Keeping children safe in their nursery or bedroom can be a challenging task. Baby’s and younger children are typically in their bedroom for sleeping only, and confined to their crib at that time. During the early monhts, they spend most of their awake time in the family area or playroom together with an adult. When they move into the more solid toddler stage, they also move out of the crib and into a toddler or twin bed or even a mattress on the floor. At this point they are in their room for long periods of time unattended. Some children even get up at night and play in their room or explorers the whole house. At any given time during their early stage development is especially important to make sure their own room is safe!

 

In the early developing stages (typically up to 2 years of age) it is particularly important that the crib is safe. The crib is where the baby is spending his or her time when in the room. Different types of accidents happen. Sudden Infant Death is one cause of concern (this is dealth with in a seperate article). Falling out of the crib is another very common accident. Baby’s also pull glass or heavy objects from the wall into the crib and get caught in cords from baby monitors, cameras and blinds.

 

When they enter the more solid toddler stage and move into a "regular" bed, they are able to get around in the their room on their own and unattended. Typical accidents that happens at this stage would be pulling and getting hit by furniture (sidetables, bookshelves, dressers an the like), putting objects in electrical outlets and getting cought in cords, falling out of windows, accessing hazardous content often stored in their closets (such as plastic bags, tools etc.).

 

Make sure the crib and sorrounding area is safe! To prevent SIDS and falls out of the crib always place the child on their back when sleeping. Use a firm mattress that does not get too warm while sleeping and make sure the height of the mattress is correct (lower it as the child get’s older). The child’s chest should never be above the siderail - app. 2/3 of the childs height below the siderail. Cover the baby with light blanket that reaches no further than the shoulders and remove all bigger toys and pillows that the child could step on to gain extra height!

 

Never hang big, heavy objects on the wall above the crib. Only hang light, soft items and no glass. Hang items so that they are out of reach for the standing baby. Cords for Baby Monitors, Cameras and Blinds should be placed out of reach - make sure the baby can not pull cords into the crib, they are a strangulation hazard. There are special tubes available for cords on www.safetynook.com, to make them not accessible and safe for the baby! 

Strap furniture to the wall - even small items such as sidetables can cause serious injuries when falling on the child. Eletrical outlets can be secured with safety plates or plugs, and all the cords should be tied up and blocked off or protected with tubes. All hazardous content should be stored high up, out of reach - or ideally removed from the room. Windows need to be secured. Try to keep furniture away from under the windows (kids climb on furniture) and install window locks or barriers to make sure no child leaves the room and no intruder comes in!