Safe At Home - Tip Sheet
Accidents in the home are the leading cause of injury and death in young children. The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program can help parents recognize and remove some of the dangers in the home so accidents can be avoided.
Home Safety
Young children need constant supervision, but that does not mean parents must hover over them and track their every move. Instead, parents can ensure their children are safe at home by taking a few precautions before letting their children play around the house.
√ Place household cleaners, chemicals, matches or lighters and breakable items on high shelves or in lockable cabinets.
√ Cover all exposed power outlets with plastic safety caps
√ Keep all appliance cords out of reach so children do not pull appliances down on top of them.
√ Keep all plastic bags out of reach to avoid suffocation.
√ Any object less than 11⁄2 inches wide such as buttons, coins, needles or pieces of toys should be kept secure to prevent a child from choking on them.
√ Never leave you child unattended in the bathroom – children can drown in just 2 inches of water.
Safety Outside the Home
Parents should take steps to make sure the environment outside the home is as safe as possible.
√
If children are playing near a pool, they should always be supervised
and taught basic safety precautions like not running near the pool.
√
Outdoor play equipment should always be checked regularly to make sure
it is in good condition, and soft surfaces like wood chip bark should be
used underneath to cushion falls.
√ Always
supervise your children around family pets, like dogs. Teach children
to approach dogs carefully, and not to approach strange dogs at all.
Teach children how to be gentle with all pets to avoid any injuries.
√
During the summer, it’s easy for children to get sunburned. Always make
sure your child is wearing SPF +15 water-resistant sunscreen and long
sleeved shirts and hats when they are going to be in the sun for an
extended period.
√ Parents should always have a list of emergency numbers on hand in case accidents happen.
Ensuring a safe environment for your children can also decrease
misbehavior, according to Dr. Matthew Sanders, founder of Triple P.
“If
they’re being supervised and watched then they’re doing this in a safe
world where the parent doesn’t have to keep saying things like, ‘don’t
do that,’ ‘don’t touch that,’ ‘come away from there,’ or ‘leave that
alone,’ which means there are fewer instructions, giving children less
opportunity to disobey, which means there is less misbehavior.”