How to Childproof Your Home: Expert Advice

Safety strategies, Part 1: Get the lowdown from the pros on which areas of the home need locks, lids, gates and more

Becky DietrichFebruary 25, 2014

All of us with children are grimly aware of the safety issues they face out in the world. But did you know that a child is statistically far more likely to experience an accident or a fatality inside his or her own home? Fortunately, these injuries are easily avoided with a little education and prevention.

I am going to address this topic in two parts. Here I’ll share the opinions of experts, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Anne Altman, a childproofing consultant in Santa Rosa, California. Then, in a separate ideabook, I will share my perspective on childproofing as a grandmother and an interior designer.

Ryann Reed Design Build

Let’s start with household poisons. A huge percentage of household products, from cleansers and kitchen knives to medicines (both over-the-counter and prescription) are potentially deadly to children and should be kept either well out of reach or behind locked cabinets.

Even with that accomplished, keep the poison control hotline on speed dial: (800) 222-1222.

KidCo Adhesive Mount Magnet Cabinet Lock: 4 Lock Set with NO KEY

Installing cabinet locks, like these, is a child safety necessity, and they are worth every penny.

BuilderFish

Another major safety issue is electrical outlets. They are often at perfect eye level for crawling babies, and they can be dangerous indeed. Avoid the old-style plug-in safety caps, as they can present a choking hazard, and little fingers often have no trouble extricating them from the outlet. Use sliding safety latches instead …

Safety 1st Outlet Cover with Cord Shortener

… or a safety cover like this one that completely encloses outlets and plugs and stores up to 4 feet of cord. It’s perfect for permanently plugged-in devices and features a child-resistant dual-press release. It is appropriate for use on all standard single-screw outlets.

Also, don’t forget to cover the exposed outlets in any extension cords with electrical tape.

Kid Kusion Clearly Safe Stove Knob Locks, 5 pack

What is it about those damnable stove knobs that are so appealing to kids? When my twin granddaughters were toddlers, they would employ the divide-and-conquer technique: No sooner would I admonish and remove Alyssa than her sister, Alexis, would take her place. A knob-locking mechanism is one way to deal with this problem.

KidCo Stove Guard for Kids

Installing a stove guard like this one is another excellent safety measure. In addition, cook as much as possible on the back burners of your stove, and always turn your pot handles away from the edge so children can’t pull pots over and burn themselves.

Brighton Pressure Mounted Gate

I get a vivid sense of how old I am when I see how far baby gates have come. This handsome gate has a straight-slat design — unlike with older accordion gates, little heads can’t get stuck in it.

Boor Bridges Architecture

Be sure your stairs are gated top and bottom. And don’t use a pressure-style gate at the top if you can avoid it; a screw-into-the-wall version is much more secure.

Childproofing consultant Altman reminds us, though, that “childproofing is an ongoing process. The gate you put at the top of the stairs for your 1-year-old may become his favorite climbing structure when he’s 2.”

Designing Solutions

We are all pretty much aware of the strangulation risk posed by cords on window blinds and shades. Securing the cords well out of reach, or using cordless versions, is imperative.

But did you know that imported vinyl miniblinds can be a source of household lead? In 1996 the CPSC discovered that some of these blinds, which use lead as a stabilizer for the plastic, pose a lead poisoning hazard to young children who touch the blinds and then put their fingers in their mouths.

If you have children 6 or younger, remove any vinyl miniblinds made before July 1996 (or any you’re not sure are lead-free), and replace them with new lead-free vinyl blinds. Look for packaging with the phrases “nonleaded formula” or “no lead added.”

Kids Edge Hearth Guard Pad - $96.00

Sharp corners are another common hazard, especially those found on coffee tables and raised hearths. Baby Center recommends covering all sharp corners and hearth edges with bumpers like these to soften any impact.

Panageries

Isn’t this a gorgeous chest? But it is also a significant hazard to your ones, particularly when they start to climb. Babies start pulling up on furniture shortly after they start crawling. And when they learn how to climb, well, can you spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E?

According to the CPSC, more than 16,000 children under the age of 5 went to the emergency room in 2006 with injuries caused by tipped-over television sets, bookcases and other furniture and appliances. Between 2000 and 2006, more than 130 young children died from furniture tip-overs.

Pro-Strap Professional Furniture/TV Straps, 2 pack

Fortunately, this is a very easy fix. Tipping restraints for furniture and appliances are available in many forms, and have the added perk of offering protection against earthquake damage.

You can also do things like loading drawers with heavier items on the bottom, so that the furniture is not top-heavy. And never leave drawers open; open drawers create the perfect ladder.

Martha O'Hara Interiors

Children are insatiably curious about what lurks inside of purses and briefcases, so beware when Grandma (or another relative or friend) comes to visit. Loose coins, gum, medicine, cosmetics, cigarettes and matches are just a few of the items commonly stashed in a purse that can be deadly to a small child, so be sure to keep your company’s belongings well out of reach.

Des Ewing Residential Architects

While windows are wonderful architectural elements, they can be dangerous for children. To avoid injuries, keep windows locked and screens in place. A young child could squeeze through a window opened as little as 5 inches, and screens are not strong enough to keep a child inside.

Mommy's Helper Toilet Lid Lok

And then there is concern about drowning. Babies and toddlers can drown in very little water. Even toilets left with the seat up can prove fatal to a little one who tries to play in the water, falls in and can’t get out. In addition to keeping the lid down, consider investing in toilet lid locks.

Zugai Strudwick Architects

Obviously, if you have a pool, fence and gate it. But according to the CPSC, more children drown in bathtubs than in any other home feature. Altman puts it quite simply: “The best [childproofing] device is still supervision.” Never, never leave your child unattended near or in water.

Finally, experts suggest that parents prepare for the emergencies they do their best to prevent. First, learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the abdominal thrust procedure (Heimlich maneuver). Second, make sure you have a well-equipped first aid kit with emergency instructions close at hand. And third, make sure that important numbers — like your work and cell phone, poison control, your pediatrician and a neighbor or nearby relative — are posted someplace where caregivers or family members can easily find them.

More: Safety Plays With Style in Kids’ Bathrooms