VIDEO: There are 11 things in the photo that could hurt the boy on the floor. How many can you spot?

VIDEO: There are 11 things in the photo that could hurt the boy on the floor. How many can you spot?

Babies can get into almost anything. If you have a small person in your life, this is an absolute MUST to read and watch.

Unsafe baby

From the Daily Mail:

Think you have a safe home for your baby to crawl around and play without harm? You might want to think again.

While the dangers in a seemingly innocent living room such as the one below may not be obvious, there are in fact eleven hazards present in this home which need to be managed.

That’s right. Eleven. How many did you spot?

From blind cords to loose coins and unattended handbags, we look at the most common hazards and tips for how you can baby-proofing your home.

Christine Erskine from Kidsafe NSW says her number one tip for parents looking to keep their children safe is to manage your environment.

‘Make sure it’s good for the age and stage of your child, so that when you turn your head, which you will do once, even if it’s just for a few seconds, they’re as safe as possible.

‘The under fives are the biggest demographic at risk,’ she says.

‘But it’s all about mitigating that risk.’

HOW TO BABY PROOF YOUR HOME AND KEEP YOUR CHILDREN SAFE

1. Go to your local hardware store

According to Ms Erskine, while it might feel like a bit of an effort to go down to your local hardware store to invest in some baby locks, it is very worth it.

‘It’s so important cleaning products are in cupboards with locks to prevent accidents,’ she says.

‘You can also buy a baby gate at the same time to make your stairs safe.’

2. Get down to their level

‘One of the easiest, but most important things to do is to get down to your child’s level and look at the world from their viewpoint,’ says Ms Erskine.

‘That way you can see things like power sockets unattended and things on the floor. Manage the environment when your child is little and you will minimise the accidents later on.’

3. Think of everything

Obviously, the hazards change over time, says Ms Erskine, but you need to think of everything if you have a child around:

‘Some of the most common modern day dangers are button batteries and plasma TVs. Plasma TVs are small these days and can fall on children, while button batteries are found in unexpected things such as musical cards.

‘As well as being poisonous when they’re swallowed, they also burn people’s insides, making them a major risk.’

Here’s the answers, in case you didn’t find them all, like me:

baby answer

Depending on the age of your child, Ms Erskine says that there are different dangers, some of which may not immediately be apparent:

‘At the crawling stage, so you’re talking around eight months, it’s everything at ground level that poses the biggest risk,’ she says.

‘Power points, over-spilling handbags, heaters, animals, animal food and water from either a dogs bowl, or a paddling pool.

‘Babies at this stage have heavy heads and can often fall in and drown,’ she warns.

For those who can walk, Ms Erskine says there are additional dangers.

‘Blind cords are one of the biggest health hazards. Every year one to two Australian children die from being strangled by blind or curtain cords.

‘Coffee tables with things on them, TVs and toppling furniture are all potentially unsafe,’ she says.

According to the Kidsafe executive officer, some of the most common accidents are falls from windows or drowning or near-drowning incidents:

‘Poison is also a big cause of accidents,’ she says.

‘Whether it’s from accessing something medicinal in a handbag or getting their hands on some household cleaning products, it’s important to remember these things need to be managed.

A new laundry detergent advert from Tide showcases several of the above potential dangers, as well as others which might be commonplace in your living room.

‘Since 2001, there have been at least 15 deaths in Australia. It’s absolutely vital to check your home to minimise the dangers,’ Ms Erskine says.

Wow, lots of stuff I missed! How safe is your home? Are there any helpful tips you can share? Sound off in the comments below!

McGuire

Writer, Blogger. Political aficionado. Addicted to all levels of government campaigns.

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