1. Home Safety
Top Tips for a Safer Home
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2. The Facts
• 2,200 children die each year from an injury that
occurs within the home.
• 3.5 million children go to the emergency room for
common injuries that happen in or around the
home.
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide, 2014
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3. Potential Home Safety Hazards
• Prevention is the most important aspect of home
safety.
• Medication
• Small toys and objects
• Laundry cleaners and “pods”
• Safe sleep
• Water
• Fire Prevention
• Furniture and Stairs
• TV Tip-overs
• Guns and Firearms
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4. Medication Safety
• The safest place in the home for medication is
“Up and Away.”
• Store medications closed, in a high location, and out of
sight.
• Use a dose spoon or syringe when giving
medication.
• Teach children never to take medication other
than a parent or designated medical caregiver.
• Keep a log of dose amounts and times to ensure
proper spacing.
• Call the Poison Control Line immediately in the
case of medical emergency. 1-800-222-1222
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide
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5. Small Toys and Objects
• Ensure toys are age-appropriate. Toys with small
parts should be given to children under parental
discretion, and never left unsupervised.
• Button Batteries can be a serious choking hazard,
and are more common in your home that you
may think.
• Singing greeting cards
• Watches
• Key fobs
• Ensure that toys are cleaned up and not left in
the floor as they can be fall hazards.
• Stay informed about toy recalls!
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide, Toy safety tips
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6. Laundry Cleaners and “Pods”
• Laundry pods are becoming an increasingly bigger
danger in our homes.
• To a small child, these pods look like candy: they
are brightly colored, squishy, and often have
designs.
• Store laundry pods and cleaners “Up and Away.”
• Teach your child that these laundry pods and
cleaners should be left alone.
• If your child ingests any of these products call the
Poison Control Center Line right away.
1-800-222-1222
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7. Safe Sleep
• Practice the A-B-Cs of Safe Sleep for your child.
• Alone
• No sleeping with parents, siblings, etc.
• No bumper pads, blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals.
• Back
• For naps and every night’s sleep
• Every caregiver; every time
• Crib or Approved Sleeping Device
• Crib
• Portable Playard
• Bassinet
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide
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8. Water Safety
• Water is in every room in the home, and is the
leading cause of injury related deaths for children
aged 1-4.
• In the House:
• Keep toilet seats closed and install an appropriate lock.
• Never leave young children in the bathtub unsupervised.
• Around the House:
• Keep buckets, kiddie pools, and other things that could
hold water empty and turned upside down.
• Take your child to swim classes when they are ready, but
some level of instruction is helpful for any age.
• Wear lifejackets in open water, and in pools.
• Approved by the US Coastguard, arm “floaties” are not
sufficient.
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide
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9. Fire Safety
• Avoid Hazards (stove top materials)
• Smoke Alarm Batteries should be
checked/changed every 6 months.
• 14% of parents surveyed report never checking their
smoke alarms.
• Have a fire escape plan and share it with your
family.
• Ensure each person has a way to get out of the house
and knows where to meet up with the rest of the
occupants.
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide, fire safety at home
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10. Furniture and Stairs
• Yearly, more than 93,000 kids under age 5 are
seen in emergency rooms for stair related injuries.
• Secure gates to the top and bottom of stairs by bolting
them to the walls.
• 48% of parents surveyed reported not securing
furniture to prevent tip-overs.
• As young children are learning to climb the risk for this
increases. Secure your furniture to the wall or floor.
• Install window guards on windows to prevent
children from opening them, especially on floors
above the ground level.
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide, TV Tipovers: By the Numbers
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11. TV Tip-overs
• Properly place your old TV.
• If you have a heavier, box-type TV, place it on a low, stable
piece of furniture.
• Recycle your old TV.
• Don’t leave these unused TVs around the home or in the
garage.
• The older models are heavier, larger, and can cause
significant damage if a child pulls it on top of him.
• Secure your flat-screen TV.
• Most of these models come with wall mounts: USE THEM.
• The skinny nature of these TVs make them large risks for
tip overs since they are top-heavy and easy for a child to
grab onto.
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide
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12. Guns and Firearms
• 80% of unintentional firearm deaths in those
under 15 years old occur in the home.
• Store guns and ammunition in a secure location,
and separately.
• Talk to your children about gun safety.
• Don’t touch, Walk away, Tell an adult.
• Ask about guns!
• Ensure that places your children frequent (neighbors,
grandparents, etc.) are properly securing and storing
guns.
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide
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13. Your Home
• Each home environment is different and has
different risks.
• Evaluate your home for hazards that are not
mentioned in this presentation.
• Carbon Monoxide
• Burns and Scalds
• Choking Hazards
• No one knows your home better than you.
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