Extra safety tips

❯❯ Crawl around on your hands and knees to get a child’s perspective on the home environment. This will help you to identify dangers.

❯❯ Children under 5 years of age are particularly vulnerable to injury in the home and need constant supervision and care. The parent or caregiver needs to be aware of a child’s different developmental stages to know what injuries could possibly befall the child at a particular age.

❯❯ At 6 months of age, or even earlier, your baby is able to roll around, resulting in falls. For that reason, don’t leave your child unattended on changing tables, beds, sofas or chairs. If she is crawling, you’ll need safety gates at stairways and doors leading outside.

❯❯ Never leave a baby alone at bathtime. A small child can drown in about 5cm of water within 30 seconds.

❯❯ Before your baby starts crawling and walking, you need to make sure your house is safe, as she will then start fiddling with all sorts of things in the home. Be careful as she uses furniture and other supports to stand herself up, as these could be unstable and fall on her.

❯❯ As your child gets older, teach her about dangers that could cause her injury, and always know that your child will still need supervision to keep her out of harm’s way.

❯❯ When driving, always make sure your child is strapped securely in an appropriate car seat, whether she likes it or not.

❯❯ In considering your child’s safety, never be careless or distracted – it could cost you your child’s life.

❯❯ Make a list of emergency numbers to keep handy for easy reference.

❯❯ Your first aid kit should be updated regularly. Make sure it is accessible at all times, but also locked away from inquisitive children.

❯❯ Lock away any poisonous substances.

❯❯ Beware of burns and scalds in the kitchen. Potential hazards to take note of – the stove, unprotected fireplaces, heaters, running hot water, hot liquids and foods.

❯❯ Keep electrical appliance cords short and use plug outlet protectors.

❯❯ Install locks and latches on cabinets, drawers and toilet seats to keep your child out.

❯❯ Install corner or edge bumpers on furniture, shelving or tables. Stickers on glass doors are a good idea to prevent a child from running into the glass.