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How
Safe are Your Home & Yard?
IN
YOUR HOME
(***NOTE:
Please call us for advice, if your child swallows anything other
than food. If you cannot reach us quickly, call the
Poison-Control Center. The Poison Control Hotline number is 1-800-222-1222
***)
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MEDICINES
Keep all medicines up high and in closed cabinets with
child-resistant latches. Ingestion of birth control pills is
not uncommon, because they are usually kept in a location that
is convenient to MOM-often in plain view of children.
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Always request child-resistant caps on prescription
medications, and remember that there is no such thing as
"child-proof". Some non-prescription medications,
such as Tylenol and iron tablets, can be deadly when
recommended dosages are exceeded. Often these may be in
easy-to-open containers.
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CLEANING
PRODUCTS
Keep these in latched cabinets also.
Common household cleaners-dishwasher detergent, furniture
polish, and bathroom cleansers-are very dangerous. Your
child's exploration of the world includes tasting, as well as
touching.
**SOME
POINTS TO CONSIDER IN KEEPING YOUR CHILD'S ENVIRONMENT A SAFE
ONE**
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HOT
LIQUIDS
Hot tap water burns can be avoided by
having your hot water heater set for 125 degrees. In the
kitchen, keep handles on the stovetop turned in, out of reach
of a small child, and instruct other older family members to
do the same.
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SHARP
OBJECTS
Knives, scissors, razors, nail clippers,
and other personal hygiene instruments need to be kept in
secure holders, and in out-of-reach locations.
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WHEN
YOU SLEEP: THE OPEN FRONTIER
When your child is
out of the crib, she or he might find danger when you are
asleep in your own bedroom. Unused electrical outlets
should be plugged by plastic inserts. Look around to see
that no narrow metal objects (keys, for example), that could
be inserted into an outlet, are left lying around.
(Saliva
will carry an electrical current into the mouth.) Can your
child climb to higher levels? Are the objects that could lead
choking (balloons, inflated or not) or suffocation ( such as a
drycleaner's bag)? Are there other objects small enough to
swallow or insert into the nose or ears? Mardi Gras beads can
end up in the strangest places!
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GUNS
This is an emotional subject for many. If you feel
compelled to keep guns in your home, take extraordinary
measures to keep them from your child at all times. Keep
them in a locked cabinet, and keep ammunition in a separate
location, also locked.
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PETS
Dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, snakes, lizards, and turtles-each
animal may present a potential hazard to your child.
Lizards and turtles can excrete salmonella germs in their
stools. They should not live in the same house with a
toddler who frequently is putting his fingers into his mouth.
Nonpoisonous snakebites can hurt, but are not likely to do
permanent damage. Ferrets have small, sharp teeth, and
may bite if mishandled. They cannot be immunized against
rabies. Parrots and other imported birds can carry and
transmit some unusual diseases. Parakeets and canaries
that are kept in their cages are probably safe. Through
biting and scratching, cats can transmit toxoplasmosis, a very
serious infection for infants. Cat dander (skin flakes),
is the allergen that most affects people with allergies,
second only to dust mites. Get rid of a cat that does
not have an affectionate nature around children. Dogs
can be wonderful and lifesaving, but dangerous. Do not
consider bringing your child home to a dog that is not
well-trained. Get rid of your dog if you observe any
signs of jealousy. If purchasing a dog, choose the breed
with the advice of a veterinarian. Avoid large dogs bred
for fighting or guarding. Your toddler's face can be
destroyed by a dog defending his food dish. Small
breeds, mutts or purebred, are the safest.
THE
GREAT OUTDOORS
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SWIMMING
POOLS
Swimming pools are
pleasurable, but can also be dangerous. There are
drownings every summer. The tragedy is, every drowning
is preventable. Think of bath tubs as small swimming
pools. Toddlers have drowned in just a few inches of
water. Never leave your child unattended in a bath tub.
Consider waiting until after your children have reached school
age to buy a home with a pool, or to have one installed.
By the age of six, children can master both the physical
motion of swimming, and also have the judgment necessary to
use that ability to avoid danger. If, however, you do
have a pool and children under the age of 6, put up a 4-foot
high fence around your pool with a locked gate. An alarm
system, which sounds whenever there is surface disturbance in
the pool, is another safety precaution. Check the pool
immediately, if a young child is unaccounted for. Most
drownings occur when your are not "on duty", or when
you are distracted (remember the movie, "Home
Alone"?). IF you are entertaining, it is a good idea to
hire a pool sitter, someone who will focus on the pool amidst
the festivities. Post pool rules and insist that they be
observed. It is important that older children and
adolescents model safe behavior to younger children.
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IN
YOUR OWN BACKYARD
Did you know that
toadstools grow overnight? This fact is best learned
now, not as you round the corner to see your child eating the
second of three mushrooms that was not in the yard the day
before. Take a quick look around your child's play area
at the beginning of each day. What you find may surprise
you. Cover your child's sandbox each day. Cats
love to use them for toilets. Cat hookworms, not visible
in the sand, can burrow under your child's skin. Fire
ants. Hate'em! Other ants bite-fire ants bite and
sting. These sting marks show up as little pus blisters
on the surface of the skin moments after being stung.
Small children do not associate the sting with the anthill.
They just dance and scream in place. Occasionally,
multiple stings result in major allergic reactions, which may
include swelling of the lips and tongue, wheezing, and
difficulty breathing. Should breathing difficulties
occur, call 911. Do not attempt to drive to the
hospital, there may not be time. The ambulance is
stocked with medications for allergic reactions.
The
New Mom's Survival Guide
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