Every year, more than 12,000 children between birth and age 19 die from unintentional injuries according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In fact, the CDC reports that unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children up to age 19. Many of these preventable injuries take place in the home. Here are tips to help you provide a protective environment even when you can not be on guard yourself.
Home Security
Many dangers lurk inside the home, but we cannot ignore the dangers outside the front door. To protect your family and your possessions from uninvited intruders, assess your home’s security features. Here are a few pointers to ensure your home is as secure as possible:
- Install a deadbolt strike plate to prevent an intruder from kicking in the door. This is secured with four heavy-duty, three-inch-long screws that fasten to the door frame itself.
- In addition to sound locks on all doors and windows, it is important to examine the safety of the front door itself. Solid wood or steel doors offer more protection than less expensive doors with a hollow interior.
- Provide as much light as possible on the exterior of your home. Use motion-sensing lights to alert you to movement, and to frighten away potential intruders.
- Secure windows and sliding glass doors with interior locks. Use alarms in window sills to alert you to unauthorized access. Add a dowel rod to the sliding door track to prevent entry even if the door lock is breached.
Gun Safety
There is no doubt that guns pose serious risks to children of all ages. The most effective way to prevent a firearm-related tragedy is to keep all weapons and ammunition secured in a proper gun safe from a reliable gun safes seller.
Look for gun safes that feature a high-gauge steel exterior, battery-powered or mechanical dial combination locks, and a re-locking device as a last resort in case the other locks are breached.
Choose a gun safe that is large enough to accommodate all of the guns you own and any guns you may wish to purchase in the future. Be sure to include space for the guns and ammunition of visitors to your home as well.
Poisonings, Fire, and Water Safety
Inside and outside, the home should be a refuge from the daily grind of life at work and school. Many injuries at home can be prevented by taking a few simple steps to minimize the risks.
Drowning is a major hazard for small children. Two-thirds of drownings take place inside the home instead of in a pool or other outside environment. Here are a few tips to prevent drowning:
- Never leave a child unattended in the bathtub.
- Secure any outdoor pools or water features with fences and gates that lock.
- Rid your yard and home of buckets that collect water. A small child can drown in as little as one inch of water.
Burns are another common home injury. Make sure stove and oven controls are out of the reach of small children. For older children, instruct them on how to use your home fire extinguisher. Practice home fire safety drills where family members escape the home and meet at a designated safe area outside.
Poisonings pose another great risk, especially to small children. Prevent poisonings by securing all medications, including over-the-counter remedies, in a locking medicine cabinet. Immediately dispose of unused or unneeded medicines. Store cleaners and other household chemicals out of reach of small children.
Strangulation Dangers
Window treatments like mini blinds and curtains pose the threat of strangulation for small children. Reduce the danger by keeping blind codes tied up and out of reach. Do not place cribs or toddler beds close to windows where a child might climb up on the furniture and access the cords.
Home injuries can include drownings, burns, falls, and other hazards. More than nine million unintentional injuries are treated in emergency rooms every year. The risks for these injuries can be greatly reduced at home. No matter how attractive or inviting your home may be, there is no substitute for family safety. Despite our best efforts, no one can be on constant duty.
