Child safety starts in the home
Tuesday August 19 2008 All parents want to keep their children safe.
But often the largest threat to children resides right in their own home.
In Canada, more than 60 per cent of all injuries occur in the household for youngsters under five years of age; and some 20,000 children are seen in emergency departments across Canada each year due to injuries that occurred in the home.
The first step in ensuring a youngster’s safety is to realize that injuries are not just accidents and that a lot of the time injuries are preventable. Keeping an eye on your children is key to a child’s safety, as is taking precautions in and around the home.
The experts recommend following a home safety checklist which can be used to find areas that may be dangerous for a child.
Posting emergency phone numbers including the poison control centre near all phones in the house is a good idea.
Also, individuals should ensure working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are fitted on every level of the home; electrical outlets are covered; yse cordless window coverings or ensure cords are tied up; windows and balcony doors are secured; and, cleaning products are out of reach and locked away.
Other helpful tips include removing small toys or other objects that young children might swallow, securing bookcases to the walls and locking away matches and lighters.
In the backyard, parents should never leave children unattended near swimming pools. Drowning is the second leading cause of death among Ontario children under five years old.
A home safety checklist as well as important information on home safety can be found online courtesy of Peel Region at www.peelregion.ca/health/home-safety.
Better safe than sorry.

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