5 Tips to Babyproof Your Home

A completely babyproof house, of course, doesn't exist. However, you can take certain measures to ensure your home becomes much safer for your baby, toddler, or preschooler. Did you know that annually 140,000 children end up in the Emergency Room (ER) after an accident? A large portion of these accidents occur in or around the home. That's why we provide you with 5 tips to make your home as safe as possible for children.

Tip 1: Prevent a fall from the stairs with a stair gate and non-slip stair coverings
Annually, 3,700 children between the ages of 0-5 are treated in the Emergency Room due to a fall from the stairs. By placing a stair gate both at the top and bottom, the chances of this happening to your child are significantly reduced. Ensure your stair gate meets important requirements: it must be properly secured (use screws instead of pressure buttons), there should be a maximum of 6.5 cm between the floor and the gate, and the gate should be high enough. The standard is 65 cm high, but VeiligheidNL advises a minimum height of 75 cm. This advice is based on calculations of the height of the center of gravity of a 1-year-old child. Not all parents consider that a stair gate is suitable for children up to 2 years old. Older children quickly learn to open a stair gate themselves. Additionally, ensure non-slip coverings on the stair treads and do not leave anything lying around on the stairs.

Tip 2: Be cautious with medications
Medications look like candies. Enough reason for children to put them in their mouths. After fall accidents, poisoning, for example by medications, is the most common cause for a child's admission to the Emergency Room. Therefore, it is important to store medications high up or locked away. The same applies to cleaning agents, shampoo, toilet blocks, and vitamin pills. Most parents are aware of this, yet many poisonings still occur. In 25% of cases, this is due to medications from a visitor's bag. It is therefore good to inform visitors, such as grandparents, about the risks.

Tip 3: Securely close the bathroom and toilet to prevent drowning
Did you know that a child can drown in just 2 centimeters of water? They do not yet have the strength and coordination to lift their head once their mouth and nose are underwater. You certainly don't want this to happen to your child. Therefore, ensure your child cannot access water and always stay nearby when your child is in the bath. Even when there are only a few centimeters of water in the bath and your child is sitting upright, it is important not to leave your child alone. Make sure you have everything you need for the bath within reach.

Tip 4: Cut soft compressible food into quarters
Choking is the most common cause of disability or death in children under three years old. The majority of these accidents occur at home. Particularly cherry tomatoes, sausages, grapes, and other compressible foods are dangerous "chokers." Soft compressible food, or food that can be shaped and completely block the airway, should always be cut into quarters. Again, never leave your child alone while they are eating. Ensure that eating is done only while sitting. Also, be aware that there are other choking hazards in the home, such as coins, latex balloons, and toys.

Tip 5: View your own home from a child's perspective
Low power outlets, dangling cords (which children can chew on), tablecloths that can be pulled on: when you view your home from a child's perspective, you see various dangers. Is the TV remote control (with batteries) out of your little one's reach? Do you not have sound cards (with a button cell battery) on the windowsill? Is there no loose cord from the kettle or coffee maker in the kitchen? Take a look at your home from the ground level and discover where else you need to make changes.

Would you like personalized safety advice from an expert?
Would you like to receive more safety tips for your home? You can find themhereon our website.NEW: From now on, you can request a safety scan from EHBO Bureau before an at-home first aid course. Together with an expert, you will go through each room in your home to make it as babyproof as possible. Interested? Email alex@ehbobureau.nlfor more information.