What to Expect the Toddler Years (231 page)

Never leave a small electrical appliance plugged in when you aren’t using it. Just some of the dangers include: electric shock when a child dunks a hair dryer in the toilet or nibbles on the cord; a burn when he or she flicks on the switch on a curling iron; skin irritation from trying to “shave.” Even unplugging appliances won’t be enough if your child has good manual dexterity or if a curling
iron or a hair dryer is still hot (they can cause burns for several minutes after they’ve been turned off). And the cords themselves present a choking hazard. For optimum safety, put these appliances away promptly after using.

To prevent severe or lethal shocks, install ground fault circuit interrupters in the bathroom and kitchen.

Keep water temperature in your home set no higher than 120°F for energy conservation and to help prevent accidental scalding. (Young children have thin skin; water at 140°F can give a child a third-degree burn—serious enough to require a skin graft—in just 3 seconds.) If you can’t adjust the heat setting (if you live in an apartment house, for example, and the landlord is uncooperative) install an anti-scald safety device (available from plumbing supply stores) in the tub, which will slow water to a trickle if it reaches a dangerously high temperature. For additional safety, always turn on the cold faucet before the hot and turn off the hot faucet before the cold. And routinely test bath water temperature with your elbow or whole hand, swishing it around to make sure the temperature is even throughout, before letting your toddler climb in. If you’re planning to install new bathroom faucets, a single control, which you can set at a comfortable temperature and allow your toddler to turn on and off, is safer than separate hot and cold faucets.

Invest in a protective cover for the tub spout to prevent bumps or burns should a child fall against it.

Never leave your toddler in the tub unattended, even in a special tub seat. This rule should be strictly observed until your child is at least five years old.

Never leave even an inch of water in the tub when it’s not in use; a small child at play can topple into the tub and drown.

If you have or visit a sauna, be aware that allowing toddlers, whose bodies are not yet adept at heat regulation, to use a sauna can be dangerous. Hot tubs and whirlpools are also inappropriate.

When the toilet is not in use, keep the lid closed with suction cups or a safety latch made expressly for this purpose. At one time or another, most toddlers find the toilet a fascinating play space. Not only is this unsanitary, but an energetic toddler could topple in head first and be unable to get out.

Use a covered wastebasket that your child can’t open easily or take dangerous waste right to the covered receptacle in the kitchen.

Make certain that the bathroom door lock (and interior door locks for other rooms, for that matter) can be opened from the outside, and stash a tool for opening it above the door trim.

Whether the washer and dryer are in the kitchen, the basement, a bathroom, or a separate laundry area, these appliances and the laundry products used with them present a serious risk. To reduce that risk:

Limit access to the laundry room; if it has a separate door, keep it closed and latched.

Keep the dryer door closed at all times.