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| Health & Well-Being
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Baby Safety
Teach your little action terror to stay safe
Help keep your toddler safe by teaching her that she should never get into a bathroom, paddling pool, stream or pond unless there’s an adult around.
Teach her warning words like “ouch”, “hot” and “sharp”, and use them to explain why she mustn’t touch hot drinks, oven doors, the iron, sharp knives or scissors.
Rehearse what she should do if she gets lost.
Being a toddler is a risky business. Every years, scores of children under 5 need hospital treatment for accidents in the home and at the playground. Life was so easy when your little one was a baby, all you had to do was leave her on her play mat and she stayed put! While you don’t have eyes at the back of your head, it is possible to stay one step ahead of your toddler and keep her safe.
Staying one step ahead of your toddler can be exhausting, but most children survive their toddler years with little more than a few bumps and bruises. And once she hits 3, you can help her develop her own sense of personal safety by letting her try things for herself under your supervision. But remember, you’ll need to repeat information again and again as young children have amazingly short memories.
Here's your at-a-glance guide to child-proofing your home.
“I’m into everything” (9 months onwards)
Now’s the time to fit…
-Grilles on all your windows if you live in an apartment, or on your windows upstairs.
- Safety covers on all unused electrical sockets.
- Child-proof locks on cupboards and drawers where necessary (knife drawers, fridge, medicine drawer, and so on).
- A video lock or cover.
“I’m up on two feet” (1 year onwards)
Now’s the time to fit…
- Stairgates.
- Corner cushions on tables and other sharp areas.
“I can climb and stretch up high” (15 months onwards)
Now’s the time to fit…
- An oven and hob guard.
- Coil long cords from electrical appliances.
- A bolt on the front door if the latch is within reach.
Safety Matters
First aid must-haves.
• Calibrated medicine spoon, dropper or oral syringe
• Thermometer
• Infant paracetamol
• Calamine lotion
• Bandages and plasters in different sizes
• Cotton wool and buds
• Non-stick dressing for bandages
• Small scissors for cutting dressings to size
• Tweezers for removing splinters
• Bulb syringe for nasal congestion relief
• Alcohol swabs for cleaning tweezers, thermometers and scissors
• Insect-bite remedy and baby-safe insect repellent
• Mild antiseptic liquid and cream for cleaning and use on minor wounds
• Baby-safe sunscreen
• Small flashlight to check ears, nose, throat and eyes
• First-aid manual |
If you have any comments or practical suggestions, write to us at editor@family.sg
- Mother & Baby
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