Toddler safety: what to expect

Toddlers are full of energy and curiosity, and love testing out their new climbing, walking and running skills. Your toddler might fall a lot, even on flat surfaces. This is because he still has a large heavy head in proportion to his body. He is just learning how to be steady on his feet. And he’s still learning that actions have consequences.

Your toddler might be climbing everything in sight. This means she will turn any footstool, coffee table, chair, entertainment system and shelf into a climbing frame. It’s important to have furniture that won’t topple over easily, and to attach bookcases and shelves to walls.

At this age, your child is still likely to test the feel and function of new things by putting them in his mouth. Like babies, this is how toddlers explore their world. Many everyday items around the house are a choking risk – food, lollies, buttons and just about anything small. Choking on food is the most common problem, as toddlers are still learning to chew properly.

Toddlers are more at risk of poisoning than other children as they are very inquisitive and too young to associate risk with sampling potting mix or pills, swallowing liquids in bottles under the kitchen sink, or chewing on plants.

It’s not unusual for toddlers to poke things into their own or another child’s nose or ear, and sometimes these things get stuck and cause irritation and infection.

Your toddler still has no way of knowing that a shiny exhaust pipe or an iron can burn. The same goes for any other hot surface. And even if cautioned, toddlers forget things when they’re excited.

Your toddler also has an unquenchable thirst for water – playing in it, rolling in it, scooping it and, yes, drinking it! You can help your toddler have great fun with water, but you need to take great care to protect him from drowning - this is the greatest risk for toddlers.

Your toddler needs your constant vigilance to stay safe. The good news is that she will gradually start to understand if you keep reminding her of safety rules. Now is the time to start teaching.

The main areas to think about are:

• falls
• choking
• accidental poisoning
• drowning and other water-related injuries
• safety around cars
• burns and scalds.

Supervision is always the best protection for your child. But if accidents do happen, it’s great if you can give some basic first aid.

Things you can do to keep your toddler safe

Out and about

• Use car restraints whenever your child is in the car.
• Set up a safe play area outside that is fenced off from cars.
• Keep your child safe around cars. Always hold your toddler’s hand around driveways, roads and car parks, and start teaching him about pedestrian safety.
• Always take your toddler out of the car with you, even if you’re popping in to a shop for just a moment. Leaving a child in a car, even on an overcast day, is like leaving her in an oven.
• Stay close to your toddler when he’s exploring playgrounds and trying new activities and feats of daring.

Choking risks

• Encourage your child to sit while eating by sitting with her at a table or even on the floor. Children are more likely to choke if they eat while they are running around or playing.
• Nuts can choke a child. It’s usually not safe for children to eat nuts until they are five years of age, and not at all if they have an allergy. Nuts are usually most accessible when adults are having a party or barbecue.
• Keep toys for small children and older siblings in separate boxes. Encourage older siblings to keep their small toys (Lego, doll clothes, beads, car parts) out of reach.
• Try to keep small household objects out of reach. Check toys for loose screws and buttons and leaking stuffing, as these are choking risks.

Your toddler's room

• Leave the side of the cot down if your child keeps trying to climb out.  If he won’t stay in his cot, consider moving him into a bed.
• Avoid bunk beds until your child is nine or so, as younger children love climbing and playing on them and don’t know the risks.

Other areas of the house

• Have a look in and around the house for what your toddler sees or might be able to climb up to reach. Put everything that presents a risk out of reach.
• Remove things that are sharp, including knives and scissors and tools that cut, or lock them away behind child-resistant locks.
• Remove or lock away things that could poison your toddler, especially cleaning fluids, pet-care products, insecticides and all types of medication.
• Start teaching your child where she can and can’t go in the house, and what is not safe to touch. Put up barriers to areas where your child might be at risk – safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs and on balconies to prevent falls, and guards around fires and heaters to prevent burns.
• You might want to teach your child to stay out of the kitchen while you’re cooking meals. You could give him a special activity that keeps him busy while you’re cooking.
• To prevent scalds, use the backburners on the stove. Turn pan handles towards the back of the stove. Keep kettles, teapots and cords for electric kettles and pans up on the bench out of reach.
• Your toddler is still top-heavy. Do as much as you can to prevent falls, including moving any furniture that might topple over, wiping up spills on floors, and attaching bookcases and shelves to the walls. Start teaching your child not to climb shelves.
• Teach your child not to slam doors and to keep fingers out of the hinge-side. Consider investing in door safety measures available from hardware stores and safety centres to prevent injury to fingers.
• Dispose of all plastic wrapping as soon as possible. Always knot any plastic bags you intend to store.

In and around water

• Check the bath water temperature before you put your child in. The correct temperature for children is 37°C-38°C.
• Make sure that you or another adult is always with your toddler when she is around water, whether it’s in the bath or a wading pool in the backyard.

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