BabySecurity Blog

The bathroom is potentially a very dangerous room for a baby, but if you take a few steps, you can make it far safer.

First of all, remove all sharp implements from the room. Razors, scissors and the like can either be stored in your bedroom or secured in a locked cupboard where your child cannot reach them. The same applies for medication and cosmetics and even for mouthwash, which is high in alcohol.

Other than that, safety will largely revolve around bathing your baby. If you set your hot water heater no higher than 48 degrees Celsius, this will minimise the chance that your baby could be scalded by hot water, but even so, it is worth investing in a bath thermometer. Floating bath thermometers that double as rubber ducks or similar can be found, which mean they can be left in the bath for fun as well. It is also worth running cold water first when running a bath as this also reduces the risk of scalding.

Non-slip bath mats are very useful as they prevent your child from sliding and a bath ring or bath seat serves a similar purpose, as does a bath support. These products will allow your baby to lie unsupported in the water, meaning you have both hands at your disposal. However, it is important to note that a baby should never be left unsupervised in the bath. Such products are merely aids.

The actions of the South Australia state government have emphasised the importance of buying cots that meet health and safety standards. The state’s consumer affairs minister, Gail Gago, has ordered an audit of all cots available for sale in response to the fact that 18 children have died in cot-related incidents in South Australia since 2000.

Gago said:

“When I first saw that figure of 18 deaths, I was astounded. I thought it must have been a national figure but it’s not.”

The message was backed up by SIDS and Kids acting state manager, Maurissa Ailion, who said that parents should always ensure that cots and mattresses met safety standards.

“A lot of the time it is about not knowing, and not knowing what questions should be asked.”

All new cots sold in the UK should conform to BSEN716. This assures you that the cot is deep enough and that the bars are the correct distance apart. Furthermore, the cot will not have decorative cut-outs or steps, which can pose a danger.

If you have doubts about a second-hand cot that you have inherited, it is far better to buy a replacement. Even if the second-hand cot does meet today’s safety standards, without knowing that for definite you will lack the benefit of complete peace of mind.

Summer brings with it pros and cons. A beautiful, clear day draws us out of the house and we may opt to spend some time relaxing by a lake or reservoir, or perhaps we might take a walk by a river or along a canal.

However, there are 30 different kinds of mosquito in the UK and they are often found around water. A mosquito bite can be hugely irritating for an adult, but it is even more so for a baby. Children do not understand that scratching the bite will further irritate the skin, so in this case prevention is better than cure.

Tecnimed produce a number of products designed to ward off these pesky little insects. Their Mosquito-Click product makes use of short electrical impulses to tackle mosquitos and horseflies, but the effects are completely harmless to people. Furthermore, these devices to not require an energy source and are estimated to last for 3,000 to 5,000 ‘bites’.

The products are small and therefore portable, meaning you can easily take them with you if you go out for the day and can even take them with you if you go on holiday.

There is also a Tecnimed product called the Baby Friend that combines this anti-mosquito technology with a night light, making it perfect for looking after young children.

Around 2.5m children are injured or killed in their own homes every year, according to Consumer Product Safety Commission research. When you have a child of your own, you see your environment in a different way and can appreciate how that astonishing figure might come about.

Almost everything around you suddenly seems to pose a threat. Kitchen appliances, windows, power sockets – even doors could prove hazardous to a small child. Fortunately, there are many products available that can help minimise risk.

Kitchen cupboards and appliances can be secured through the use of child safety locks, meaning your child cannot access anything you wish to keep from them. You can also get cooker guards which will prevent them from turning knobs or pulling hot pans onto themselves.

Windows can also be childproofed with window locks, even when they are open, meaning there is no chance your child could get through a gap. Single or double wall socket units can be enclosed completely with wall socket enclosures, or plug-in socket covers can be inserted into individual outlets so that the threat is removed.

Even doors pose a risk because children can have their fingers trapped in the gap near the hinges. Door hinge protectors are cheap and easy to fit and address this issue. Whatever the danger, there is almost certainly a product out there that will combat it, so take a look online and hopefully that figure of 2.5m children injured each year can be substantially reduced.

Once children are mobile, the risk of accidents increases greatly. You will want to babyproof your home as best you can and there are a number of products you can use to achieve this.

A stair gate is a great place to start. As well as protecting your child from a potentially disastrous fall, it also allows you to limit the areas of the home that can be reached, which can make life a lot simpler. Pressure fitted safety gates are the easiest to install, but because of the nature of their construction, they feature a trip bar. Screw fitted safety gates are permanently in place, but lack the trip bar.

Other commonly used pieces of equipment are corner protectors. These are basically attachments which cushion the sharp corners of tables and similar furniture, thus preventing bumped heads. Door slam protectors are also a good investment, as are blockers, which are the equivalent for sliding doors.

Young children will also want to interact with the items they see you using, so it is important to bear this in mind. Keep dangerous items out of reach or in cupboards that have been childproofed with safety locks. Consider visitors’ belongings as well. It is worth putting bags out of reach so that they do not attract attention.