Child Safety

According to the Center of Disease Control, one in every four children under fourteen will require medical attention for an injury. Many of these injuries are preventable. Don't find yourself standing in the emergency room wishing that you'd installed proper safety equipment. Take an inventory of your home, dedicate time and dollars to safety precautions and keep your baby safe. He's counting on you.

The Kitchen

• When you're cooking, turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
• Whenever possible, use the back burners for cooking.
• Store knives, food processor blades and blender blades in a out of reach or "childproof" cabinet or drawer.
• Use protective covers on front facing stove knobs to prevent kids from turning the stove on.

The Bedroom

• Make sure the medicine cabinet is locked and out of reach. Children can't tell the difference between candy and medicine, and they may be tempted to climb to a high cabinet in search of goodies.
• Make sure the crib is not near any draperies, electrical cords or windows.
• Make sure your crib meets national safety standards and that your crib mattress fits snugly against crib sides.
• Remove mobiles from crib when your child can sit up.
• Use side rails for the transition to a big-kid bed.

The Bathroom

• Before you put your child in a bath, test the water with your hand.
• Set your water heater to less than 120 degrees.
• Keep curling irons, razors and hair dryers unplugged when not in use.
• Remember that kids can drown in very little water - less than an inch is enough. You should always supervise your child during bathtime. Don't leave them alone. Not even for a second.
• Install toilet-lid locks to prevent drowning.

Throughout the House

• Use outlet covers throughout your home to cover plugs when not in use.
• Strings, ribbons, and cords longer than six inches are a strangulation risk. Install baby-friendly blind pulls, or cord anchors.
• Place furniture away from windows, and keep windows locked at all times.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors to prevent CO poisoning.
• Install smoke alarms outside of each bedroom and on each floor.
• Use stair gates approved for use on stairs at the bottom and top of all stairwells.
• Keep cleaning supplies locked up and out of reach. Most household cleaners contain HIGHLY toxic substances. Make sure there is no way that kids can reach them.

Doctor's Note: At White Oak Pediatrics, the doctors and nurses advise parents to keep young children away from all of the following: latex balloons, coins, marbles, pen or marker caps, small button-type batteries, and toys with small parts. In addition, children under four should avoid the following foods: hot dogs, nuts and seeds, chunks of meat, whole grapes, popcorn, chunks of peanut butter and chewing gum. Remember: Keep the number of your pediatrician and poison control by your phone. Keep syrup of ipecac in your medicine cabinet, but only use it if recommended by the poison control center. Every home has unique safety challenges. When in doubt, contact a certified child safety specialist.