safety in bathrooms, playrooms, in the yard

In the Bathrooms

Put in place a water absorbent and non-slip matting or carpet both inside the tub and outside the tub to prevent falls. Falls make up a large amount of bathroom related deaths. A child will slip, fall, hit his or her head on the tub, and then drown in the water after being knocked unconscious from the fall.

If you do not have a locking medicine cabinet, consider installing a lock, or adding a separate medicine cabinet with a lock to prevent children from getting into it. If this is not possible, at the very least install childproof locking devices on the cabinet. Do not assume because it is up high that children will not get into it.

·	Keep toothpaste out of reach when not in use. Supervise children while brushing.

·	Be sure to properly fasten all lids back on the medication bottles after use. Childproof bottles are great, but don’t work if the lid is not on.

·	Keep mouthwashes out of the reach of kids. Many have enough alcohol to poison a small child if ingested.

·	Toilet bowl cleaners and liquids often cause serious tissue damage if ingested. Keep these out of reach as well.

·	Install child proof doorknob covers on all bathrooms, and train the family to keep the doors closed at all times.

·	Toilet bowl latches can always be purchased, but most people will find this a much greater pain than simply keeping the door shut with the knob cover on it.

·	Keep all hair curlers, hair dyers, and other electrical appliances unplugged and out of reach when not in use.

·	Ensure all outlets have a grounded circuit breaker.

·	Keep all perfumes, razor blades, and other items out of reach.

Your Child’s Toys and Playroom

·	Make a habit of checking periodically on consumer safety web-sites to ensure that products your child is using have not been recalled.

·	Emphasize to other family members the need to keep your child’s playroom “sanitary” and free from potential choking hazards that could be brought in or dropped from a pocket.

·	Avoid toys with strings that could prevent a strangulation hazard. Strings and cords should be shorter than 6 inches.

·	Buy only age appropriate toys.

·	Remember to monitor children while in playrooms. The playroom should not be used to park and leave the child to their own devices.

Outside and in the Yard

Be sure to fence in your yard area, especially in the front of the house if used as a play area. The fence is not necessarily to keep things out or in, but to provide a barrier between your yard and the road outside. Children are much less likely to be struck by a car when playing in the yard, because that fence serves as a natural barrier to keep them from forgetting and chasing a ball or pet out into the road. It allows them time to stop and think about the situation. Most children are struck not because they don’t know how to cross the street, but because they forget in the middle of play.

·	Have children wear shoes when playing outside.

·	Check your lawn for mushrooms and other poisonous plants. Dispose of any that you find immediately.

·	Use window well coverings to avoid hazardous falls into the window wells..

·	Gate all outside stairs as well, as these can be just as hazardous as stairs inside the house.

·	Do not use a lawn mower when children are present. Not only is there the danger of the blade, but there is the danger of them being hit with a rock or other object that is thrown out from the lawnmower and hurtled like a bullet.

·	Do not allow children to play on the lawn for at least 48 hours after being treated with a lawn herbicide, pesticide or fertilizer treatment.

·	Become familiar with all the plant life on your property, in case children ingest the leaves or plants.

·	Install knob latches on barbeque grills, or store them in a manner that is inaccessible to children.

·	Never leave children unattended near a gas grill.