“The number of children injured by furniture has jumped 40 percent over the past 20 years.”
This fact, from an article about child-proofing, jumped out at me in the Health section of a recent copy of am New York.
Now that my son is mobile around the apartment, it is amazing how he gets “curious” about the things he shouldn’t be touching. How does he know where the heater dial is under the bench? Why does he reach so high for the wine bottles on the wine rack? How can he slither under the coffee table and get stuck? why are the computer wires so fascinating?
I have slowly (too slow) been starting the process of child-proofing our apartment over the past couple of weeks. This includes the basic stuff of inserting plug protectors into electrical outlets, moving dangerous items off of the floor, and taping/hiding plugs and cords so they are not visible. The next phase will be getting rid of our glass coffee table, our wine rack (very upset about this one), and getting latches for drawers and cabinets. One helpful piece of advice about child-proofing that was given to me is “to crawl around on all fours like your child to see what they see” so you can find trouble areas.
I know a lot of these things are common sense, but thought I would share these tips from Dr. Jim Schmidt, co-founder of the Virginia-based company Child Safety House Calls, made in the amNew York story on child-proofing:
■ Tether it. Secure any potentially unstable furniture to the wall.
■ Rock it. Rock each piece of furniture to test if a toddler’s weight could topple it, realizing that
even heavy objects can fall if a child pulls or climbs on open drawers.
■ Watch what’s on top. Objects you know a child will want — such as a toy or remote control — will tempt them to climb.
■ Watch coffee tables. Many are the perfect height for toddlers to whack their heads. Consider moving a table with sharp edges into storage or covering it with a thick blanket.
■ Hang TVs. Tether them to the wall or keep them low to the ground. Kids are naturally curious about them and they’re heavy enough to cause serious injury.
■ Use Velcro. Kids often tear off protective padding that parents tape or glue on sharp edges. If you adhere cushioning with Velcro, you can easily put it back on.
■ Choose tempered glass. This glass shatters into tiny pieces rather than large, jagged shards when broken, so a child may get more small cuts but no life threatening wounds.
■ Ask for child-proofing help. Ask a salesperson for child-proofing guidance when buying glass-top or glass-front furniture.
■ Place furniture wisely. Keep it away from windows and railings, where a climbing child might fall.
■ Beware of choking hazards. Beads, rivets and wicker all can break into small pieces. Go for wood furniture or upholstery without beading. (MCT)
Please feel free to share some valuable child-proofing tips or advice.
Hey Lance,
Hope that tendonitis is healing. I feel everything in the upper back. Hey, just read the article you posted on child proofing and wanted to share this find. It’s a cord/ powerstrip storage solution I found at Tekserve, an apple computer shop on 23rd street. There are similar options available from child proofing web sites but I never liked any I saw. This may not be for everybody, it’s not cheap either (29$)but I bought one and like the result. Right now I just use one for the monster powerstrip in the living room where the t.v., computer, phone, etc. are plugged in. It keeps Gus at bay. He still goes toward the box but ends up just patting it instead of pulling on the cords and plugs.
cheers,
Jeff
Anyone interested should call before they hike all the way to 23rd and 7th! You can also find them online at http://www.bluelounge.com
I have personally had to call the organ donation organizations to collect the organs of a child killed by a furniture tip-overs. The problem is real. To see the smiling faces of children tragically killed by furniture, see websites below:
http://www.mikeysfoundation.org
http://www.katieeliselambert.org
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/news/local/story/Charlies-Story/G-b9YFe7NE-JjDJrbU-kuQ.cspx
I was telling other parents to crawl around on the floor so you can get the view your kid gets in order to double check your baby proofing. They all laughed at me but I’m glad to hear someone else has done it too. All of your tips were great and I actually had one to add. On top of electrical covers I found fire prevention outlets. It is just another step in child proofing your house.
http://www.bsafeelectrix.com/?utm_source=Blogspot&utm_medium=pv&utm_content=ft&utm_campaign=homepage
Bolt furniture to the walls and watch out for lead poisoning. Extension cords, holiday lights and garden hoses are all coated with lead and can transfer from your hands into your child’s blood stream through their skin. Small amounts produce irreversible brain damage at this stage of brain development.
http://www.babyproofernewyork.com/
Allstar Baby Safety has updated their website in case you are looking for more valuable advice.
http://www.babyprooferlongisland.com