Childproof Your Home...Again

A refresher course for new grandparents

A kitchen that’s safe for the kids—Rita and Tom Doherty of Allentown often care for their twin grandchildren, 5-year old Meghan and Brendan. Knives are kept out of reach, cooking is on the back burner, and Grandpa keeps a watchful eye on the little ones.

Grandparenting offers many pleasures, but if you haven’t cared for a baby in decades, you may be surprised all over again at how much preparation and attention it takes.

“Babies are curious about everything,” says emergency physician Jennifer Zambo, D.O., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. (What does that dead bug on the carpet taste like? Would this bottle of detergent make a good toy?) “They’re fast, too,” she says. Once a baby starts cruising he can get across a room in the blink of an eye.

Obviously, if you’re a new grandparent it’s time for some childproofing. Here are tips from Zambo and her colleagues, pediatrician Kelly Costello, M.D., and pediatric nurse Loretta Gogel, R.N.

Get down on your hands and knees for a babies’-eye view of temptations, Costello says. Look for electrical cords that could pull a heavy appliance off a stand, knickknacks that could break, remote controls with little batteries that could be pried out, cigarettes and lighters, toxic substances under the sink. Use your imagination.

Install childproof locks on low cabinets and plastic covers on electrical outlets.

Keep all medications out of reach. It doesn’t take much of a prescription drug to harm a small body, Gogel says. “Flip-top weekly pill dispensers are particularly dangerous because it’s hard to figure out exactly what was swallowed, so it’s best to keep your medications in their original containers with childproof tops.”

Have emergency phone numbers on hand, for the pediatrician or family doctor and the National Poison Control Hotline (800-222-1222).

Never leave a child unattended in the tub or near water. Drownings have occurred in buckets and toilets.

Gate your stairways and consider a playpen.

Make sure your crib and car seat meet current safety standards. Crib mattresses must fit tightly, and slats should be no more than 2-3/4 inches apart.

Make sure drapery and blind cords aren’t within reach, from the ground or from a chair or crib.

Watch for burn potential—a hot pot (or handle) that’s within reach on the stove, space heaters, ceramic stovetops that look like the counter, etc.

Lock up all firearms and store knives and scissors out of little ones’ reach.

Want to Know More about making your home safe or introducing pets to a new baby? Call 610-402-CARE.

Published from Healthy You Magazine, September-October 2008

ARTICLE TOOLS: