How Can You Assure the Safety of Your Baby or Toddlers?
Throughout your child’s growth and development period, the one main thing which worries you the most is their safety. You worry about them a lot and it is good that you worry about them because they are your little loved ones. And they do not know themselves as well as their surroundings very well. Hence, it is natural that you worry about them a lot. But there are certain things which you need to keep in mind. These things will help you understand what type of measures you can take and can reduce your worrying factors after implementing those things in your practical life.
Baby safety
The safety of your baby is very important, mostly certain areas require some additional care while considering the safety of your baby. One of those areas is baby safety in cars. When we talk about car safety, we need to make sure that:
In the case of cars:
- Always use a federally approved car safety seat for your child.
- Read the seat’s safety instructions and installation manual carefully to install the seat precisely in your car.
- The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends buying a new car seat if you are sure that the old one or used one has never been in an accident before.
- It is strongly recommended that you never carry your toddler or loved one in your lap.
- Never put your baby seat in the front passenger seat. Considering the case of airbags, during any mishap, those airbags can be real harm to your child. Moreover, always put your baby’s seat in the back seat of your car. The back seat is a proper and safest place for your child during the first 2 years of his or her age.
- Sometimes the risk of leaving your child behind in the car is very common. To avoid such a thing, you can always put your purse, bag, or mobile in the back seat of your car. That is how you can avoid forgetting your child back in the car.
- Remember to lock your car and car trunk whether it is parked or in a driveway.
In the case of falling:
- Another major risk or problem that you will face is falling. When your child is sitting at some height or in some infant carrier the risk of falling off is always there. Because their limbs are not that much developed. Hence, they are unable to make proper stance or proper posture.
- Always remember one thing, if you are carrying an infant carrier, never put it on the elevated surfaces, always put it on the ground surface because when you put it on some height, there might be a chance that it fell off. To avoid it, you need to put that carrier on the ground.
- Sometimes people simply leave their baby alone on the couch or bed, if the baby crawls towards the edge and is unable to make the balance and get Tripp off then he might hurt himself or herself. Therefore, your presence is important in this scenario.
In the case of a fire or smoke emergency:
- When we talk about the case of a fire emergency, you need to have a proper or at least basic fire extinguishing system. The fire extinguisher is a very necessary household thing. It is always better to be prepared for anything because prevention is better than cure.
- You can also install fire management and detecting systems in your homes. Apart from that if you are using gas heat then you can install a carbon monoxide detector.
- Another problem apart from fire is smoke. The problem of smoke is very harmful to you as well as to your child. The lungs of your toddler are very fresh and new(unpolluted). When he or she is exposed to the pollution of smoke it might be problematic for him or her.
- You need to install a working smoke alarm in your home, this will prevent mishaps that can be dangerous and life-threatening.
Keeping away sharp objects:
- Objects like knives, pliers, scissors, razors, etc. are dangerous and harmful to your child. Other than these items like coins, nails, pins, glass, medications, etc. always keep them out of reach of your little loved one. They do not know about them and might intake them and that can be painful for you and your loved one.
Preventing baby accidents:
- Sometimes people, while playing with their toddlers forget about certain important things. These things need to be the utmost priority before playing with your toddler.
- These things include, when you come from outside, you did not wash your hands or get yourself washed or clean because your loved one is waiting at the door to hug you and when he or she saw you, they ran towards you. This is how they are getting exposed to some deadly diseases and viruses. These diseases and viruses can cause life-threatening problems for your babies as their immunity system is not that much stronger.
- Do not toss your baby in the air while playing with them, the reason is that, when you toss them, and you lose your balance then because of that some mishap can take place.
- Sometimes people leave their toddlers with pets or with elder siblings, even while they are sleeping. Always remember not to leave them alone with pets or elder siblings.
- Keep your baby away from switchboards or electrical objects, they might get an electric shock.
- Remove the tablecloth from the table so you can avoid the situation of pulling it off.
- When you are going to give the bath to your toddler, always check the temperature of the water and make sure it should not be hot or cold, it needs to be mild and soothing. Apart from that, never leave your toddler alone in the bathtub or the bathroom.
- Keep in mind the safety of your child from the toys. Check your toddler’s toys often. And always make sure the toys are unbreakable and cannot be brought into pieces. This will avoid scenarios in which children swallow the small parts of the toys and these small parts get stuck in their tiny throat and again cause a serious problem for you.
- Always keep tiny sharp and pointy objects away from your toddler, they might get themselves hurt.
- People often put milk bottles in their baby’s mouth and leave them unattended, he or she might get choked because of that. Hence, never leave them unattended. While feeding them.
- Avoid giving them hard food like unpeeled apples, nuts, candies, etc. The chances of choking on them are very high.
Safety measures for bedtime:
- The risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is very high when you make your child sleep not on their back. Therefore, always make them sleep on their back and this will reduce the chance of SIDS.
- Give your child a pacifier before they go to sleep, this will also reduce the chance of SIDS.
- Never use soft bedding in the crib of your toddler, sometimes small babies get suffocated because of it.
- You can share a bedroom with your toddler, but it is always recommended not to use or share the same bed with them.
Baby crawling and walking safety:
- When your baby starts to crawl or walk, you need to take certain precautions and steps to maintain their safety while they can make themselves mobile:
- Covers all the electrical outlets.
- Secure the electrical cords and change them if they are broken or damaged.
- Put child locks on doors that you do not want to get open while they move so you can avoid them opening those doors.
- Install safety locks on cabinets and drawers.
- Put away any sharp or hard objects which might hurt them.
- Cover all the hard and sharp edges with a cushion or with some rubber covers to avoid accidents.
Outdoor safety of your child:
- When your child goes out, if you have a swimming pool in your backyard make sure it is surrounded by a fence, or if there is no fence then never leave them unattended.
- Let them play in sand and grass, those areas which do not cause any harm to them when they trip off or fall.
- It is recommended when they want to use the swings, you need to have them there and never leave them unattended.
- Keep them away from machinery like lawn mowers, clippers, scissors, or chemicals, etc.
- Play with them so they do not leave your site and get into any trouble.
- Mostly let them out during evenings because their skin is sensitive and can get burned during hot summer days.
Given above are certain problems and their measures that you need to keep in mind while considering the safety of your child. Apart from these, you need to also be aware of certain things like;
- Gather the list of emergency numbers so that when you are in one you can easily get help at the right time.
- Always have some basic medical knowledge about treating a wound or giving CPR, this will help you to tackle difficult situations.
- Name a guardian for your child. If any mishap or unfortunate event happens to you and your spouse, that guardian will take care of your baby. Be positive and follow the above guidelines. And in serious situations always go for an expert’s help.