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Summer Safety Tips (By Colleen Driscoll, Baby's Home Safe Home, Inc.)
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| Summer Safety Tips (By Colleen Driscoll, Baby's Home Safe Home, Inc.) |
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 If you are planning to travel this summer with your children, you probably already realized that you need to pack a lot of extra gear for the kids! Don't forget safety when you travel. Remember to pack a few safety items such as outlet covers, removable cabinet latches and night lights. If you have a poison emergency while traveling in the U.S., call 800-222- 1222. You can call this number to request a free phone number magnet or sticker to take with you!
You will often find that you will want your own portable crib and fitted sheet when you travel. Hotel cribs may not meet current safety standards. Frequently, the mattress may not properly fit the crib, hardware may be missing or the mattress may be too soft. The mattress should be covered with a well-fitted crib sheet (not an adult sheet). If you are borrowing an older crib, high chair or playpen from a relative, it might not meet current safety standards. You should not use a crib if it is older than 10 years. To insure that your borrowed product has not been recalled, go to www.cpsc.gov (see link on right) and check under recalls. Here are some other summer safety tips:
Window Safety: Do not rely on window screens to protect your children. If you have double hung windows, open windows from the top. Move beds, chairs and other furniture away from windows. Remove step stools from kids' rooms. Install window guards on windows, but still allow for emergency fire exit.
Yard Safety: Know your outdoor plants in case your child ingests one and you need to identify it to the poison center (800-222-1222). Keep fertilizers, paints and charcoal lighter fluid out of your children's reach. Do not use any power equipment around children because projectiles from lawn mowers can cause injuries. Keep children away from grills.
Water Safety: Closely supervise children around pools which should be completely fenced. Children can drown in pool covers, too. Designate someone to watch each child. Many injuries occur when a parent thinks that the other is watching the children. When cleaning or washing the car, keep buckets away from children and empty them when you are finished. Also, empty wading pools after each use.
Exit Door Alert: Some children have wandered outside and gotten into trouble. Never underestimate the curiosity of a toddler, who may unlock a door or drag a chair to reach a door lock. Keep windows and doors locked. Set alarm systems so that doors and windows chime when opened. Add locks that are higher and harder for children to access (but allow for adult fire exit).
Colleen Driscoll, owner of Baby's Home Safe Home Inc., is a child safety consultant and professional babyproofer who has been assisting parents in Maryland for the past seven years. She is a member and former officer of the International Association for Child Safety and a certified child passenger safety technician. Baby's Home Safe Home provides home evaluations and installs safety products. For more information, contact Colleen Driscoll at 410-308-BABY. |
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