4 Child Safety Hazards and How to Avoid Them

Child safety is every caring parent’s priority. Hazards are all around us, and knowing what they are, as well as how to avoid them, is a stepping stone towards keeping children safe. By making important changes to your household and maintaining close watch over your child, you may significantly lessen the likelihood of injuries occurring.

Childhood Unintentional Injuries Are Preventable According to Research

Many preventable injuries to children under five occur at home, according to a BMC Public Health study. This study examined how and why parents of young children lower the incidence of home accidents.

Injury prevention experts might benefit from learning how parents address household threats. Knowing the kids’ safety hazards helps parents avoid them.

Children at this age are notorious for putting whatever they come across in their mouths. According to a study of unintentional poisoning hospitalisations among young children in Victoria, at least two kids are admitted to the hospital in Victoria every day because of poisoning.

What Causes the Poisoning of Children?

Household items and medicines are the most common causes of child poisoning. Drain cleaners, oven cleansers, dishwashing tablets and powders, bleaches, paints, and gardening materials are all potentially harmful. Most deadly poisonings involve drugs.

Ways to Prevent the Ingestion of Wrongful Substances in Children

Examples of child-safety measures that can help prevent poisoning include:

• Medicines and other household items should be out of children’s reach. Immediately store chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and cleaning materials.
• Put medicines and other potentially dangerous goods at least 1.5 meters off the floor in a secured cabinet or closet. Childproof locks are available for most closets and drawers.
• Never take medicine out of its box unless you’re ready to use it; never leave it where children might get it, such as on a bench. Warnings and directions should be read.

• Exposure to Dangerous Chemicals is Harmful to Children

You can’t be too careful in screening the substances and ingredients in children’s items. One of which is the “danger” due to the exposure to talcum powder present in kids’ hygiene kits.

Johnson & Johnson’s Talc-Based Baby Powder

The corporation of Johnson & Johnson, famous for their baby powder, is facing tens of thousands of lawsuits, so they published a statement declaring their medication is safe based on decades of research from BBC News. The allegations in the claims basing talc-based baby powder containing asbestos caused ovarian cancer or mesothelioma.

Is Talcum Safe or Unsafe for Consumers?

The safety of talc is debated. Cosmetics manufacturers insist that talcum powder is pure and harmless. Johnson & Johnson says talc is safe since it’s been evaluated for 40 years by scientists and doctors worldwide.

However, ovarian cancer and mesothelioma are just two of the malignancies that have been associated with talcum powder. Talc is definitely unsafe when it’s contaminated with asbestos, which is “carcinogenic to humans” per the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). 

• Water as a Child Safety Hazard

It is imperative that parents not leave their children in or near bodies of water unattended. Children are too young and inexperienced to know if the water they are in is shallow or deep. Parents or guardians need to be on the lookout whenever they’re near water. 

Not Leaving the Children Alone in the Water Prevents Drowning

The following are examples of drowning prevention measures:

• Do not ever leave a child unattended in the bathroom. A few centimeters of water is all it takes for a child to drown fast and unnoticed.
• Watch youngsters closely and keep them within reach at all times when they’re near water.
• You should always keep an eye on your kids at a public pool. Children under the age of five require constant adult supervision. Keep in mind that lifeguards are not nannies.

• Falls and Burns

Accidents involving falls and burns can happen when children are exposed to hazards such as those found in high places or near open flames.

Falls

Kids of all ages are most injured from falls. The child’s fall, the surface they land on, and the height they fall from all affect injury severity. An infant learning to walk or stand will fall often. It’s important to consider your child’s level for preventing falls.

How to Prevent Falls that May Happen?

As for precautions, you can try the following:

• Cut tripwires. Make the floor safe by tidying up toys, rugs, and cords. Round off or eliminate bench and table edges from the play area.
• Don’t ever use a bouncer or rocking chair as a baby carrier. It’s best to play with bounciness on the floor rather than on a table or other elevated surface.
• Make sure the changing table’s ends and sides are at least 10 cm high. Hold your infant at all times. Make sure you have everything you need before changing your baby.

The Importance of a Fire Hazard-Free Home

Smoke alarms are required by law in all dwellings in the United States. Batteries in smoke alarms should be replaced annually after the conclusion of Daylight Saving Time and the alarms should be tested periodically. 

• Keep children away from open flames, hot stoves, stovetops, and pots of boiling water.
• Keep a fire blanket and a dry powder extinguisher in your kitchen at all times. At least one meter should separate fire blankets from the range. A fire extinguisher near the kitchen door is a smart move.
  
•  The fire extinguisher should be placed between the exit and the potential fire source at all times. If there’s a fire and you don’t know how to use the extinguisher or fire blanket, get out of there quickly and shut the door behind you.

A Child Safe Home Starts with Prevention

It is the number one goal of every responsible parent to ensure their child’s safety. In order to keep our children safe, we need to be aware of the dangers we face and the steps we may take to eliminate them.