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As a parent, the safety of your child is always a top priority, and keeping them safe at home is a crucial part of that. Children are curious and often explore their environment with all their senses, which puts them at risk of injury or infection. Here's a guide for parents to know what to do when kids do weird things with everyday items and how to keep children safe at home.
Toddlers and preschoolers sometimes stick household items into their noses or ears when no one is watching. If you suspect the child has lodged something in their nose or ear, block the other nostril with your finger and have the child "blow." If the object doesn't come out, the child should be seen by a health care professional.
Kids 6 months to 3 years old are most at risk of choking or inhaling foreign objects. If a child has swallowed or inhaled a foreign object, they should be seen by a health care professional who can remove the item and provide treatment if necessary. Symptoms that kids have swallowed or inhaled a foreign object include trouble swallowing food, pain in the neck or chest, drooling, coughing, breathing trouble, or noisy breathing.
Some jewelry can contain harmful chemicals, such as cadmium and lead. With children under 6, be careful when buying or letting them play with jewelry. Lead-based paints were banned in residential homes in 1978. In homes built before then, lead-based paint can be found on surfaces, including windows and sills, doors and door frames, stairs, railings, banisters, and porches. Children should be discouraged from chewing on or licking these surfaces.
Kids occasionally eat dirt or grass, and a small amount in an otherwise healthy child isn't necessarily dangerous. Keep kids away from dirt and grass treated with chemicals or that have come in contact with animal feces. If your child consistently eats dirt or nonfood items, such as paper, paint, or hair, the child should be evaluated by a primary care provider.
The most dangerous things kids stick into electrical outlets are metallic objects, including hairpins, keys, paperclips, utensils, and small toy parts. Metallic objects inserted into an outlet can shock the child. If you suspect your child has been electrocuted, seek medical care immediately because not all electric shock injuries are visible. All homes built or renovated after 2008 should have tamper-resistant receptacles, but older homes may not have them. Consider upgrading the outlets in your home, or installing outlet plates or covers that small children can't remove and are large enough so they're not a choking hazard.
Keep objects like spare button batteries, jewelry, coins, and magnets out of reach of young children. When cleaning the house, do a final search at child level for objects that might have fallen under furniture and evaded the broom or vacuum. If you've got kids in a range of ages, keep in mind that toys appropriate for older children may contain small parts, such as Legos, board game pieces, action figure or doll accessories, that are a choking hazard to younger ones. Educate older siblings about keeping small toy parts away from young children. Create cleanup routines that round up these small toy pieces, and supervise young children around choking hazards.
It's also a good idea for anyone in your household caring for the kids to be certified in CPR and choking first aid. Accidents happen, but with these tips, you can help keep your child safe at home.
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