Do you know all the ins and outs of baby-proofing? Many parents are inadvertently putting their infants and toddlers in danger. For example, everyday household cleaning products send 12,000 infants and toddlers under age 5 to the emergency room every year, reports USA Today. Prevent emergencies by identifying the problems in your home and fixing them.
Problem: Poisonous Cleaning Sprays
The majority of spray cleaning bottles do not have a baby-proof nozzle or cap. The notable lack can prove incredibly dangerous, because most cleaners contain the hazardous chemicals bleach and ammonia. USA Today reiterates the dangers of commercial cleaning products: “Household cleaners prompted one-quarter of all calls to poison-control centers in New York City last year, according to a March report. Across the USA, 80,000 children are taken to emergency rooms each year because of accidental poisoning, and about 30 children die, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.”
Most parents and caregivers do not realize that there are all-natural alternatives to household cleaning sprays. The natural solutions are just as effective, and pose no harm to infants, toddlers, and children if swallowed. Parents can create their own household cleaning products by mixing combinations of warm water, baking soda, vinegar, or lemon juice.
Problem: Parents Cover Electrical Outlets Only
Many parents stop after they finish installing outlet covers. Covering outlets alone, however, is not enough. Babies can tug on wires, pulling appliances onto themselves, or even put plugs, metal tongs, and sharp pieces at the ends of cords into their mouths.
Parents can purchase relatively inexpensive products, such as desk grommets and cable glands, to keep children safe. Hard plastic or rubber grommets direct electrical cords inside desks, away from babies’ prying fingers. Manufacturers sell a wide range of rubber grommets sizes, making it easy to tailor grommets to specific desks, tabletops, and furnishings. Plastic cable glands fit over the ends of wires, protecting babies from sharp — and often conductive — metal pieces.
Don’t risk babies’ lives with commercial cleaning products and exposed electrical wiring. Use all-natural alternatives to poisonous chemicals, and keep wiring contained by choosing from a number of different rubber grommets sizes. Good refereneces.