Spend 5 minutes in a medication sweep.
60,000 kids end up in an ER every year after getting into medicine. Take a few minutes and assess:
- Is all of the medicine in a cabinet or container? It’s easy to forget a bottle on the kitchen counter, or next to a sick child’s bed: do a clean sweep.
- Can small children reach the medicine cabinet? If so, make it inaccessible. Don’t task your children with bringing you any medicine, or taking any without supervision. Vitamins, too – it’s not hard for a kid to eat too many and get sick.
- Do you have the Poison Control number saved? It’s 800-222-1222. Save it in your phone, and write it down at home. Learn more and take the Up and Away medicine safety pledge.
Hide your poison.
Laundry pods. Oven cleaner. Paint thinner.
Aside from medication, there are dozens of common household products and cleaners that are very poisonous and should be kept out-of-reach.
Where are your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors?
These should be checked monthly —and yes, you need both— but most of us forget. Batteries should be replaced yearly.
Secure your TV.
Flat-screen televisions topple over easily, and need to be affixed to a stand or the wall.
While you’re at it, are your bookcases secured? What about bedroom dressers or drawers? Lock them down with a furniture strap or a drywall bolt.
Do a quick walk-through.
- Do you need to maneuver around furniture to avoid tripping? Move it.
- Are the electric cords running across the room? Secure them to a wall with electric tape.
- Are your rugs affixed to the floor? Line them with double-sided tape or a sticky mat.
The National Safety Council has more Safety At Home advice.
Have a safe and happy summer!
