Babyproofing for Grandparents
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Do grandparents need to babyproof their homes? Yes! Whether your grandchild will be a regular visitor or only a very occasional one, it’s important to assess your home for possible dangers, and then eliminate them. Before your young grandchild visits, have a conversation with his or her parents to find out what safety concerns they may have, and make sure to address those.
Will you need to secure every kitchen drawer with a childproof latch? Likely not. But if parents have a particular fear around a certain area, don’t dismiss their concerns. The goodwill you’ll gain will outweigh the inconvenience of putting a security latch on the toilet.
If it’s been a while since you’ve had a baby in your home, you may be surprised by what a hazardous place your house has become. Here are some childproofing basics to keep in mind as you make sure your home is safe for your grandchild:
View each room from floor level. What’s down there that might be a hazard? Electrical outlets and cords, a drawer where you keep candles and matches? Remember that babies tend to explore with their mouths, and toddlers are endlessly curious.
Is there furniture that can be pulled over? Climbing toddlers can pull over even heavy pieces of furniture, and it’s often a silent and deadly accident. Secure any dressers, bookshelves, TV’s and media cabinets with sturdy anti-tip straps like the ones from Quakehold. Don’t think that’s necessary? Watch this quick video.
Outlet covers are a quick and easy way to prevent accidental electric shock. You can get a pack of 60 from Amazon for just a few dollars.
Are there easy to reach items that could pose a choking hazard? Anything that can fit through a toilet paper tube can obstruct a child’s airway.
Block your grandchild’s access to stairs and other dangerous areas once he or she can get around.
Keep dangerous items out of reach. This includes obvious dangers like firearms and matches, but also includes things like a cooler that a child could crawl into. The best way to prevent the unthinkable from happening is to assume it will, and takes steps to avoid it.
Put all potential poisons out of sight and out of reach. This goes beyond cleaning products, to mouthwash, button batteries and tobacco products. Grandparents’ medicine is responsible for up to 20% of pediatric poisonings, so make sure you put your blood pressure medication on the highest shelf. You can find a more comprehensive list of potential poisons in this blog post.
Don’t use baby walkers; choose a stationary activity center or gym instead. Between 1990 and 2014, over 230,000 children under the age of 15 months went to the ER for baby walker-related accidents and 75% of injuries involved stairs. The second most common cause of injury is babies falling out of the walker itself. And because walkers give a baby mobility and reach they would not have otherwise, there are numerous injuries from burns and poisons. There are also development risks involved: read this post on baby walkers for more information.
Never leave a pet alone with a baby. While the idea that cats steal a baby’s breath is an old wives’ tale, even the most docile family pet can become stressed by a crying baby and act uncharacteristically.
Make sure there aren’t any sources of water that your grandchild could access. A child can drown in just 2” of water, and children under the age of one most often drown in bathtubs, buckets or toilets. Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4, and one that can be prevented with some simple steps. If you have a pool or pond, or live near a lake or river, you must be extra vigilant. Children need to be supervised by an adult any time water is nearby, and should never be more than an arm’s length away from that vigilant adult. Read What Grandparents Need to Know: Water safety for kids.
Never smoke around your grandchild. Even the contamination from smoking that remains on someone’s skin, clothes, hair, car, and furniture increases the risk of SIDS.
If you will be regularly caring for your grandchild, take an Infant CPR and First Aid class. The Red Cross offers an online course here. It’s also a good idea to take a course on how to help a choking child.
For more safety information, get the Baby Care & Safety section of New Grandparent Essentials from our shop. For just $10, you’ll get the latest info on subjects including sleep, food & feeding, and car seat safety. Get your copy now.
The most important aspect of babyproofing is keeping your grandchild where you can see what they are up to: Most child injuries occur when the caregiver’s attention is elsewhere. Even the most doting grandparent can let their attention wander, so make sure you have taken all possible steps to make sure your home is a safe place for your grandchild when they visit.