Child Safety Zone and Supernanny give you the heads up on the top five toddler hazards, and how to make your home toddler proof

Now your baby has started to crawl or walk around the house, a whole new world has opened up to them. But while it’s exciting for them, it can be terrifying for you! Whether it’s wobbling into furniture or trapping little fingers in the door, you probably didn’t realise how many dangers there are in your home - so think ahead and toddler proof your home today.

Keep little fingers away from doors Research shows that over 40,000 young children in the UK are rushed to A&E every year because their fingers were trapped in the door. Sixty percent of these injuries happened as a result of front and back doors. Why not Invest in a good product to help your child move around doors, until he learns not to use the jam to help himself along?

Sturdy and easy to fit, the Child’s Safety Hand Rail was invented to protect a child’s fingers from being trapped in external doorways of your home, nurseries, and schools - in fact, anywhere where toddlers need to negotiate steps to enter through a doorway. It could save a great deal of tears – and is a real protection for fingers.

Mind those stairs Fit good stairgates in your home, and have a portable one ready for when you go visiting. Make sure older children are clear on how to open and shut the gate. Finally, prevention is better than cure, so whenever you have the time, try to teach your little one to come downstairs backwards. That way if the gate is accidentally left open, there’s a chance he’ll remember the safe way to use the stairs.

Supervise around water Without wanting to panic you, even a small amount of water can be dangerous to a lively toddler. Make sure you’re always watching – whether it’s in the bath or in a paddling pool – and never leave them alone in water, even for a second.
  
Keep it out of sight Make sure all your domestic chemicals, medicines and potentially hazardous products are in child-resistant packaging and kept high up, preferably behind a secured door. In the event that you suspect your child might have swallowed something they shouldn’t, call 999 and ask for emergency advice.

Pick it up Don’t leave small or sharp things lying around on the floor or on the edges of tables. Get older children to clear up their smaller toys after them (add this job to their reward chart!), or better still find a high table where they can play with their toys in peace. Get down on your knees once in a while and see if you can see things on a toddler eye level – this really helps!