Indoor Safety

Babies and toddlers are curious by nature! Developmentally, their job is to explore the environment around them, and, depending on their age, that could mean crawling, running, climbing, and putting anything and everything into their mouths. As a parent, you will need to create a safe environment within your home, so that your little one can get to the important work of exploring.

Baby or toddler-proofing your home will probably mean covering outlets, moving dangling cords or tablecloths, installing gates and window latches, and moving breakable or dangerous items, such as plants or vases, out of your baby's reach. There may even be certain areas of your home or apartment that are off limits for a while. It can be helpful to get on your hands and knees, and see things from your baby's view!

One of the most important things to do when baby is on the move is to keep an eye on him! Babies move fast, and are very good at finding interesting - and sometimes dangerous - things to play with. By keeping your baby within your view at all times, you will help ensure she stays safe.

Baby proofing can be challenging, but with some hard work, you can ensure your child is safe from accidents, burns, poisonings, and other accidents in your home. More information:

• Quick baby-proofing tips to get you started
• Baby Slings & Carriers - Learn about the correct way to use a child carrier or sling and know the potential risks associated with their use.
• Bisphenol A - Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical used to make a hard, clear plastic known as polycarbonate.
• Bottles, Pacifiers and Teething Necklaces
• Bringing Home a Family Pet
• Children's Sleepwear Safety
• Choking Prevention - Find out which foods, shapes, and textures are the most dangerous to babies and young children.
• Cribs, Cradles and Bassinets
• E-cigarettes: A danger to children and youth – An electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) is a small battery-operated device that can look like a real cigarette. Some look like small flashlights or fountain pens, often with a large clear chamber for storing liquid. Instead of burning tobacco, the e-cigarettes vaporize a so-called e-liquid, which is then inhaled. E-cigarettes are often advertised as a 'safer alternative' to cigarettes since they don't fill the lungs with toxic tobacco smoke. But e-cigarettes haven't been scientifically tested or proven to help quit smoking. Because of this, no positive health claims for e-cigarettes can legally be made. On the other hand, e-cigarettes can be dangerous to a person's health in many ways.
• Food safety information for children ages 5 and under
• Gun Safety: Information for families
• Healthy Pets, Healthy People - How to avoid the diseases that pets can spread to people.
• Home Safety: Around the House
• Household Chemical Safety - Household chemical products are among the top products responsible for injuries and deaths in children under the age of five years. Bad taste and odours often do not keep children away from household chemical products. Even a small amount of a chemical product can be harmful to a child.
• Injury Prevention
• Is Your Child Safe?
• Keep Your Baby Safe - Tips to prevent the most frequent child injuries.
• Never Shake a Baby - Shaken Baby Syndrome can have serious effects including injury and even death.
• Pet Safety - There are things you should consider before bringing a pet into your home.
• Playpens - Information from Health Canada about the safe use of playpens.
• Poison Information Centres in Canada
• Preventing Tap Water Scalds - Many burns come from hot water, not fire. Find out how to prevent hot water scalds to your baby.
• Safe Sleep for Baby - Creating a safe sleep environment for your baby will lower the risk of injury and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
• Safe Sleep Tips - Recommended practices for how and where baby is safest for sleeping.
• Secondhand Smoke Fact Sheet - Children are particularly vulnerable to secondhand smoke because they breathe faster than adults, and absorb higher amounts of the toxic substances found in secondhand smoke.
• St. John Ambulance First Aid Programs & Courses
• Toy Safety - Information from Health Canada to help make your child's toy-playing safe and what to watch for as potential dangers.
• Window Coverings Safety
• Your Toddler: Safe Ways to Explore

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