drwadhwasclinic - Dr Wadhwas Clinic

A perfect example of minority
rule is a baby in the house.

Now that there is a tiny human being who is unaware of the dangers lurking round the corner, you have to be very vigilant. Don’t let your attention to be diverted especially when you are using potentially dangerous household products and electrical appliances. The most important point is never leave the toddler alone-in a room, driveway or park. On the other hand, also give him plenty of freedom for his experimentation. Next important point is ‘set a safe example’. Teach the child about the safe and unsafe and explain why. To make your home safe get down to your knees and look around from the
Toddler’s eyes. Here are few practical hints.

Start with the child itself. Buy non-inflammable clothes. Pants or shirt sleeves should not be too long. Use proper size shoes with non-slippery soles. Consider shoes without laces. Do not necklaces (child may strangle himself), pointed earring etc.
Cover all electrical outlets. Hide wires behind furniture or under the carpet so that the child does not chew on them.
Check earthing on all sockets or install ELCHs on the mains. Un-plug electrical appliances when not in use.
Keep all medicines, naphthalene balls, insect repellent mats, kerosene, phenyl, bindis, coins, button cells, sharp objects, nuts and bolts etc. away. Teach the child not to put anything into his mouth till offered by an adult. Tell him not to run with his mouth full.
Never give a plastic bag to a child to play with. Similarly, latex balloons if inhaled can cause choking.
Keep dressing drawers locked and ash trays out of reach.
All table lamps or naked bulbs should be out of reach.
Install window guards/grills or lock them. No chair or stool should be kept near the windows, railing, parapet. Clear glass windows should have stickers so that the child does not walk through.
Install door chain at the main door so that he does not go out on his own. Ideally all lower bolts of all doors should be removed- he may bolt himself in.
Use short or no table-cloth. Remove glass top tables.
While cooking, use the back burners of cooking range and turn the handle of the cooking utensil away from you.
Do not hold a hot drink and the baby at the same time.
Don’t be in hurry to answer the telephone or the door bell. Be sure the baby is safe or take her with you.
While giving a bath, place the telephone receiver off hook so that there is no temptation to answer the call. A few seconds and a few inches of water are enough to drown a child.
When you have to use the bathroom with a child in the house, leave the door open - a toddler may bolt you inside.
Garbage bins should be kept outside the house.
Place table fans and coolers out of reach. In winters use heaters of the blower type and not radiators. Exercising equipment, if any, should be in a separate room.
Look for the child’s hands when closing drawers or doors including that of the
refrigerator.
If put in a walker, the child should not be allowed near stairs.
House plants, especially cacti, should be outside the house.
Never leave the child with a pet alone. Teach handling of pets safely.
Extra precautions have to be taken if there are stairs in the house. Gate should be installed wherever there are more than three steps. At least the landings should be carpeted. The distance between the vertical bars of the railing should be
maximum five inches.
When going for an outing, start teaching street manners.
In car rides, always use car seats, preferably fixed on the back seat. Never carry large toys, balloons as they might accidently obstruct vision. Do not allow the child to play with sharp toys when in motion. Never leave the child alone in car,
he might shift the gear to neutral.
Before leaving the child in a park it is best to inspect the grass for broken glass, animal droppings, shrubs, etc. Keep the child away from tall grassy areas. Teach the child to maintain adequate distance from the swing. Water can be fun but all
safety measures should be taken when in the pool.
When sending the child alone, keep a mental note of clothes the child is wearing.
Do not write the child’s name on his clothes, a child may trust a stranger who reads the name and pretends to be familiar with him.
When choosing toys avoid those with removable small parts and strings longer than 6 inches. The toy should not have sharp pointed edges, projectile parts like arrows, electrical connections, coating of lead paint or have stickers (he may
swallow and suffocate).
Install smoke alarm if possible.
Make yourself familiar with first-aid and emergency measures and keep necessary
equipment ready.