Parents worry endlessly about protecting their children outside the home, but they often overlook the dangers lurking right under their own roofs.

Fire Safety

Smoke detectors should be installed on every level of the home: in every bedroom, in hallways and near the kitchen. Check them monthly to be sure they are working and change the batteries annually. If the detectors are more than 10 years old, replace them. Have at least one fire extinguisher on each floor of your home and a carbon monoxide detector next to sleeping areas.

Water Safety

Eliminate standing water or other liquids in buckets. Children left unattended even for a minute or two can drown in as little as two inches of liquid. Young children are top-heavy; if they lose their balance while looking into a toilet or bucket, they can easily fall in head first and be unable to get out.

Choking Safety

It is important to supervise all eating or drinking, and to make sure babies are upright when feeding them solid food. Do not insist that babies eat if they are crying or resisting. Mash or grind food so that it is soft enough to gum. Young children are likely to swallow without chewing, so do not give them foods such as peanut butter, popcorn, pretzels, raw carrots, nuts, grapes, hard candies, uncooked peas or hot dogs until they are at least 3 years of age.

Poisoning Safety

Many children are victims of accidental poisonings. Parents can prevent many of these mishaps by identifying and hiding toxic materials. Iron supplements, for example, are responsible for 30 percent of pediatric poisoning deaths from medications. Also, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the most common calls about children ages 5 and under involve cleaning products and toiletry items such as baby oil, mouthwash and cosmetics.

Fall Safety

Window screens are not enough to prevent a fall. Always open basement windows from the top or fit them with locks to prevent small children from opening them. Low windows should not open more than four inches. Also, consider installing window guards.

  • There are safety precautions you can take to avoid the danger of your child falling in your own home:
    Keep heavy or breakable objects out of reach
  • Place furniture away from windows, cords and hanging items
  • Secure unstable furniture and the changing table pad.

Television Safety

Flat screen TVs can topple easily; if your child bumps into a piece of furniture, the TV could fall and seriously injure the child. Secure your TV to the furniture with a strap (many flat screen TVs come with this strap) or mount it on the wall to avoid putting your child in danger.

In Summary

Always prepare for the worst. Post contact numbers for poison control, paramedics, fire and police departments near your phone, and make sure you have first-aid supplies on hand. By following the tips in this article, you can help keep your children safe.