Article Translations: (Spanish)
If you've never crawled around your home on your hands and knees, give it a go. Kids explore their everyday settings, and this will let you see things as they do to make sure your home is safe.
We might think of babies and toddlers when we hear the words "babyproofing" or "childproofing." And it's true that young kids have the highest risk of being injured at home because that's where they spend most of their time. But accidental injury is the leading cause of death in kids up to 14 years old — and more than a third of these injuries happen at home.
Common causes of home-injury deaths are fire and burns, suffocation, drowning, choking, falls, poisoning, and guns.
Most household accidents happen in areas with:
The most important safeguard is to always keep a close eye on young kids. Even if your home is childproofed, it only takes an instant for babies and toddlers to fall, run over to a hot stove, or put the wrong thing in their mouths.
Accidents will still happen, though. So it's important to be prepared. If you're expecting a baby or have kids, it's wise to:
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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