You watch out for your kids and keep them away from things that could hurt them. But there are hidden dangers in every house, sometimes in places you wouldn't think to look. Look around your home often to keep it safe. Keep an eye out for risks that aren't so obvious.
Scalding tap water
Most homes have their water heaters set higher than 120°F (48.8°C). A child can get a scald burn from this in a matter of seconds. Thousands of people get hurt and more than 30 people die every year because of scalding hot tap water. A lot of the victims are children.
Solution: Set your hot water heater to no more than 120°F (48.8°C), and check the temperature of your tap water to make sure it's safe.
Unstable furniture
Every year, big TVs and heavy furniture fall on thousands of young children and hurt or kill some of them. Most of the time, the victims were climbing it, pulling themselves up on it, or falling against unstable furniture.
Solution: Double-check that big pieces of furniture are stable. Stoves, bookcases, shelves, and desks can all be anchored to the wall. Get rid of anything that kids might want to climb on.
Blinds on windows
Children have died by strangulation after getting their necks caught in the cords or chains on window blinds. The most dangerous window coverings are those that were sold before 2001.
Fix: Make sure children can't reach the cords of older window coverings by tying them up. Or replace them with safer blinds that don't have cords. Cribs, beds, and other furniture should not be near windows. Use only window coverings without cords in places where children sleep and play.
Badly kept chemicals
Since the year 2000, twice as many children have died from poisoning. There are many poisons in the garage, the kitchen, and the bathroom. They include pesticides, products for cars, weed killers, and cleaning and disinfecting supplies for the home.
Solution: Put dangerous chemicals back in their original, labeled containers and put them somewhere out of reach. Think about locking cabinets for storing things. When you are using chemicals, you should never leave them alone.
Home trampolines
Every year, tens of thousands of people younger than 20 get hurt on backyard trampolines and have to go to the doctor or an emergency room. People can get sprains, broken bones, and cuts. They can also hurt their necks or spinal cords, become paralyzed, or even die.
Don't use trampolines in your home. You should only use a trampoline in gym class or in a competitive sport if a strict adult is watching you.
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