For most people, the major dangers they or their kids could face are outside. Unfortunately, this means that while they take extra precautions outside of the home, their attention to things at home is less than satisfactory.
This is why we sometimes say that the hazards are actually inside the house more than they are outside. This is why as parents, you must take all the necessary steps to protect your children from those things. To do this, however, you must be able to identify these hazards first. The following are some of those hidden dangers.
Cloth Hampers
Kids are always looking for ways to have some fun in the house. Their standard go-to is often building a fort. While there are many materials that they can use to build their nice little “fort”, cloth hampers tend to attract their attention.
Most parents typically do not consider these hampers as harmful. Yet, many children have been rushed to the hospital because the wires from these hampers cut them in the eye. Children who are injured by these hampers typically need surgeries, particularly when it’s in a place like their eyes.
Fridge Magnets
Yes, these things are important. But they are also incredibly risky when kids are around. Even riskier now are the small stress relieving balls which can be swallowed by children and fully capable of choking them.
Here’s why magnets are dangerous: opposite ends of magnets naturally attract regardless of wherever they are located. All they need is close proximity. So, when children ingest these magnets, they attract each other, causing incredible pain to the children.
Colorful Detergent Pods
The thing about these pods is that they are designed in attractive colors and produced to look like small sweets. And you know kids love sweets. If you leave any of these concentrated detergents lying around, your child might just think that they stumbled on a tasty treat and try to eat them.
Because these are concentrated detergents, once they bite into them and swallow, they are essentially poisoning themselves the results can be significantly uncomfortable at best or devastating at worst.
Small Wristwatch Batteries
These are also referred to as “button” batteries. This is because they are shaped like buttons. If you or a relative use wristwatches or any gadgets that use these small sized batteries, you would do well to ensure that they are either kept out of the children’s reach or ensure that they are actually intact.
These batteries are capable of choking children. And if successfully swallowed, the batteries could open while in the stomach. The fluid from inside the battery can cause significant burns to the child’s alimentary canal.
Candies and Sweets
Who doesn’t like them? We all do. However, candies are considered the number choking hazard among children. Now, we won’t say that you shouldn’t give your children candy.
Just make sure they are soft and small enough to be swallowed. You should also learn appropriate choking rescue techniques like the Heimlich as it could be helpful in providing the much-needed relief necessary for the child.
Medications
For the fortunate among us, we only need our meds occasionally. But for those with severe medical conditions, taking the meds on a frequent basis is necessary. Whatever the case, because more adults are popping more pills than ever -whether it’s supplements or prescription drugs- children are inadvertently at risk of ingesting one of these pills.
Depending on the contents of the pills and the child’s allergies –children allergic to penicillin could go into anaphylactic shock- the resultant effects could be mild or fatal. And because you may not be around when this happens, the child could die from the poison. So, whatever you do, always make sure that medicine cabinet is secured and never leave medications around the house carelessly.
If you do happen to find your child has taken some form of medication that you did not administer, immediately call 911 or a local pediatric urgent care, like Night Lite Pediatrics, to assist you.
Oscar King is a freelance writer and family man who contributes advice and insights into the blessings and challenges of family living.
