7 Hidden Hazards for Kids in the Home

7 Hidden Hazards for Kids in the Home


As parents, safety is the number one concern. There’s nothing more important. We may think that our homes are safe havens for our kids, but there are some serious hazards lurking right under our noses. Here are a few to watch out for . . .
 

1. Plastic products

Plastics are petroleum-based. That means they were made from oil. The chemicals from the oil and those used during the manufacturing process leach into products and foods, and eventually our children’s bodies. Plastics can disrupt the hormone system’s usual functions and harm our developing children. Use products and toys that use natural ingredients like wood and bamboo.

 

2. Magnets

Magnets are often small, but powerful. If your child ingests magnets, they can attract one another and cause all sorts of damage, like tearing and blocking the intestines. If your child swallows a magnet you should head to the hospital immediately.

 

3. Tall furniture

Tall furniture poses a tip-over hazard. Kids will invariably try to climb on furniture or push it around. Even the strongest child may have trouble pushing a dresser or mirror off of them. To prevent this, anchor any furniture taller than four feet to the wall with a drywall anchor and chain. Make the chain short enough so it never can get to the point where it puts pressure on the chain.

 

4. Recalled products

The Consumer Product Safety Commission monitors products, especially children’s products, for safety hazards. It’s good to browse their website and get a feel for what they look at and what’s been recalled. You never know when something you bought (especially if it’s years old) was deemed unsafe.

 

5. Detergent pods

In 2015, 12,000 children were injured by those little pods we throw in our dishwashers. Kids mistake these as something to eat, especially the colorful ones. They are concentrated forms of detergent, which makes them even more dangerous to ingest than the regular stuff.

 

6. Lithium batteries

These aren’t your usual AAs, but they’re in everything. They look like little silver buttons. If swallowed, they can burst and leak the caustic fluid into your child’s stomach and intestines, resulting in internal burns. If ingested, call poison control.

 

7. Prescription drugs

These days, most homes have someone taking a doctor-prescribed pill. Many of these medications can make a child seriously ill or worse, cause death. Parents are usually good about keeping certain medications away from kids (like pain medication or sleeping pills), but they aren’t careful with seemingly innocent pills, like their blood pressure medication. These are just as deadly.

 

Written by Cameron & Lorilyn Honarvar

Our Blog: PacificBaby

Our Products: Pacific Baby Bottles and Bambooware

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