Childproofing advice - anyone got any neat tricks?

[Laminar Lou]

Okay, so my little one is about to turn 1 year old and she is quite the mobile little nugget. And, like her Father, is very interested in figuring out how things work. Maybe all babies are like that, I don't know. This is my first

Since you all are a pretty resourceful lot, what kind of childproofing caveats should I be aware of? Here is what I have done so far:

1) Cut a piece of plexiglass to cover the speaker grill on the projection TV
2) Placed baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs (swinging door type with foot activated opening)
3) Placed a baby gate to keep her out of the kitchen. Will put a safety latch on the under the sink chemicals as a secondary backup device.
4) Put those foam furniture corner thingies to protect her from "sudden deceleration trauma" (although just getting a foam helmet for her is starting to sound appealing - we have some tile in the front of the house)
5) put the platic tabs in all the outlets.

Here is a snapshot of the little one (I am a shamelessly proud Daddy):

Any suggestions are appreciated, even brand recommendations. Anything that doesn't work? At 8 months she was able to open a childproof (er I should say child resistant) cap on a bottle of pills so we are extra diligent. Nothing happened in that situation, my wife caught her in time. She is trying really hard to open the baby gates too, but I think they are beyond her strength to open - for now.

 

[Shannow]

If the kid has the slightest bit of mechanical inclination, you will fight a running battle, and probably on the back foot.

You've started with good ideas, not you'll have to stay observant and ahead of the game.

One trick I used on the front gate (the latch was right at todler eye level) was to split a plastic cork, and tape it on with bright tape. Now the kids can see it, and if they don't won't get poked.

My little bloke is going to Sydney today to have his arm looked at again where he broke it after a 2" fall off a play gym.

 

[Papa Bear]

Valium is something that will probably come in very handy ... not for the nugget but for Lou.

 

[Shannow]

Oh yeah, better half suggested one of our first mods Neutral safety switch on the power points.
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=cc2559cf688df2a77342796fbfd34466.606292

 

[Laminar Lou]

Quote:

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If the kid has the slightest bit of mechanical inclination, you will fight a running battle, and probably on the back foot.

You've started with good ideas, not you'll have to stay observant and ahead of the game.

One trick I used on the front gate (the latch was right at todler eye level) was to split a plastic cork, and tape it on with bright tape. Now the kids can see it, and if they don't won't get poked.

My little bloke is going to Sydney today to have his arm looked at again where he broke it after a 2" fall off a play gym.

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You just gave me a good idea on the fireplace knob. I think I will use a wine cork to cover the protruding lever. Thanks for the idea. Got to figure out how to ziptie the bugger on there as she will most likely see it and try to remove it. I already have a problem with the foam corner protectors. She likes to remove them. She also loves the remote control and if left for a second she will grab it and we will be watching TV in spanish or put us in the dark (my remote controls the lighting too).

 

[Laminar Lou]

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Valium is something that will probably come in very handy ... not for the nugget but for Lou.

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Actually, our 5 lb maltese probably needs it more than anyone in the house. When she isn't running from the toddler she is on the lookout for my size 13s. Poor thing has to find high ground to be able to nap.

 

[Laminar Lou]

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Oh yeah, better half suggested one of our first mods Neutral safety switch on the power points.

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Neutral safety switch? On your car or are we talking about something else?

Loved the video. Not ready for that yet, but our neighbor's kid would be a prime candidate for that.

 

[andyd]

Sounds like you have most of the bases covered. Its a marvelous age , enjoy it. Keep in mind that it seems as if a toddler's primary sense organ is the mouth. The 1st thing they try to do with a new object is to eat it.

 

[Shannow]

neutral safety switch on the main switchboard to the house. Balances what comes in to what goes out, and if there's a difference (leak to earth through a kid, short, whatever) the device kills power to the house.

Used to be called earth leakage, or RCDs.

 

[Laminar Lou]

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Sounds like you have most of the bases covered. Its a marvelous age , enjoy it. Keep in mind that it seems as if a toddler's primary sense organ is the mouth. The 1st thing they try to do with a new object is to eat it.

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Don't I know it. But if you put food in front of her she will look at you like you just morphed into an alien. We gave her bread last night for the first time. After having a serious conversation with it, she tried it, gagged, and then gave me a look like; "Why are you trying to poison me Daddy?" This went on for about 15 minutes. Who needs TV?!?

 

[Laminar Lou]

Quote:

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neutral safety switch on the main switchboard to the house. Balances what comes in to what goes out, and if there's a difference (leak to earth through a kid, short, whatever) the device kills power to the house.

Used to be called earth leakage, or RCDs.

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I think that is the same as a GFI, and we have that in all areas where there is water (it's the housing code out here). I have never heard of one that works on the main. I'll do some searching - sounds like it would be worth it. I don't need my little one learning about electricity like I did. I don't know how I survived my childhood - I really don't...

 

[1sttruck]

Cabinet locks, even though they're a pain. They do come in handy for keeping stuff on shelves during earthquakes though.

Plugs for electrical outlets.

Moving small stuff that can be swallowed, breakable stuff, and expensive stuff up on shelves. Do you want crayon all over your whatever collectable stuff ?

Teach the kids:

to not run in the house as going thru a window or into the TV or down the stairs can be bad,

to not play with doors as fingers on the hinge side will be instantly crushed,

to not play with electrical cords,

to not play with matches/fire,

to avoid the oven and stove,

to be careful with anything sharp thing; pencils, scissors, etc.,

The big problem is going to people's houses that aren't childproofed, so learn'em early.

 

[obbop]

All chemicals and assorted dangers up high beyond reach and as the munchkin gets older and starts climbing....higher and beyond climbing range.

Watch the dishwasher. Knives pointing upwards are a danger, so are fork tines, etc. Hand can come down upon them. A very few newspaper reports over the years of the running older kid hitting the open dishwasher door and falling forward, impaled upon the knife pointing upwards. Some deaths reported.

Look for sharp edges everywhere.

Look for choking hazards everywhere.

Everyone thereabouts know of Heimlich's meneauver?

Be observant. Think of hazards. Keep them on thine mind. You will likely spot a few new ones over time.

Accidents happen....just try to ensure the stage is set so that those accidents are minor boo boos.

When using the stove don't let the kid hang around. What if hot frease or water falls, is dropped, whatever and the kid is underneath.

Lower hot water temp to the safe range. Forget the recommendation, a Web search will inform thee. (105 degrees?)

Also, lots of advice across the Web. Worth an hour or two of poking around. Better safe than sorry.

When kidlet starts walking look for things that are slippery, such as some throw rugs on bare floors.

No candles at anytime. Read the news reports. The cretins trying to be cool burn themselves and their families regularly, after the smoke and fumes have killed them.

Detectors for smoke, fire, CO2. Have your furnace inspected.

Does your house have the aluminum wiring popular in the 1970s? Lots of fires from that stuff.

Pinch points!!!! Watch when closing doors, drawers, etc. A recent CDC report says the most common reason for children losing fingers was due to being in the path of a closing door. Ouch!!!!

Buckets with water in them. Kids can and do drown in a few inches of water after falling in.

Do what you can to create as safe an environment as possible then keep your eyes and ears open.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Gary Allan]

No matter what you do, she'll create her own hazards. My grandon's first routine upon entering the kitchen was to attempt to open the under sink doors with the chemicals (has child type latches)..then immediately to the red HOT spigot on the water cooler..then to the dog's water dish (a shallow bucket, actually) for throwing something in ...then on to the refrig for the ice and water dispencing.

He quickly learned the action of slamming the trash compactor door and pulling the toe bar up for getting it to work (there is a switch that you can turn off).

Some of these things had no practical remedy.

 

[JavaMan]

I don't know if it's been mentioned and I don't have any children, but, I think that any possibly hazardous materials should be kept high. Even if they get through the child-proof latches; hopefully there won't be anything there that will harm them. Of course, as everyone knows, there should be an adult looking after them. That's why these little people are called children. They don't know better. I don't have any children, but, I've followed a few nieces and nephew's around like a bloodhound to do my best that they were not harmed.

 

[K-Man]

Neat childproofing tricks? Here's an oldie but a goodie, though it's pretty politically incorrect these days:

"NO!" [Smack!]

"I said, 'NO!' " [Smack! Smack! Smack!]

Hey, it worked for almost everybody years ago.

Just kidding. Actually, you've already received a lot of great suggestions.

 

[Pablo]

I have forgotten all that stuff. Thank goodness. Currently my equipment list consists of a chastity belt, shotgun and claymore mines. A bottle of No Doze and a paranoid mind help, too.

Maybe with any luck when I get to P.B.'s age I'll remember my girls at age 1. Good luck. You'll need it.

 

[olddognewtrks]

Just a thought: Crawl around your place on hands and knees, and see what SHE sees. Really! Seriously! You'd be surprised at all the things you'll discover from a two-foot tall perspective.
Also, make sure to ALWAYS turn the handles on hot cooking pots back away from the edge of the range. Kids love to grab things. I've seen hot fluid burns on faces/arms/torsos as a pediatric ER staffer. Sorry gang. Just have to report it as I saw it.
However, when she does touch the inevitable hot thing, use ice/wet ice packs immediately, for lots more than a few minutes. The ice cooling the injury actually "short-circuits" the body's cellular reaction to the injury, and it keeps it from being as bad as if it went untreated. I've had it work for me when I grabbed an oven-hot pizza pan. Thirty or forty minutes of ice, and it was better in only a couple of days, with no blistering.
Now that I've been scaring the tar out of you, go grab your little sweetie, sit her on your lap, and enjoy. You'll feel better in no time.

Oh yeah; Give her a hug for all of us jealous folks out here in BITOG land. You lucky guy, you.

 

[tdpark]

For outlet covers, I used the springloaded outlet covers that replace the electric outlet covers. To get to the socket you have to move the face to the side and as soon as someting is unplugged it springs closed.

 

[TheTanSedan]

I made it a point to marry a woman with a teenager. No need to (nor will I ever) change a diaper. Teens are funny as [censored], IMO, they just don't know it. The credulity is worth working on (sort of like a snipe hunt in progress at all times).

The "childproofing" never ends. I started by removing about five pounds of fireworks from an inside closet (covered, natch, by dirty clothes). Lately, it is my clothing and accessories that bear watching, as well as assorted kitchen tools. The firearms are, luckily, all his at this point.

Be aware of things that can fall over if little monkeys climb or swing on them. Bookshelves, etc.