Childproofing the house is one of the most important things that no parent should ignore. Let us the take a look at some of the household products that possess poisoning hazard and that should be kept out of the reach of children.One of the most exciting times in a parent’s life is when her little one starts walking and becomes a toddler. Being mobile opens a world of dangers for your child, right inside your own home. As a parent you love to watch your child grow and explore the world, but at the same time you have to be over-cautious and educate yourself about the potential dangers and poisoning hazards that are there in the house for your child.
Hidden Household Poisons
The first thing that you need to know is which of the products commonly used at home are poisonous for your child. Obvious ones include cleaning solvent, fluids from your vehicle, medicines and detergent pods. Here are some major
poisoning hazards for kids commonly found at home.
1. Cleaning Solvent or Laundry Detergent Pods
It is always advisable to keep the cleaning solvents inside a cupboard when you have a toddler at home. If the cupboard is of the same height as your child, keep them locked. Even though the laundry detergent pods come with several warnings, they are still serious poisoning agents for children.
2. Spray Cleaners
Household spray cleaners are particularly dangerous for children. They are colourfully packed and often contain sweet and attractive smell. They also come in containers with handles that can be easily grasped by your child. Children also love the spray of liquid on their face. So, keep such bottles high and
safe so that your child never sees them.
3. Painted Walls
Many houses are painted with paints which contain lead that can
poison a child. When the paint on the wall starts deteriorating or the child scratches somehow, highly toxic lead dust is released which enters into the child’s body poisoning her. So, if you are not sure about the paint of your wall, conduct a lead inspection and testing done.
4. Harmful and Inflammable Chemicals
If a chemical can light a fire, it is definitely toxic and highly dangerous for your child. Whether it is gasoline or chemicals for example, in torch, they can cause significant damage to the lungs, oesophagus and digestive system of your child if inhaled or swallowed. It can be even life threatening at times.
5. Pool and Hot Tub Chemicals
Chemicals are used to treat the pool water and hot tubs. These are some of the most toxic elements and should be strictly kept out of the reach of small children. Just by inhaling them can kill or permanently damage the lungs of your child.
6. Pesticides
Pesticides contain some of the nastiest chemicals that a human would know. They are dangerous even by touching them. So, you should be very careful when using these especially when you have small
children at home.
7. Lawn Treatment Chemicals
Fertilizers and other lawn treatment chemicals range from mildly poisonous to potentially deadly. Parents with small children should be very careful not just by keeping the bottles and bags of fertilizers away, but also by ensuring that kids do not pick up fertilizer particles to eat them.
8. Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
Cosmetics and personal care products are some of the most common poisoning hazards for kids. Just keep in mind that the products we use for hygiene contain chemicals. Though it is hard to say what exact damage it would do to the child, but since these are chemicals and have proved risks even for lives of young children in different parts of the world, you need to be very careful using and storing them.
It is very difficult to keep everything out of reach of children and stay relaxed. When you have a young toddler at home, you should be vigilant and alert always. Never leave your toddle alone. Keep all the above motioned hazardous products inside locked cabinets. Proper supervision is always required. If you suspect that your child has been exposed to any of the poisonous thing, rush your child to a doctor.
How to keep hazardous items out of the reach of children? What kind of household products can cause harm to children? Which household items come with poisoning hazards? Discuss here.