BABY SAFETY
by Doctor Laurence H. Miller on 01/28/14
It's very exciting to see your infant getting around by herself; but it should also be a bit anxiety-provoking. With the new mobility comes a degree of danger.
It's essential that you "baby-proof" your home to reduce the risk of injury to your baby. But you must remember that there is still no substitute for adult supervision. Almost every accident that happens (whether minimal or tragic in consequences) occurs DESPITE precautions in place. All swimming pools are fenced in; medicines have "child-proof" caps; electric sockets are plugged. But every year we hear horrible new reports of baby injuries.
Kitchens are the most dangerous place in the home. One should always use the back burner on a gas/electric range so baby can't pull a hot pot down. But more importantly, there should be a compulsive rule that baby is NOT ANYWHERE NEAR the range when food is cooking. When my baby was three years old, my wife was boiling spaghetti and dropped the pot on her arm, getting a severe burn. Thankfully, we had the baby sitting safely at the kitchen table where she belonged. Drawers with silverware and knives, as well as glass casserole dishes in cupboards need "kinder-locks". We had ONE cabinet in our kitchen without a lock. The pots and pans were stored there and our toddler spent hours at a time banging and playing with them. For her, there was only one cupboard in the room; for her, the locked doors didn't even exist!
All sockets need safety plugs so that baby can't stick a pin into live electricity. Electric wires must be kept away from babies. They explore by mouthing objects. If they bite into a live wire, the mouth burn injury can cause a permanent disfiguring scar.
Bathrooms are not safe for an unescorted baby. A fall on the hard tile is likely to cause a fracture or laceration. Family members' medicines could be poison to an overdosed baby who thinks that they are candy. A baby could fall into a toilet and drown. Drownings occur in bathtubs as well. The door should ALWAYS BE LOCKED.
to be continued.......
