Prevention really is better than cure!

I have recently been affected by the vast number of children who have been lost to tragedy! It is my hope that in writing this article and compiling this list it will draw your attention to things you may not have thought of or have overlooked.  We need to safeguard our children, as best we can, and in order to do that, we need to put them first. Of course, we are all mortal, we all make mistakes and things can still happen.  We just need to be as prepared and as vigilant as can be where our little ones are concerned. The idea of this article is to help you be informed and to make the necessary changes you need to make to ensure their safety.

Too many children become victims of injury, or worse still, many have died due to accidents that happen in and around the home. Many of these accidents could have been prevented with the right forethought and management.  We need to be mindful of child-proofing our homes, and we need to think about what we expose our children to every single day; not just in our own homes, but in the homes of friends and extended family, and even when out in public. 

Get to know your child and what they can and can’t handle.  Think about what type of personalities you have in your family and what your child may potentially attempt that could compromise their safety.  If you have climbers or very inquisitive children who like to investigate everything, factor this in when child-proofing your home.  If you have assertive children who will attempt anything if your back is turned for five minutes, kids who are spirited, adventurous and determined, think ahead.  If you can sit them down and talk to them DO IT NOW!  Sometimes explaining things to them stops them attempting the most dangerous escapades.  Children don’t see danger – it is up to us to warn them where possible.

If your children aren’t used to having a pool or a dam, or free reign where you live, it is not time to extend it to them when you visit someone else! Even if they are used to running free at home, sometimes it just isn’t safe to have the same rules apply elsewhere.  Be mindful of the following, both at home and in uncontrolled environments. Why wouldn’t you protect the most precious things...the most precious people... in your world?

Here is a checklist to consider:

Pools
Is your pool gate alarmed? If not, why not? Have you purchased a pool safety blanket?  When visiting friends with pools ask them how they deal with pool safety and what strategies are in place to ensure the safety of their own children, or visitors.  If there is a dam on the property investigate whether it is fenced.  If it isn’t you need to establish if it is possible to keep children inside during the visit. Be hyper vigilant!  Don’t let children wander away without you! A second is all it takes.

Swimming
When visiting the beach, swim within the flags, don’t swim when the beaches are closed and don’t swim after dark! Stay with your children at all times.  If you plan to be near the water a lot, organise swimming lessons for your children.

Doors
Make sure all of your external doors (and windows) on your home are fitted with security doors and key locks and that they are locked at all times, keeping your children secure; particularly if you have a pool, you live in a high rise apartment or if your backyard isn’t fenced. All keys need to be stored safely away from children. Keep garage door remotes out of reach.

Kitchens
In the kitchen, turn pot handles to the back of the stove, and be sure to store matches and other fire implements away from children, in hard to reach places. The same goes for medicines and poisons, cleaning chemicals and other dangerous and potentially harmful substances.

Teach babies about hot and cold - be obvious!  You can place a baby’s hand on a cold glass of water to show them cold, and let them see steam coming off something (even out of the dishwasher) to teach them about heat.  I make a big deal out of talking about how hot the oven is and sometimes I say ‘Ouch!’ when touching a warmer surface so that they can learn that there’s a very real chance that if they do touch it, it will hurt.

Road Safety
Children and roads don’t mix!  Don’t allow your children to play in the street, that’s what backyards are for.  Gone are the days when a game of street cricket could be played safely, even in cul de sacs. Between vehicles and abductions, it is not safe to leave children unsupervised in your street.

Be mindful of vehicles entering and leaving your driveway. Implement strategies to deal with cars coming and going.  If it’s highly likely that other people will be leaving without taking your child with them, educate your child about driveway safety!  This can be done from a very young age. Either ensure your child cannot follow anybody outside by themselves, or go out with them, then either pick your baby up, or have your child or children stand in a line well away from the reversing or departing vehicle.  Standing with their backs to a wall is a good idea if there is no danger the car could lurch forward pinning them to it.

Before any vehicle moves check behind the car and by the side of the car you can’t see clearly and state why you are doing this; say “I am just making sure no one is in the way and everybody is safe, because I don’t want you to get run over. If you get run over you could die or have to go to hospital, and I really don’t want you to be hurt.”  Choose age appropriate words.  The safest way to deal with this situation is to hold a child who may act impulsively running behind or in front of a moving vehicle.  One of the ways that I personally deal with this situation is to say “What do we do when someone is leaving?” Our almost three year old knows exactly what to do, and has done for at least six months! All of our children take several giant steps backwards and we have the youngest child hold our hand or he will latch onto our leg and then we put an arm firmly around him.  I praise them for being ‘safe.’

 If you enforce good habits from the beginning, and say the same phrases every time an opportunity presents itself, you will be effectively protecting your child, and arming them with the information they need to act with caution.  In the mornings when our school children get on the bus, our youngest knows to step right back before the bus moves off again.

Fire Danger
Don’t light candles around children who may get burnt or knock them over causing a fire.  Don’t leave candles in children’s rooms, even if there is a black out – supply a torch, this is a much safer implement to use at times like these.
Be mindful of the type of heaters you are using in winter!  Oil heaters or wall mounted air conditioning units that have a winter cycle are probably best. Ask your electrical store about the best options to maintain safety.
Check smoke alarms/batteries regularly to ensure they are working.  When we’re sleeping we can’t smell smoke, so an alarm is your only chance.  Practice fire drills with your family and talk about exit strategies should the worst happen.
Always empty dryer lint filters.  This is a fire waiting to happen if it overloads.

Have an electrician check your electric blankets before you use them this winter.  These have often been stored for long periods of time, rolled up etc.  You need to ensure they are safe to use.

Power point Safety
Keep plastic plugs in your power points which aren’t currently in use.  Put furniture in front of them if possible and teach your children not to put anything into them (this goes for toasters too!)

Storm Safety
Stay indoors during a storm, and for several hours afterward if there is flooding.  Be mindful of storm water drains and teach your children not to play in them due to the very real risk of drowning. Beware of flooded creeks and roads where visibility and depth is doubtful.  Don’t enter an area where water is running rapidly, even in a vehicle!

Driver Safety
Lock car doors when you’re driving (especially at night) – you don’t leave your front door unlocked at home, so why leave your car doors unlocked when you’re out driving?  Place your handbag straps around the gearstick.  This makes it harder for someone to remove it should they be able to reach into the vehicle.

Don’t EVER leave children unattended in a vehicle!  Apart from the obvious abduction risks, cars heat up quickly and children can dehydrate and die in a very short space of time.  Cracking the window is NOT sufficient.  Just don’t do it!

Ceiling Fans
Be mindful when installing these to bedrooms to consider whether bunk beds will be involved.  Ceiling fans and bunks don’t mix.  Think about what could happen if your child sits up or stands up in bed with the ceiling fan going.  This is a recipe for disaster.

Water
Empty Nappy buckets and bathtubs full of water – children can drown in a very little amount of water. NEVER leave children unattended in a bathtub, even for a few seconds!

Sharps away
Knives and scissors need to be stored well away from small children.

Climbing
Be mindful of cabinets children can potentially climb and heavy objects that can come crashing down on them such as television sets or the cabinet itself.

Stranger Danger
If your children are walking home from school or the bus stop, talk to them about ‘Stranger Danger’ and what to do if they feel concerned. Supply older children with a mobile phone and organise a ‘safe house’ for them to stop at should they require it. At home, remind them that answering the door by themselves is not always safe, and if they are answering the phone they should never alert strangers to the fact that they are home alone or that the house is empty!
Stress to friends and relatives who may be babysitting your precious little ones that this is your standard of care, and anything less is unacceptable!  This may seem harsh and over the top, but if it saves a life, it will have been worth it.  Where your children are concerned you need to be assertive.  Others may think you are being over-protective, but nobody knows your children better than you!  I have discovered it helps to assume one safety-standard for all children and work to that end.  This keeps the high maintenance end of the spectrum in check, and establishes a safe routine for everybody!

Michelle Hayward is a mother of 9, with over 21 years experience as a parent and a Freelance Writer and Photographer who is about to release her debut novel ‘Falling. Michelle has certificates in Natural Therapies, Aromatherapy, Interior Decorating, and Diplomas in Make-Up Artistry; she is a Nursing & Childbirth Education student.