Child safety in the home.

happy asian kid in swimming pool

“Around the United States, thousands of toddlers are eating single-use laundry detergent packets, thinking the colorful nuggets are candy, reports TodayHealth.com.  Because the detergent in the packets is so concentrated, the children are experiencing the symptoms of a stomach virus: vomiting, sleepiness and trouble breathing.  Most of the 2,950 reported cases have resolved themselves naturally, but some of the under-fives have had to be admitted to the hospital for breathing issues”.

This story about child safety from the US got us thinking about toddler safety in general and how quickly they can get themselves into trouble, so this blog isn’t about baby food, it’s a reminder about things to look out for in the home and some do’s and don’ts.

The first thing to remember is that Toddler World all happens 1.3 metres below yours! They see things at their eye level that you don’t worry about. The sharp corners of coffee tables come to mind. If your toddler is at the age where they are holding onto table edges, you might want to consider covering the corners for a month or two. You can buy corner covers, or just make some out of thick cardboard and tape them on when you need them.

Chemicals in household items

Being down that low means you’re just the right height to get into the cupboard under the sink! In our house that’s basically a chemistry set. Virtually everything in there is poisonous. Fortunately, practically all poisons now have child-proof stoppers, but you can see from the story that not all poisons are liquid. You don’t want your little one chewing a Finish power ball! They look great with the red ball in the middle, but they are, of course, made from a powerful alkali, sodium hydroxide. Great for greasy dishes, but very nasty on eyes and mouths. Make sure that you have inexpensive child-proof latches fitted to all those lower cupboards where you store that stuff. And never, ever, store anything in old soft drink containers. Children know that the contents of those containers taste good and they do not have child-proof caps so it’s important for child safety that you don’t store anything harmful in them.

If your child does ingest something, read the label for instructions if you know what it is, and in Australia call Poisons Information Centre Emergency line on 131126.

Burns

The next obvious one is the stove-top. Even small children can reach up to grab things you may not expect. Get into the habit of always turning the pan handles around so that they do not project over the front of the stove. Remember that boiling water and hot fat produce burns that can disfigure for life. For these sort of extensive burns seek medical help immediately. Remember that bath water can be a major child safety risk, too. Turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater (which on average is set to 70⁰) or have a special bath tap fitted. It only takes 10 seconds for water at 55⁰ to cause third degree burns, but 5 minutes at 50^0.

DO NOT immerse an extensive burn in cold water; this may cause the person to go into shock. For smaller burns, wash and cool the area under cold running water until the skin returns to normal temperature (up to 20 minutes for a thermal burn, at least 20 minutes for a chemical burn). If this is not possible apply a cold-water compress.

DO NOT use iced water as this can worsen the injury.

DO NOT over-cool the person, especially if they are young or if the burn covers a large area.

NEVER use butter, oils or ointments to cover the burn, as they may retain the heat.

SEE A DOCTOR as soon as possible if burns involve the face, hands, feet, genitals or bottom, or if the burnt area is larger than a twenty-cent piece.

Water Safety

Finally the pool. My best child safety tip here is to teach your child to swim as soon as they can walk. The Royal Life Saving Society said today that many children leaving primary school are not able to swim 50 metres or float for 2 minutes. In Australia, that’s a real problem.

We had our own close shave when my wife and I were standing pool-side with two friends. Our little one got out of the pool, took off her floaties and then unthinkingly slipped back in. No splash, no noise. Only when I looked down did I see her sinking quietly. I pulled her out and she was fine, but that is the stuff of nightmares! So, if you have a pool, keep the gate shut and be on hand at all times to supervise. By the way, one month later, after lessons, Alexandra could swim.

Well that was a harrowing piece to write and maybe not so easy to read, but I think it’s a good reminder to be vigilant to keep your little one out of harms way and be mindful of child safety at all times. Mental note to self: have a cup of tea and then check under the sink!

Mindful Eating

If you’d like to know more about Bellamy’s Organic and the certified organic baby foods we make, click on this link.

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