Pediatric Environmental Home Assessment - Background on Child Safety

Child Safety - If young children present
Young Children Present	Yes	No
Coffee, hot liquids, and foods	Out of child’s reach	Within child’s reach
Cleaning supplies stored	Out of child’s reach	Within child’s reach
Medicine and vitamins stored	Out of child’s reach	Within child’s reach
Child (less than six years old) been tested for lead poisoning	Within past 6 months Result:	More than six months Result	No
Child watched by an adult while in the tub	Always	Most of the time	No
Home’s hot water temperature	Less than 120°F	More than 120°F	Don’t know
Non-accordion toddler gates used	At top of stairs	At bottom of stairs	No
Crib mattress	Fits well	Loose
Window guards	Yes	No
Window blind cords	Split cord	Looped cord
NOTES:

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Young Children Present

If a young child is regularly present in the home, the resident needs to be aware of the special safety hazards that may threaten a child. The list below addresses the key points. But it is far from complete. For more information go to the Home Safety Council at www.homesafetycouncil.org/expert_network/en_nfy_w004.aspx. The materials below were taken from that website.

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Coffee, hot liquids, and foods

Key tips from the Home Safety Council on hot liquids and food.

Use heavy oven mitts and hot pads when cooking. Avoid using a wet towel to hold a hot pan because the heat from the pan can build steam, causing a scald injury.
Test heated food and bottles before feeding children.
Turn pot handles toward to back of the range. When drinking hot beverages, keep the container away from the edge of tables and counters so children can’t reach them.
Microwaved food gets hot very fast. Heated food and steam can cause an injury. Use caution when removing food from the microwave and when taking the covers off of heated plates. Pull covers away from you, not toward you.
Microwaving heats food from the inside out. Cut open heated foods and test them before feeding children.
Be aware that toddlers can pull tablecloths down, spilling hot beverages and food onto them. When using tablecloths, center food and beverages in the middle of the table. Don’t place hot beverages on lower tables, where children can easily reach them.
Avoid drinking hot beverages when you are holding a young child. Using a “commuter mug” with a tight-fitting lid can help reduce a hot spill if the beverage tips over.
Treat a minor burn injury immediately with cool running water for 3-5 minutes. Do not apply ice, which can harm the skin. Do not apply butter or lotions, because this can keep the skin temperature hot, increasing the injury. Apply a sterile bandage to the injured area.

Key Resource: Home Safety Council - www.homesafetycouncil.org/safety_guide/sg_water_w004.aspx

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Cleaning supplies stored

Food, drinks and household cleaners are found in kitchens across the country – yet surprisingly Home Safety Council research shows that over half of families keep cleaners and chemicals in unlocked places. The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) reports than 92 percent of all poison exposures occur in the home every year. To help reduce the risk to your family, adopt the following safety guidelines to handle and store poisons at home:

Store all products in their original containers and in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
Never transfer poisonous or caustic products to drinking glasses, pop bottles, or other food containers, which could be mistaken and the contents consumed.
Homes with young children should have child locks installed on cabinets. Lock up all pesticides, cleaning products and other chemicals, all medications and medical supplies, and all other poisonous, toxic or caustic products.
Purchase medications with child-resistant caps and make sure all dangerous products in the cabinets have child-resistant caps, including cleaning products and chemicals.
Read the use and storage directions before using products. Original labels on product containers often give important first-aid information.
When using harsh products follow safety recommendations, such as wearing gloves and masks. Do not mix products together because their contents could react together with dangerous results.
Promptly put away products after use and wipe up spills immediately.
If you purchase cleaning products or household chemicals that are packaged with labeling that includes images of food (for example citrus fruit in some cleaners), or that are packaged in containers that look similar to beverage bottles, be aware of the risk of these containers being mistaken for edible food products and ingested.
Store all harmful products away from food to avoid mistaken consumption.
Post the poison control hotline (1-800-222-1222) and other emergency numbers near every phone.

Key Resource: Home Safety Council - www.homesafetycouncil.org/safety_guide/sg_kitchen_w002.aspx

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Medicine and vitamins stored

Home Safety Council research shows that poisoning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury related death in the home. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) more than 92 percent of the 2.3 million poison exposures reported in the latest year studied occurred in the home. Yet, the Home Safety Council found that most families are not taking the appropriate precautions to reduce the risk of poison exposure.

Poison prevention is for everyone, not just children. The Home Safety Council's poisoning prevention advice can help individuals and families keep their homes safer from poisonous and toxic products, chemicals and gases, regardless of the ages of the occupants. Homes with young children need to take extra precautions. Follow these guidelines to keep your family safe from poison exposures at home:

Homes with young children should have child locks installed on cabinets.
Make sure all medicines and prescriptions have not expired. If they have expired they should be flushed down the toilet and not thrown away in the garbage.
Read the use and storage directions before using products. Original labels on product containers often give important first-aid information.
Post the national poison control hotline (1-800-222-1222) next to every phone.

Key Resource: Home Safety Council - www.homesafetycouncil.org/safety_guide/sg_poison_w001.aspx

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Child (less than six years old) been tested for lead poisoning

See Section on Indoor Pollutants for Lead-Based Paint.

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Child watched by an adult while in the tub

Standing water presents a serious hazard both inside and outside the home. Drowning is a sudden and silent danger, and young children are especially vulnerable to drowning risk areas inside the home including toilets, bathtubs and five gallon buckets. Constant adult supervision is the most effective way to keep children safe around water. The Home Safety Council recommends these additional safety precautions to keep your children away from potential water hazards.

Always stay within touch supervision – keeping kids within an arm’s reach -- when your children are around standing water at home. This includes buckets, bathtubs, toilets and spas.
Always supervise young children during bath time. Never allow older siblings to supervise children in or around standing water.
Baby bath seats are not a safety device and should never substitute for adult supervision.
Drain the bathtub immediately after using.

Key Resources: Home Safety Council - www.homesafetycouncil.org/safety_guide/sg_water_w003.aspx

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Home’s hot water temperature

A scald is an injury caused by hot liquid or steam and according to Shriners Hospitals for Children, children under age 5 are at highest risk for scald injuries from hot liquids. People of all ages can be burned by liquid at 140 degrees Fahrenheit in as few as thirty seconds. It takes only five seconds for a young child to be injured by 140 degree liquid; and only one second at 160 degrees.

Lower water heaters to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Ask the building owner to lower the temperature for you if you rent. If you own your home, you can often adjust your own water heater. Check with the utility company for instructions.

When bathing children, use a water thermometer to ensure the temperature is safe. Turn the cold water on first, then mix in warmer water and keep the temperature at about 100 Fahrenheit.

Key Resource: Home Safety Council - www.homesafetycouncil.org/safety_guide/sg_water_w004.aspx

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Non-accordion toddler gates used

The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns of an entrapment and strangulation hazard that exists with accordion-style baby gates manufactured prior to February 1985. These gates have V-shaped openings along the top edge and diamond-shaped openings in the sides that are large enough to entrap a child's head. CPSC knows of 9 deaths and at least 25 "near-misses" because of the entrapment hazard of these gates. Most of the deaths occurred when children's heads became entrapped in the V-shaped openings.

In contrast, other styles of baby gates--such as a straight top edge and rigid mesh screen, or openings too small for a child's head to enter--do not present the entrapment/strangulation hazard. See drawing below for an example.

Install baby gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs.

Key Resource: Consumer Product Safety Commission - www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5085.html and Home Safety Council - www.homesafetycouncil.org/safety_guide/sg_toddler_w001.aspx

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Crib mattress

Make sure the mattress cover and sheets fit well on the mattress.

Overall, a nursery should be a warm and safe environment where a baby can learn and grow. An active baby naturally climbs and crawls, rolls and rummages – and parents need to take precautions to make sure curious children avoid common home injuries. Consider the following tips from the Home Safety Council to ensure that your child’s haven remains safe and welcoming:

Young children need close supervision, even in the nursery.
Remove all plastic bags from the nursery area.
Keep baby monitors and other cords a safe distance from the crib.
Store diaper products and medicines up high and purchase products with child-resistant packaging.
Never leave the baby unattended on the changing table and use harness straps to secure the baby from a fall injury.
Purchase UL-listed nightlights and replacement bulbs.
Use only safety nightlight styles that prevent children from pulling out the night light or gaining access to the bulb. Use the recommended wattage for the bulb and keep night lights at least three feet from bedding and other combustible materials.
Use child safety covers for electric outlets.
Repair or replace frayed cords or damaged lamps. Be sure to hide cords behind furniture.
All pictures should be secured out of reach. Don’t hang pictures or other heavy decorations directly over a crib.
Blind cords can present a serious strangulation hazard for early walkers. If your blind cords have continuous loops, call 1-800-444-6742 to request free repair kits.
Install window guards with a quick-release mechanism that can be opened easily by an adult in case of fire.
Keep cribs, beds, chairs and other furniture away from windows.
Anchor unstable furniture, including dressers and bookcases.
Install a baby gate at the nursery door.
Choose toy chests with lid supports to prevent heavy lids from falling on children’s fingers and necks.
Replace all door stops that have removable caps that can pose a choking hazard.
Install finger pinch guards on doors or drape a towel over the hinge side to prevent painful pinching injuries.

Key Resource: Home Safety Council - www.homesafetycouncil.org/safety_guide/sg_child_w001.aspx

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Window guards

According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), children are more likely to die or be severely injured from window-related falls than falls associated with any other product. Additionally, most of these injuries occur during the spring and summer months. To help prevent window falls in your home, the Home Safety Council suggests the following precautions:

Be aware that conventional window screens are not designed to prevent a child’s fall from a window.
Install specially designed window guards on upper windows to prevent children from falling out of windows.
Purchase window guards that have a quick-release mechanism inside so that they can be easily opened by an adult in a fire emergency.
Move furniture away from windows in children’s rooms to prevent them from reaching windows.
Never leave young children unattended near open windows.

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Window blind cords

CPSC reports that more than 169 strangulation deaths caused by window coverings have been tracked since 1991. Most were children three and younger, though children up to age six are considered to be at risk. While many new window treatments eliminate these hazards, older homes may still have window cord dangers that can present a risk to young children. To make sure your window cords do not present a strangulation danger, the Home Safety Council recommends following these tips:

Inspect your window coverings for inner and outer cord loops in blinds that could pose a danger to children.
If your window blinds have loops, they can easily be made safer by requesting a free repair kit from the Home Safety Council and Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse. Call 1-800-559-2555 to request your free kits.
Position cribs, playpens, beds and other furniture away from windows and out of the reach of all window covering cords, including drapery pull cords.
Tie window cords up and out of a child’s reach.

Key Resource: Home Safety Council - www.homesafetycouncil.org/safety_guide/sg_window_w001.aspx

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Phone: 410.992.0712 • Fax: 443.539.4150