2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Ways to Prevent Injuries at Home

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Childproofing the Home The best way to find the dangers a child might encounter is to explore the home at his or her level – by getting down on your hands and knees. “You may feel silly, but a few self-conscious minutes are better than years of regret.” What does this statement mean? Explain in your own words what you think this means.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Childproofing the Home Examine every room, asking yourself what looks tempting and is within reach of a small child. Look for potential dangers between the floor and about 40 inches above. Check carpets for buried items such as buttons, pins, or coins. Cover all unused electrical outlets. Keeping a child safe means saying “no” and setting limits for the child. To avoid constantly saying this, remove dangerous products from the home, place them out of reach, out of sight, or locked up.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Safety in the Kitchen Keep young children in a secured chair or out of the kitchen while preparing meals. Young children should never be unsupervised in the kitchen.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Safety in the Kitchen Hot food and beverages, glassware and knives should be kept away from the edges of counters and tables.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Safety in the Kitchen Appliance cords, placemats, and tablecloths must be kept out of reach, too, to prevent children from pulling hot items down on themselves.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Safety in the Kitchen How should the pot handles be turned when cooking? Use the back burners on the range and turn pot handles toward the center of the range.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Safety in the Bathroom Paint hot water faucet with red fingernail polish to help our children remember which faucet is hot. Keep personal care products, medicines, and cleaning products out of child’s reach. Unplug bathroom appliances when not in use. Install a toilet lid lock. Install a safety cover on the door knob or a hook – and – eye lock near top of door to prevent children from entering without an adult’s knowledge. Put a rubber – covered guard over tub faucets and knobs. Never store appliances plugged in near a bathtub or sink.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Safety around Heat Sources Keep guards around open heaters, radiators, and floor furnaces Teach children that the heat source is “hot”

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Home Fires Keep matches, lighters, cigarettes, and candles out of the reach of children. Install smoke detectors in every bedroom and near the kitchen. Have working fire extinguishers near kitchen and fireplaces. Plan escape routes and teach to all, even very young children.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Firearm Safety Guns kill more than 10 children every day. Adults need to teach children that guns are not toys and must not be handled by children.

Firearm Safety Take ammunition out of firearms. Lock the firearms out of the reach of children and use quality trigger locks. Store the ammunition in a locked container apart from firearms. Keep the keys to firearms and ammunition cabinets in an area separate from other household keys Lock up gun-cleaning supplies because they are poisonous 2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home

Bathing Children Safely Never leave child alone at bath time Use nonslip mat in the tub Set water below 120 degrees Fahrenheit Use only 2 to 3 inches of water when bathing a child

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Preventing Falls All windows and doors should be locked. Install safety guards on windows. Use safety gates at both the top and bottom of stairs. Secure bookcases, shelving, and heavy furniture to walls with brackets and anchors. Store heavy items on bottom shelves and in bottom drawers Use broad-based carts for TVs and appliances. Make sure they are secured to the wall. Supervise children at all times around top heavy furniture.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Making Cribs and Beds Safe Slats should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Paint on the crib should be lead free and should be smooth, with no flaking Have all corner posts the same height as the sides to prevent baby’s clothing or bedding getting caught Mattress should be firm and fit crib exactly When lowered, crib sides should be about 9 inches above the mattress to keep the baby from falling out. The latch to raise and lower sides should lock securely.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Making Cribs and Beds Safe Why should all stuffed animals and fluffy blankets, and pillows be removed from the crib when child is sleeping?

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Keeping mealtimes safe Foods to avoid within the first year: eggs, citrus fruits, honey, peanut butter, corn, or shellfish Handle foods properly to prevent food poisoning Avoid foods hat could get lodged in a baby’s throat – raw veggies, hot dogs, nuts, scoops of peanut butter, whole grapes, candy, chips, pretzels, and popcorn Avoid any hard round candy that can get stuck in the throat

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Preventing suffocation Remove all stuffed animals from the crib at night Keep plastic bags away from children

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Preventing poisoning Request child-resistant packaging when possible. But keep in mind that child-resistant does not mean childproof. These medicines still need to be locked out of reach.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Toy Safety This is a tube tester. What do you think it might be used for? Any toy or part of a toy that can fit into this tube are too small for children ages 3 and younger.

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Some people will suggest using a toilet paper tube to test if something poses a choking hazard. Toy Safety

Preventing lead poisoning What is lead poisoning and where does it come from? If the house or apartment was built before 1978, have a professional test for lead – based paint. If there is lead paint in the home, the paint should be completely removed or covered with an approved sealant Preventing Injuries at Home

Emergency Keep a first aid kit on hand and emergency numbers by every phone in the home. Include the national toll-free poison hotline:

2.02-Preventing Injuries at Home Make sure your child has a safe, secure environment at home.