Keeping your child safe at home

Pediatrics for Parents, Oct, 2003 by Lindsey Townsend

Yard

* Inspect all trees for rotting or loose branches regularly, and remove them promptly.

* Check to see if any plants in the yard are poisonous, and remove them or isolate them with fencing.

* Padlock the lid of the septic tank if it's at ground level.

* Inspect gates and fences regularly to be sure they're free of rusty nails and splintered wood.

Finally, remember that when it comes to keeping your child safe, an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure. "There's just no substitute for common sense," says Carol Huybrecht, executive director of the National Safety Council. "Children of all ages need constant supervision. That's easy to say and hard to do. One minute they can be fine, and the next they can be in trouble."

Lindsey Townsend is an award-winning health writer with a special interest in children's issues. She writes regularly for a number of publications including Child, American Baby, and parenthood.com.