Safety tips to keep your kids safe at home

Big kids are learning to be more independent, growing up and trying new things. By the time children turn five, they sleep in bigger beds, eat new foods and play with different toys. They are also more likely to be injured riding a bike, crossing the street or by being burned in the kitchen. As your big kid becomes more adventurous and curious, learn safety tips to keep him safe.

Here are few tips to help keep your big kid safe at home:

Burn Prevention for Big Kids At Home

Flame burns (caused by direct contact with fire) are more common among older children. Because young children have thinner skin than older children and adults, their skin burns at lower temperatures and more deeply. There are several precautions parents and caregivers can take to keep children safe from burns.

Top Tips

In the kitchen:

•        Do not allow children to use a microwave until they are both tall enough to reach in safely and able to understand that steam can cause burns.

•        Place hot foods and liquids on the center of the table.

•        Always supervise young children in the kitchen and around electrical appliances and outlets.

Around the house:

•        Set your water heater to 120 degrees or lower to avoid burns.

•        Keep matches, gasoline, lighters and all other flammable materials locked away and out of children’s reach.

•        Cover unused electrical outlets.

Fire Prevention for Big Kids At Home

Big kids are curious about fire. Teaching your children about the hazards of playing with matches and other flammable materials, as well as practicing a fire escape route with your family, can help prevent accidents and injuries. Fires resulting from children’s play are the leading cause of residential fire-related death and injury among children ages 9 and under.

Also, many children are scared by fire, and they may hide or act irrationally, making escape unlikely. Planning and practicing a fire escape route with your family and talking to your children about what to expect in a fire are simple steps anyone can take. A prepared child is more likely to escape unharmed.

Top Tips

In the kitchen:

•        Don’t wear loose-fitting clothing in the kitchen.

•        Never leave the kitchen unattended while cooking, and never leave a child alone while cooking.

•        Keep anything that can catch fire (like dish towels or wooden spoons) away from your stovetop.

In the bedroom:

•  Install smoke alarms in and outside of every sleeping area and test smoke alarms monthly.

•  Teach children what to do when they hear the sound of the smoke alarm.

·               Crawl low under smoke

·               Touch doors before opening them; if the door is hot, use another exit

·               Never go back into a burning building; children should be reminded not to stop or return for anything, such as a toy or to call 9-1-1

·               Upon leaving the burning building, children whose clothes have caught fire should immediately stop, drop to the ground and roll back and forth quickly to extinguish the flames

Around the house:

•        Practice an escape plan with your child.

•        Teach young children not to play with matches or lighters. Lock up matches and lighters out of their sight and reach.

•        Keep all portable heaters out of children’s reach and at least 3 feet away from flammable objects.

•        Avoid plugging several appliance cords into the same electrical socket.

•        Keep children away from candles and other open flames.

        

Safekids.org