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Last Updated: , Created: Friday, November 30th, 2001

Child proofing a home

If you want to make your house safe for that toddler, I suggest that you get down on the floor and crawl through the house, looking at everything from the toddler's point of view. Aside from discovering all the old bubble gum that you never knew was stuck under the table top, you will begin to see dangerous counter corners and inviting forbidden things.

Today many products are available that can keep your small ones safe. There are baby safety stores, and even companies that specialise in coming to your house to evaluate your needs and install the products. We went through one house with a company called Baby Proofers in Toronto.

I love the door catch that has no handle at all. The handle is actually a separate piece with a magnet in it that magnetically unlatches the door.

There are many electrical protectors, some more efficient than others. The little plug in devices can be a problem if the kid learns to start pulling them out, they could choke on them. Full face plates that require both hands to plug things in are much safer. Other devices will cover plugs that are permanently plugged in, like lamps, and prevent your child from pulling out the plug.

Stair gates must be sturdy and never have horizontal parts that the kid can use to climb up on. They should be attached to something solid in the wall, not just plastic anchors in drywall.

Children have climbed into the toilet and drowned so you can get little toilet seat locks that will keep them out until they are old enough to start using the toilet themselves.

I love the little foam cover for the bath faucet that protects against both the nasty fall, and the lifting up of that little head right into the faucet.

Click her for more devices related to child safety in a later show.


Keywords: Child, Emergency, Safety, Security, Health

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