bedroom and playroom. These products are usually made out of foam composites, which will greatly reduce the chances of major injuries occurring.
Great Heights
Alongside the walls of your home, windows can also prove to have fatal consequences for younger children aged 5 or below. In fact, it’s been regarded as one of the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s five hidden home hazards.
An estimated average of 7 deaths occurs annually as a result of children falling from windows. To prevent this, consider installing window guards throughout your home. As much as possible, avoid placing any kind of furniture that your kid can climb on near windows.
Harmful Links
Electrical outlets are one of the more obvious threats that are present within any household, but these can easily be mitigated by installing outlet covers. However, some of the hidden hazards connected to these are electrical cables.
Poor management of the cords of your electronic devices poses a choking hazard to your child. They could get caught up in it and accidentally strangle themselves. It’s important to keep cables out of children’s reach to keep these circumstances from happening.
Not for Consumption
Aside from electric cords, other choking hazards can also come in the form of small objects like coins or toy pieces. It’s important to choose toys that are appropriate to your child’s age. This will make it easier for them to interact with these items while reducing these unnecessary risks.
Topple Trouble
You should also be aware of the potential dangers that huge furniture like TVs, bookcases, and drawers present to your kid. These are all very top-heavy items that could fall down on children if they accidentally pull on them.
Make sure to anchor these kinds of furniture properly to the wall or secure them to a bracket. You could also store heavier objects on the lower parts of these items to prevent them from tipping over. It’s also best to make enticing items such as toys readily accessible for kids so that they won’t injure themselves trying to reach for it.
Through a Child’s Eyes
After more than a year of living with the current crisis, experts have necessarily come up with a few tips to help you achieve that much-needed balance between safety and freedom. You can still keep your child safe while also letting them go through developmental stages by interacting with their surroundings.
Nonetheless, taking care of your kids will always begin at home. This is especially true as shelter-in-place measures continue to be implemented despite the ongoing vaccination rollout programs across the country. To keep your home safe and secure, take a look at certain spaces from your child’s point of view.
Health and safety have become a top priority for everyone in light of the global pandemic. However, it’s important to note that there are still plenty of hazards to consider outside of harmful viruses and bacteria. Oftentimes, your home is already be filled with potential risks that could injure your child. Make sure to identify all of these risks and take the appropriate steps to eliminate them completely.
