As a parent, it’s important to
remember that some of the biggest safety risks for kids happen inside the home.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, every 24 minutes a falling piece of furniture
or a TV sends an injured child to the emergency room. When you’re at the
playground, you constantly think about the safety of your children and watch
them to make sure they don’t get themselves hurt. At home, it’s harder to
monitor your children every second. Kids are often inclined to scramble up and
down furniture like monkeys at the zoo, which can seem cute but can actually be
very dangerous.
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However, there are things parents
can do to keep kids safe and protect them from accidents involving large
furniture. Here are five tips to make your home safer for your little ones:
1. Check to make sure your furniture meets the proper safety standards
Parents can visit ASTM International’s website to see if their furniture meets the regulated safety
standards. ASTM International ensures safety measures for thousands of
products, including children’s toys. However, not all children’s furniture
meets these standards set by ASTM. Parents should check the website before
purchasing any type of furniture for their home.
2. Buy anti-tip safety brackets and wall straps
There are a variety of safety
brackets, wall mounts and anti-tip devices that parents can get to secure large
furniture pieces, TVs and other items in your home. Many home stores and online
retailers sell tip resistance kits that have everything you need to anchor a
dresser, chest or bookshelf to the wall. It’s recommended that parents also
secure tables to the wall as well, as children could climb on top of a table
and then fall off if it starts to wobble.
3. Avoid placing toys and heavy items high-up on taller pieces of
furniture
Many furniture accidents occur when
a child tries to reach for a toy or other item that attracts their attention on
a high shelf. Heavier items should be placed near the ground and keep toys
either out of the way in a storage cabinet, or at a child’s level. One easy way
to assess the safety risks in your home is to get on the floor or crouch down
as though you’re the same height as your kid. This way you can look up and see
any potential safety dangers from a child’s point of view.
4. Research the chemicals and finishes used on your kid’s furniture
Believe it or not, the furniture in
your home can contribute to indoor pollution. Some of the wood finishes and
other chemicals that furniture is treated with can be harmful to your kid’s
health. These chemicals can potentially have an impact on different health
problems for kids, like allergies and asthma. Seek out retailers that sell kids only furniture, which are crafted without these harmful chemicals or
finishes. There are furniture companies that manufacture pieces that have been
screened for a variety of chemicals and organic compounds, which can especially
have an effect on babies and young children.
5. Baby-proof your home with edge and corner guards for furniture
Corner guards are an inexpensive
way to keep your baby or toddler from getting hurt by running into the sharp
edge of a piece of furniture. As most furniture items don’t have rounded
corners, parents should place edge guards or table cushions on these pieces
throughout their home, especially when they have a newborn or young child. Many
of these corner cushions are removable, so that your furniture doesn’t become
scratched or devalued over time.
Take safety steps today before an accident occurs
In the home, furniture accidents
involving kids are preventable. Often, these accidents occur because a piece of
furniture isn’t secured properly or a child tries to climb a dresser or shelf
to reach a toy. Sometimes, these incidents happen because the furniture in the
home wasn’t very safe for kids to begin with. However, so many of these
accidents can be averted before they happen. With a few simple changes, parents
can keep their kids safe from harm inside the home and ensure that any type of
incident involving large furniture doesn’t occur.
About Author:
Carolyn Clarke is an interior
design blogger and a proud mother of four based in Portland, Oregon. When she
isn’t chasing her kids around the house, she enjoys exploring the Oregonian
wilderness with her black lab, Lacy.