When you’ve got kids — or, let’s face it, a somewhat clumsy spouse — your house can suddenly feel like a death trap.
Keeping them away from the stove and kid-proofing the corners of the coffee table might not be good enough, as ordinary items like chairs and pans can become a recipe for disaster.
Having “seen enough tragedies,” pediatrician Dr. Niky posted a TikTok in which she shared three things she “automatically” does at home to keep her three kids out of harm’s way.
After receiving over 100,000 likes, she followed up with another video of three more safety hazards — and it’s probably precautions most parents wouldn’t think to take.
Don’t leave something with a drawstring in their reach
That old gym bag that you throw on the couch can’t possibly hurt them, right? Wrong.
That’s because your curious child can take the string and wrap it around their neck for fun — and end up strangling themselves, she explained.
“Unfortunately, it can be too late before you even notice that something is happening,” she said.
Ditto with anything that has a button battery
This is especially true if the button comes off easily, as it is a choking hazard.
“If your child swallows a button battery, give them honey if they are over the age of 1,” she advised. “If younger than 1, no honey, just go to the ER.”
Honey can help coat the battery, thereby neutralizing some of the alkaline substances that may lead to burns and tissue damage. Honey is not recommended for babies because of botulism concerns.
Don’t hang a coat or cardigan on the back of a chair
“It is very exciting for your toddler to be able to reach something and pull it down, and it is very easy for that chair to fall directly on top of them,” she explained.
That’ll end in tears.
Keep pot and pan handles positioned to the side
If you leave the handle sticking out, your little one can easily bump into it, causing potential burns and ruining dinner.
Keep cups and bowls in the middle of the counter
This is especially true if they contain hot liquids, as they can easily be knocked over, causing burns and — you guessed it — more tears.
Cut up grape tomatoes
This might not be intuitive, but your child can try to swallow one whole, creating a choking hazard. Same goes for other foods that are similar in size and shape.
More than 2,100 children in the US died from choking between 1999 and 2013, with hot dogs, candies and grapes topping the list of causes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a long list of foods to avoid to mitigate the risk, including uncut fruit and vegetables, nuts, sausages, string cheese, beans, fish with bones, granola bars, popcorn and marshmallows.
Read the full article here
