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The title says it all, literally – especially when it comes to babyproofing your home! Read on for our roundup of proofing priorities.
On average, most healthy tots will start crawling from about 7-10 months. Crawling is a strong indicator that baby will attempt to balance on two legs to start walking soon, and they do so from approximately 9-16 months. And, according to renowned paediatrician William Sears, over 50% of babies will be walking – albeit to the beat of their own drum – by the time they hit 12 months.
Between crawling and making more concerted efforts to walk, most babies will typically begin to “cruise” – that is, learning to hoist themselves up to a standing position before literally taking baby steps to move forward. To steady themselves, babies will reach out for anything within immediate reach for balance and support. The most likely objects babies will have access to are pieces of furniture and gradually, as their coordinated motor skills develop, so too, will their self-confidence as they pick up courage, stability, speed and accessibility in their learning-to-walk journey.
In what will seem like a blink of an eye, parents soon learn that even turning their backs for a second can be somewhat risky business. An unsupervised, cruising baby can go places very quickly and his curiosity and natural clumsiness can render him accident-prone: knocking over and/or pulling down items; touching things he shouldn’t; tripping, falling over or slipping on something left on the floor… the list goes on. Some areas in the home have more lurking “dangers” than other parts of the house, and that’s why it is so imperative to safety proof all rooms in your home and not just those where baby spends most of his time, like the nursery or living room.
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We are certainly not advocating restricting baby to just his playpen or treating your home like a potential minefield. As much as possible, parents should try to give their baby more opportunities and room to roam about as freely as possible. That’s why it is advised to baby-proof your home well in advance (recommended when baby is aged 3-6 months) rather than be caught unawares when the time finally does come when baby starts becoming mobile.
Babyproofing needn’t require a major overhaul to your home or lifestyle, even though the idea may appear intimidating to new parents. Responsibility means taking action, and even if some adjustments seem minor and involve just simple common sense (e.g. keeping sharp objects like scissors and knives out of sight; securing your medicine cabinet with a small padlock), nothing is too insignificant when it comes to enhancing baby’s safety and your peace of mind!
We’ve done a sweep of the entire house to compile a handy list of babyproofing tips that can be implemented throughout your home. As mentioned, no extensive renovation works needed! Stay safe!
Tip-Top Safety with Top Tips
Common items and areas where extra precautions are needed:
Windows: Ensure windows are not more than 4 inches open and secured with padlocked grilles or sealed with netting. Blinds or any other coverings should not have cords as these pose a strangulation risk; have them replaced with newer cordless types.
Electrical outlets: Replace all sockets with childproof ones. If this is not feasible, use outlet covers (for sockets constantly in use), outlet plates (for sockets occasionally in use; these usually have a sliding cover that can be moved when the socket is required); and outlet plugs (for sockets rarely or seldom used).
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Electrical cables, cords, adapters: This cluster of cords and wires is usually found in the living room, bedroom or study and is normally traced to: TV set, media players, gaming console, computer, phone charger. Their accompanying cables and cords are not only unsightly, but pose as an electrocution risk too. Minimise access by using cable organisers, cord shorteners, reel winders as well as adapter covers.
Electrical appliances: Wherever these are located in the home, make it a habit to unplug and switch these off when they are not in use.
Furniture: Attach corner and edge guards to tables, desks or counters with sharp edges. Heavy or unstable furniture such as bookcases, chests of drawers, cabinets, etc., should be securely attached to the wall with tip-over restraints/brackets, or at the bottom with floor anchors. Put heavy objects in the lowest drawers/shelves and not on top. If you have previously placed breakable, decorative items like figurines, vases, etc. on furniture tops for display, these must be moved to alternative locations where baby is unable to reach them. Also refrain from using tablecloths and other fabric coverings as baby may tug at the edges, pulling down everything else that may be on top of these surfaces.
Kitchen/Bathroom/Staircases/Other “restricted” Rooms: Prevent baby from gaining access to these areas by using safety gates, or doorknob covers and locks. For the bathroom or toilet, ensure that all tubs or pails are emptied of water as babies have been known to drown in water with just a 1-inch depth. Use a toilet seat lock, and non-slip tiles and mats on the floor to prevent falls. Even though you are restricting access to the kitchen with a safety gate, take extra care by using stove knobs, lock away sharp objects and unplug appliances when not in use like toasters and blenders. When cooking, use the stove’s back burners, turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and keep hot pots and pans out of reach.
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Household products/medicines/Other toxic chemicals: Keep these away out of sight and reach in cabinets and drawers. Reinforce non-access by keeping these locked with their own keys, or use safety latches or mini padlocks/combination locks for added reassurance.
Plants: Some plants may be poisonous; in any case, there is a risk your baby may accidentally consume the soil or gel the plant is grown in. Move the plants out of reach or out of the home if possible. Otherwise, seal the top of the pot with cling-wrap, plastic or fine mesh to minimise access to its contents.
Last but not least, practise good housekeeping until it becomes a habit! Make sure all floors and surfaces are clean, and should you spot any potential choking hazards or other small items like coins lying around, promptly keep these in their proper place.
Notes on Safety Gates:
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Steer your way to safer road journeys with your little one going along for the ride.
If you’re heading to your destination with your spouse and kids comfortably strapped in, here’s to a safe and smooth sailing – or rather, driving! – experience on Singapore’s roads. Besides observing basic traffic rules like slowing down when approaching a junction or signaling early when changing lanes, you can facilitate a smoother journey even before you’re behind the wheel.
You can plan the route to your destination first, especially if it’s someplace you don’t frequently go to. What’s more, in-vehicle GPS systems and even smartphone navigation apps can now provide you with voice-enabled directions in real time without you or your spouse having to dig around in the glove compartment for a roadmap.
Set out earlier to top up on petrol if your fuel is running low, and give yourself ample allowance to accommodate unexpected traffic situations, like congestions or road diversions.
Cruise Control
The worst thing you can possibly do is to speed to your destination. In Singapore, the Road Traffic Act limits the speed of all vehicles travelling along local roads to 50km/h, unless otherwise stated. For cars and motorcycles, the speed limit on expressways range from 70-90km/h, and 50-80km/h for travel in tunnels.
You may be surprised to know that the speed limits are in fact determined by the Land & Transport Authority (LTA), while these and other road safety rules are enforced by the Traffic Police.
Don’t run afoul of the law! Child-seat regulations must be monitored at all times if you have a child under the age of 8, or who is below 1.35m in height, travelling in a vehicle with you. According to the Traffic Police, “research has indicated that children are at greater risk of injury when travelling in the front seat without proper seat belts or restraints.”
Accordingly, an infant or child, or anyone below the stated height, must use booster seats or approved adjustable seat belts to lower the risk of injury in the event of an accident. Drivers who fail to comply will be fined S$120 and given three demerit points. Offenders who are charged in court and convicted may be fined up to $1,000 and jailed for up to 3 months, with the fine and/or incarceration penalties doubled for second or subsequent offences.
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While the Traffic Police exempts taxis from this law as the vehicle “cannot be reasonably expected to carry a variety of different child seats and restraints”, the drivers, however, are subject to a fine and demerit points should they fail to reinforce the rear seat seating rule for any passenger below the height of 1.35m.
If you and your children decide to travel in a small bus with a seating capacity for 15 passengers or fewer (excluding the driver), observe that the bus has already been fitted with forward-facing seats which have retractable 3-point shoulder belts.
Belting Up Right
Ironically, most traffic accidents occur on short journeys close to home. Car crashes are the leading cause of injury and death among children – and a crash at even 30mph creates as much force as falling from a height of three storeys. In fact, the corresponding force is so great that a small baby being propelled forward would become as heavy as eight sacks of cement – making it simply impossible for someone trying to keep their hold on the baby during the crash.
In the first place, the baby should not even be carried during the journey, but some parents still mistakenly believe that holding the child in their arms is safe, whether they are seated in the co-passenger seat or at the back. The truth is, all infants – even those as young as a newborn – should never be cradled in the arms of an adult at all times when travelling in a car. Parents who are aware of this will accordingly place the newborn in the child car seat or baby carrier, which should be done. Unfortunately, some of them only go so far as to get this step right, but then make the mistake of buckling up the baby when it is either swaddled or covered with a blanket. The correct procedure is to first strap the baby into the seat using the 3- or 5-point harness safety belt. Parents should ensure that the straps are comfortably and securely in contact with the child’s body; only then can they proceed to cover the baby with a blanket, and not before.
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What is a...
Three-point Harness? This harness usually has straps that attach to the seat at three points: two above each of the baby’s shoulders, and one between baby’s legs.
Five-point Harness? Newer car seats now feature a 5-point harness as this offers the most points of protection when attached. The five separate points are: above each shoulder, another two for either side of the baby’s hips, and finally, between the legs.
Rear Facing Recommended
According to a 2008 article in the professional journal Pediatrics, children under age two are 75% less likely to be killed or suffer severe injuries in a crash if they are riding rear facing rather than forward facing. In fact, for children 1-2 years of age, facing the rear is five times safer. If a baby is riding in a rear-facing-only infant seat (the type that usually has a handle and detachable base), it should be replaced with a rear-facing convertible seat before the baby reaches the maximum weight specified (22-35 pounds) or if the top of the head is within an inch of the top edge of the seat. Most babies outgrow the typical rear-facing-only seat before they are one-year-old, but they are not ready for a forward-facing seat. However, new convertible seats available today allow children to remain rear facing until they weigh 30-45 pounds, depending on the model.
Riding in a rear-facing safety seat also protects the child better in other types of crashes, particularly side impacts, which are extremely dangerous, if not quite so common.
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear facing as long as possible, at least until they are two years old. However, due to increased awareness of the benefits of facing rearward, more manufacturers have introduced improvements to their range of car seats so that kids can continue to ride rear facing until they are up to five years old.
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Types & Tips
Do note that in Singapore, car seats for children are secured in the vehicle using the adult seat belt. If you can, “try before you buy” – or rather, make sure that the child car seat of your choice can actually fit into the interiors of cars that have been imported into Singapore.
1. All children should ride in the backseat. A solitary child should be seated in the centre of the rear.
2. Never seat an infant in front of an active air bag. This is because in the event of a crash, activation of the air bag could potentially cause injury or death due to the force.
3. Use a rear-facing safety seat or infants-only car seat until the child is at least aged two. Convertible child safety seats (those that can alternate between rear- and front-facing positions) should have a harness that the child should also use until aged at least 3-4; or preferably until 6 or 7 years old.
4. If the child outgrows the safety seat with a harness, switch to a booster. Also available are all-in-one/3-in-1 car seats that can be both rear- and front-facing, or transformed into a booster seat.
5. Secure the child in the harness snugly. Try the pinch test (if you can pinch a fold in the strap, it is too loose).
6. Read the manufacturer’s manual and follow the instructions exactly for installation of the car seat. Different products may also vary in recommended height and weight limits.
7. During installation of the child seat, take note to check that the belt used to secure the seat is correctly positioned and locked with no slack. Once secured, the seat must hardly budge: when pushed, it should move less than 1-inch sideways or toward the front of car.
8. A safety belt is needed for every adult and child (with or without a safety seat) in the car.
9. Proper fit of safety belt (with or without booster): The lap belt should touch the thighs. The part of the belt that goes on diagonally across the upper body should touch the shoulder and chest. Keep it snug.
10. If only a lap belt is available, it is better than nothing. However, boosters cannot be used without a shoulder belt.
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Childhood obesity has reached pandemic proportions in developing countries, with the World Health Organisation projecting that up to 70 million infants and young children will be affected globally by 2025 if the problem is left unchecked. Turning our kids from fat to fit requires conscious and targeted action, but even small lifestyle changes can make a big difference.
Besides being visually pleasing, the soft folds of fat on a baby’s thighs and a child’s rosy chubby cheeks have all come to represent youthful health and vitality. Specialist baby photographer Anne Geddes continues to sell millions of books and calendars that feature adorable plump cherubs, reinforcing the universal sentiment that such subjects will always be cute and popular.
With such widespread approval, being chubby as a tot is almost becoming a rite of passage during childhood. It comes then, as no surprise that parents nowadays don’t appear particularly concerned that their little ones are growing in girth. “It’s just puppy fat”; “They’re big-boned”; “The weight will eventually fall off”; “I can’t bear to see him hungry”—are just a few commonly-heard excuses from parents that fly in the face of the truth, even when it has become apparent that their child is of a larger-than-acceptable size.
It’s not just blasé attitudes towards growing waistlines that have contributed to the problem, which has also lost much of its social stigma now that fat has become the new norm. Insomuch the economic growth and prosperity enjoyed by modern societies have created a corresponding set of lifestyle problems, chief among these the literally burgeoning problem of obesity. According to the World Health Organisation, more than 42 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2013, and it’s a trend that is especially prevalent in developing nations.
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Snowballing health risks
Naturally, children should, and must, gain weight through the process of physical growth. Growing children require a higher intake of energy to help them optimally develop during their formative years, but, just as with adults, if energy intake exceeds energy usage, the child will put on weight.
Contrary to some parents’ mistaken belief that “puppy fat” is normal, excess weight gained during childhood does not automatically fall off when the child grows older without the adjustment of dietary habits and introduction of exercise. Doctors and nutritionists have highlighted that overweight and obese children have up to an 80 percent chance of remaining that way into adulthood. In fact, the more overweight the child, the greater the risk of developing serious health problems, both now and as an adult, including potentially life-threatening conditions such as bowel cancer, diabetes, strokes, heart conditions and high blood pressure.
In addition, there are also psychological problems to consider. Overweight and obese children frequently experience teasing from other kids about their appearance which can destroy self-esteem and confidence, and lead to isolation and depression. These traumatic memories can last for the rest of their lives, and may even trigger them to develop behavioural problems like taking up smoking and drinking alcohol at an early age.
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Cause and effect
Consider this: It is very rare for children to be overweight as a result of health problems, but the opposite is true—children have health problems because they are already overweight. Parents whose children are obese or overweight should hence not blame their condition squarely on any existing health problems, unless these have been prior diagnosed by a medical professional and specified as the cause. Even then, using illness as an excuse to explain away a child’s excess weight is not entirely valid, as its impact is negligible. It would be like saying that a child is fat because he has suffered from asthma since infancy (obviously, asthma does not cause weight gain!).
Also, it seems to appear that overweight or obese parents tend to “pass on” their condition to their offspring, suggesting that there may be some genetic or inherited link to obesity. Although this is an area which is actively being studied, no clear evidence has yet been established. Instead, a more likely explanation for childhood obesity would be an unhealthy lifestyle (sedentary or lacking physical activity); consuming foods that are high in fat, oil, salt and sugar; or eating bigger portions and supplementing with processed snacks.
Children often mimic the bad eating habits and activities of their parents; so the phrase “running in the family” would reflect this tendency, more so than genetics itself. Studies have shown obese children have an exceptionally hard time losing weight and following through with lifestyle changes in adulthood—all the more reason why parents should encourage kids to remain physically active throughout childhood.
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While it is relatively easy for adults to determine whether or not they are overweight by working out their individual Body Mass Index, this however, is not an appropriate measurement tool for children who are still growing. Charts taking into account a child’s rate of growth in proportion to age and gender are used instead, and paediatricians are also able to make a more accurate assessment of weight gain and development. KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital defines a child as overweight when his weight is 20 percent or more above his ideal weight for height. As a rule, a child’s weight is generally classed as obese if the body weight is more that 25 percent fat in males and 32 percent fat in females.
Winning the battle (of the bulge)
In 2012, scientists from Columbia University released the results of a study that claimed that eliminating an average of just 64 calories a day from children’s diets would be helpful in reducing obesity. (The 64-calorie difference between consumption and expenditure is just an average for the population.) The researchers predicted that without this simple caloric reduction, by the year 2020, the average American youth would be nearly 1.8kg heavier than a child or teen of the same age five years ago, and more than 20 percent of kids would be obese, up from 16.9 percent today.
Naturally, heavier children would have to reduce more calories and increase their amount of physical activity, but the researchers still believe that this daily 64-calorie reduction would “make a big impact in reducing obesity rates”. And what would be equivalent to this 64 calories? Think a tablespoon of honey, one cup of cheese popcorn, half a cup of apple juice, one egg yolk, or one slice of white bread. Doesn’t seem hard to achieve, does it?
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Seeing how a few small measures could make a big impact on weight in the long term, what else can parents and caregivers do to prevent childhood obesity? Above all else, it should be remembered that prevention is always better than cure. Here are 10 other simple strategies:
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5. Teach your child to appreciate his food by eating slowly and pausing between mouthfuls. This eating technique will not only help in digestion, but it will also help their brain to more accurately register when their stomach is full.
6. Involve your children in grocery shopping. Use outings to the supermarket to highlight to them healthier choices and how these foods can benefit them. You needn’t deprive your kids of tidbits either. Instead, this is also a good opportunity to teach them about moderation and which foods constitute as regular staples to meet nutritional requirements.
7. Cut down on screen time and encourage more outdoor play. Suggest taking up a physical sport or get healthy together as a family with regular outings to the swimming pool, park or jogging track. Aim for at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity per day.
8. Speaking of doing things together as a family, when making any dietary or lifestyle changes to your child’s existing habits, ensure that these are done inclusively with other family members. This is so that your child will not feel isolated, singled out or made to feel like something is wrong about him or that he is the cause of a problem.
9. Remember to satisfy your child’s emotional needs throughout with love, warmth, support and encouragement. This sense of security helps enhance children’s self-esteem so that they forego any need to rely on food as a source of comfort or stress reliever.
10. Be a positive role model. Remember that most kids think of their mummies and daddies as their personal heroes, so make the conscientious and conscious effort to walk the talk as much as you can when dispensing advice. Besides, kids learn from example too, so if you set good ones and demonstrate them, they are likely to follow your lead!
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