Indoor Safety

Home Safety

Toy Safety 

Safe Sleep

Substances (drugs), including cannabis and Medication Safety

Home Safety

Did you know? Young children are usually injured in the home.

Your baby or toddler likely spends a lot of their time at home. Knowing this, it is important to make sure that your home is safe for them to explore and move around.

Keep in mind, no safety measures can make a house completely safe. Active supervision is important to protect your child!

Want to know the hazards for your child in your house? Get on their level to see the world from their eyes.

Below are things you can do throughout your home to help keep you and your family safe.

Bedroom Safety

• Ensure crib, cradle or bassinet meets Canadian safety standards.
• Ensure no soft mattresses, loose or soft bedding, bumper pads, pillows or toys in crib.
• Move crib mattress to its lowest position as soon as baby can push up on their hands and knees (around 5 to 6 months).
• Move child to a toddler’s bed or mattress on the floor once they try to climb out of their crib.
• Keep crib mobile out of baby’s reach.
• Place furniture away from the windows.
• Keep one hand on your baby when they are on a raised surface such as a change table. Change baby on the floor when they are able to roll.
• Consider dressing your child in sleepwear made of synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester.

Bathroom Safety

• Check water temperature (using your forearm) before placing your child in the bathtub.
• Set the hot water heater thermostat to 49C to prevent burns.
• Use non-slip bathtub mats. Do not use bath rings.
• Always supervise your child while in bathroom and bathtub.
• Keep medications in safe locations (out of reach and sight, in locked cupboards).
• Return expired medications to pharmacy.

Stairs and Hallways

• Remove clutter from stairs and walking routes in your home.
• Install stair/baby gates – Use a hardware mounted gate at the top and pressure mounted gates can be used at the bottom of the stairs.
• Check with Health Canada to make sure your safety gates meet current standards.
• Keep stairs well lit.

Window Safety

• Use window stoppers/locks/guards to prevent window opening more than 10cm (4inch).
• Tie up all blind and curtain cords.

Kitchen Safety

• Keep children away from sharp kitchen utensils, glass and hot appliances.
• Use dial protectors on appliances such as stove tops to prevent children from turning on the burners.
• Keep hot plates/pans/pots out of reach - use back burners and keep pan and pot handles turned towards the back of the stove.
• Avoid using the microwave to heat breastmilk and formula.
• Avoid placemats or tablecloths as your child can be hurt by falling items if they pull on them.
• Use child locks on cupboards and drawers.
• Keep appliance cords out of reach.
• Have a working fire extinguisher.
• Tie plastic bags in a knot before placing them in a safe location.
• Unsafe products stored out of reach in locked locations (medications, cleaning products and chemicals, cannabis edibles and alcohol).
• No firm/hard foods, small and round foods, smooth and sticky solid foods (eg: popcorn, seeds, marshmallows, whole nuts) to children under 4 years.
• Supervise young children and have them sit down to eat.

Electrical Safety

• Don’t use electrical items near water.
• Use safety plugs on all unused outlets.
• Ensure electrical cords and wires are out of reach.

General Living Areas

• Cover sharp edges and corners of furniture with padding.
• Don’t use baby walkers with wheels (illegal in Canada since 2004).
• Secure tall furniture to the wall such as dressers and bookshelves (to prevent tipping over).
• Use child-proof doorknob covers.
• Lock balcony doors.
• Place car seats and bouncy chairs on the floor, not on tables or counters.
• Have working carbon monoxide and smoke alarms on every level and outside each sleeping area in your home.
  • Change the batteries once a year.
  • Test every month.
• Keep poisonous plants out of reach of children.
• Keep matches, lighters, and candles out of reach of children.
• Have a barrier separating the fireplace (such as a safety screen or gate).
• Use safety straps (highchairs, baby seats, strollers etc.). Best if the safety straps go around their waist and through their legs so they can’t slide out.
• Keep your and guests’ handbags out of reach.
• Firearms are stored unloaded in locked cases as per laws and policies.

Outdoor Safety

• Choose a neck warmer over a scarf.
• Avoid clothing with a hood.
• Remove all drawstrings/draw cords from clothing.
• Always keep children within arm’s reach in and around water.
• Keep windows and doors that access pool area locked when there is no adult supervision of the pool area.
• Inspect your outdoor play structures regularly and fix when needed.
• Keep play areas away from traffic areas and driveways and actively supervise your child.

Resources:

Canadian Pediatric Society

Health Canada

Parachute

Recalls, advisories and Safety Alerts

Toy Safety

It may seem like your child always wants to play. Did you know children learn through play? Different types of toys and play will help with your child's development. With so many toys to choose from, do you know which ones are safe for your child?

According to Health Canada, it is important when buying toys to make sure:

• The toys are for the right age (toys for older children often have parts that are too small for children under 3 years of age).
• To read and follow age labels, warnings, safety messages and instructions that come with the toy.
• To look for sturdy, well-made toys.
• To look for toys that come with the maker's contact information.

After buying toys:

• Always watch your child. Teach them how to use toys in a safe way.
• Remove and throw out all toy packaging like plastic bags, plastic wrap, foam, staples and ties. Also remove and throw out any plastic film coverings. A child can suffocate or choke on these.
• Remove toys that are choking hazards. If it fits through a cardboard toilet paper roll, it can cause a young child to choke.
• Keep all toys, like plush and soft toys, away from heat sources. The toys could catch fire, causing injury.
• Check toys often for loose parts, broken pieces or sharp edges. Repair or throw out any broken toys.
• Throw away all broken pieces of balloons immediately.
• Remove mobiles and toy bars from cribs as soon as your baby begins to push up on their hands and knees.
• Watch for child toy recalls.

For more information on safe play time, visit Health Canada.

Substances (drugs), including cannabis and medication safety

Babies and toddlers love to touch, hold, climb and explore. It is important for your home to be a safe place for them to explore. Homes often contain dangerous or poisonous substances (drugs) within reach of a child. The leading cause of poisoning in children is eating medications.

Here are some tips to childproof your home and to keep harmful substances (drugs) out of reach and sight of children:

• Keep track of all medicines and other substances (drugs) in your home including the ones of your visitors.
• Keep harmful substances (drugs) in the original packaging.
• Keep harmful substances (drugs) in a locked place that is out of reach and out of sight of children.
• Never tell your child that medicine tastes like candy.
• Keep important poison control numbers handy.

Edible cannabis products often look like foods that are very appealing to children. Don’t rely on the packaging alone to keep your child safe, child resistant and childproof is not a guarantee.

Second-hand cannabis smoke is harmful for everyone. It may result in illness in infants and young children, and can also affect their alertness, understanding and judgment. It is safest not to smoke cannabis in your home or around your child. To protect you and your children make your home and car smoke free. If you smoke, do it outside and ask family members and visitors to do the same.

For more information, visit second hand smoke.

If you or your child has accidentally consumed substances (drugs) or medication, contact the Ontario Poison Control Centre at 1-844-764-7669. 

Cannabis poisoning in babies and children is a medical emergency.

Symptoms of cannabis poisoning in children include:

• Changes in mood such as confusion
• Agitation or sleepiness
• Changes in appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Balance problems and difficulty breathing

Call 9-1-1 if your child is ill and/or has difficulty breathing.