Childproof home
The most important facts about childproofing your home at a glance
- Accidents happen most frequently at home.
- Falls, poisoning and burns are among the biggest risks.
- Socket protectors, stair gates and tip-proof furniture are important protective measures.
- Cleaning products, medicines and small items must be securely locked away.
- Small children must never be left unattended in the bathroom or on the balcony.
Childproofing your home: how to protect your child from accidents
As children become more mobile, their curiosity and urge to explore grows. This also increases the risk of accidents. This means that parents need to pay more attention. However, many sources of danger in the home can be mitigated with simple measures. Find out how to reduce the risk of accidents and make your home safe for children here.
Is your baby getting mobile? Recognize sources of danger!
When your child starts to crawl, their range of movement expands in leaps and bounds. A shelf quickly becomes a standing aid, something lying around becomes a teething ring substitute, a garbage can becomes an exciting treasure chest: Many sources of danger for small children lurk at home.
This is why you should see your home through your child's eyes. If you are aware of the dangers, you can reduce them more easily.
What are the most common accident risks for children in the home?
The most common causes of injuries at home are:
- Stürze
- Verbrennungen und Verbrühungen
- Stromunfälle
- Ertrinken
- Poisoning
The following measures help, significantly reduce the risks.
Security in individual living areas
Poisonings
Poisoning can be caused by
- drugs, among other things,
- tobacco and cigarettes,
- corrosive cleaning agents,
- Lacke und Farben,
- giftige Pflanzen,
- alkoholische Getränke.
Do not leave anything within your child's reach and make sure you use childproof closures.
Where can we find help and advice?
Despite all precautionary measures, accidents can happen. The important thing is to stay calm and get help immediately. In acute emergencies, dial emergency number 112.
If your child may have swallowed medication, cleaning agents or other dangerous substances, contact the poison control center or a poison information center immediately. The poison control center is available 24 hours a day for acute poisoning accidents. The North Rhine-Westphalia Poison Control Center (Poison Control Center Bonn) can be reached by calling 0228 19240.
The emergency information sheet can be helpful. You can find a template for free download on the portal of the Federal Institute of Public Health BIÖG. Fill in the most important emergency telephone numbers and post the reminder clearly visible and accessible to everyone.