Child Safety At Home

CHILD SAFETY AT HOME

In the last days of the month of June 2018, Nigerians were confronted with sad, terrible news, news that played on many parent's worst fears. News of children dying in their own homes. First was the death of Daniel Oyebanjo III, the son of popular Nigerian musician D'banj. The boy was said to have drowned in a swimming pool at the Ikoyi residence of his father. He had just recently celebrated his first birthday, an event which dominated social media for sometime before his tragic demise. The second was Timidi Digba, a leading voice in women and girls empowerment who, a day earlier, made an announcement on Facebook concerning the loss of her two children, Itunuoluwa and Oluwadamilare. Both children, who were under five years old, died in a fire accident in their home in Akure, Ondo State. The stories were met with much lamentation online.
Children, with their inability to protect themselves, can easily be in danger at school, on the road, at home, while playing and so on. However, here, we're considering child safety at home. A child spends a lot, if not most, of his time at home, but homes, which are safe havens, can also be traps that seriously endanger the children. Many parents worry so much about abductions and kidnappings by strangers or violence that they often forget that the home can also be a threat to child safety. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, an NGO which is concerned with preventing unintentional injuries to children, more than 3 million children get seriously injured at home each year. Hence, the emphasis placed on child safety at home. So, how do we do it? How do we make sure the home is safe for children?
Firstly, concrete floors. As a child learns to walk, crawl or run, they always run the risk of falling because they are yet to fully control their body and movement. Due to this, concrete floors are especially dangerous. It is therefore advisable to avoid concrete or ceramic tile floors in play areas to reduce serious injuries associated with falling. Another way is to rug up children’s room to reduce slippery surfaces. All wires or cable crossing any path should be removed to avoid tripping. Also, children should never be left unattended in a baby seat, on a table, in a high chair, or on a couch or bed as they can fall.
Second, tiny objects like beads, coins, marble, paper clips, toys with tiny and removable parts and any other small object can find on the floor, on low tables or drawers are objects the child could choke on, and so should be kept securely away from the reach of children. Additionally, items like plastic wraps, polythene bags, tapes, foil paper and waxed paper should be kept away. These items can cause suffocation in children.
Again, sharp objects such as scissors and knives should be locked away in a safe place where they cannot be taken by the child. Cutlery should also be avoided until they can handle it themselves. All these objects can be stored in locked shelves and drawers when not in use. Also, hot objects like pressing iron and hot pots or spoons should be avoided. Matchboxes should also be securely locked away. Children can’t help but try new things. It's a way of learning. But sometimes, they cannot know how dangerous a sharp object can be until they get hurt. However, we should not wait for them to get hurt before keeping them out of their reach.
Another thing one can do to keep children safe at home is to put furniture in safe places. Everyone knows that children like climbing furniture. Furniture like drawers, bookshelves, and cupboard can be attached to the wall to avoid children turning them over. Furniture with sharp corners can benefit turned away from where the child runs around or plays. Additionally, sofas, chairs, tables, shelves or bookcases should not be put near windows to keep children from climbing up to reach the curtain or window blind cord, or from crawling out the window.
Children should also be kept away from home appliances that can endanger them, be they electrical or not. Such appliances include but are not limited to washing machines, electric stoves, gas cookers, standing fans, pressing irons and so on. A child may put his fingers through the railings of a standing fan, or tamper with the control knobs on a gas cooker and this puts them in danger of being injured by cuts or burns or electric shocks. Sockets, extension boxes, light switches and other electrical fixtures should also not be allowed to be played with by children.
Lastly, even if we have observed these precautions, it is also necessary to check visitors when they come. The home may be baby-proofed to the nines and the parents may have observed every precaution in the book, but everything can be undone by what a visitor brings into the house. Babies may be attracted by lipstick or medication for example, thinking they are sweets. Therefore, visitors should be advised to keep their bags away from the children, especially if it contains some things which, though ordinary, may constitute a threat to the well-being of the child.
So, in summary, put a rug on the floor of your children's rooms, especially if it is made of concrete or ceramic tiles, keep all tiny objects and plastic bags from them to prevent suffocation, lock away all sharp and/or hot objects, move entire furniture to a safer place, keep them away from virtually all home appliances, remove all wires, police visitors and check their bags like customs and immigration officers... Sounds like a lot of work, right? Too much fussing? It is a lot of work, but in order to safeguard the lives of our children at home and, ultimately, give us peace of mind, it is necessary to follow all these precautions, and then some. The children are the future. It is our duty to protect them.

By Precious Oluwatobi Emmanuel 

#ANSANonFictionWriterOfTheWeek