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FAQ #26399

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My child is all over the place all at once! How can I ensure that she remain safe in her explorations?

Related resource areas: Parenting


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This is a concern for most mothers as their children become mobile. Here are some things to watch as your toddler explores.
About 80% of accidental poisonings, which involve children, occur between 10 and 30 months of age. The poisons swallowed are usually household items such as detergents, cosmetics, vitamin pills. Re-check your house to be sure it’s safe. Check the cupboards and drawers your baby can reach now. Take out all sharp objects, breakable things, household products that might poison your baby, plastic bags and foods that might cause choking, such as nuts and popcorn. Set the hot water temperature at 120 degrees. Keep coffee, hot foods, hot pots and pans out of reach. Don't use a dangling table cloth that can be pulled onto the floor. Keep household products and medicines that might poison your baby in a locked cabinet.
Be especially careful when guests stay overnight or when someone in your family is sick. Medicines are likely to be out of their usual safe place. Your baby may want to do what you are doing and eat or drink the medicine. Keep medicines away from household products and household products away from food. This way your baby will not make a mistake of taking a medicine thinking that it is food. Tie a knot in plastic bags. Throw plastic wrappings away before your baby can get to them. A child can smother or suffocate in 1 minute inside an airtight plastic wrapping.

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