A few days ago I dreamed that we were in China with Kavanna. In the dream, I was ecstatic and joyful beyond belief. I then turned away for a moment and in that split second she was gone... I searched frantically and finally located her in the hallway, sticking her finger into an electrical outlet ... I woke up (heart pounding) and looked around our house. And that's when I realized: why, we live in a death trap! Electrical hazards abound. Dangerous and deadly plants are everwhere. The skillet atop our stove is even a hazard (one pull on the handle and bam). So, let the babyproofing begin!
According to the U.S. government, about 2.5 million children are injured (or worse) due to safety hazards in the home. The government recommendations include:
SAFETY LATCHES AND GATES for cabinets and drawers in the kitchen and bathrooms.
SAFETY GATES to prevent falls down the stairs
DOOR KNOBS AND DOOR LOCKS to prevent kids from entering a room where they might find hazards, including doors that lead to the backyard, especially if you have a pool.
ANTI-SCALDING DEVICES for faucets and showers. Set your water temperature to 120 degrees to prevent accidental scalding.
OUTLET COVERS AND OUTLET PLATES to prevent electrocution.
CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS should be placed outside bedrooms.
CUT WINDOW CORDS AND USE CORD STOPS to prevent strangling.
DOOR STOPS AND DOOR HOLDERS can prevent accidental smooshing of fingers and hands.
This is scary stuff but a little precaution goes a long way.
2 comments:
I'm glad you posted this, I have to get on it again! At the beginning of my paperchase I used Total Child Safety and a couple of guys from my church to put up gates, plexi-glass, and drawer and cabinet locks. But now I need to go to phase 2 and do the outlets, appliances, and detectors. Thank you for getting this back in the front of my mind.
We're counting the months until we get to meet Kavanna (and maybe Mikayla too!!) Can I be her dance teacher? :)
xxoo
Wendy
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