Raising a child is one of the most rewarding endeavors most people ever take on. But at the same time, it’s also not an easy feat. The toughest time parents go through is when their child starts moving around on their own and starts meddling with things that could be potentially dangerous—electrical wires being a major one.
Here’s what you can do to keep your kid safe:
Seal the electrical outlets
According to a report by the National Fire Protection Association, more than 2,400 children experience shocks every year because they poke a conductive object into an electrical receptacle.
To make matters worse, more than 12 children lose their lives due to injuries like these every year! These statistics are devastating. And if you don’t ever want to rush your little one to the ER because they got electrocuted, seal up those outlets today!
Babies love electrical outlets because they love to explore. That’s why they poke objects into the openings. They also do it because they often imitate their parents. So make sure you’re not plugging in appliances in front of your child. You can also speak to your local electrical contractor and get them to reinstall the outlets higher so the child can’t reach them.
You can also get plastic outlet covers. These are made of durable plastic and have prongs that easily slide and fit inside the outlet. They’re inexpensive and can’t easily be pulled out by a toddler.
Baby-proof cables
Toddlers love playing with anything and everything—cables and wires included. Here are some ways children hurt themselves when they play with them:
- Wrapping them around their neck, is a choking hazard.
- They’ll put cables inside their mouth and chew on them. If there’s current flowing through them, the child could get electrocuted.
- They also pull out plugs to access open outlets. This allows them to put other items in.
- If you’ve got a mesh of unattended wires, your child could trip over and fall.
- They could also play with damaged and frayed wires and hurt themselves.
Here’s what you can do to deal with the issue:
- Get your home inspected by a reliable electrical contractor to make sure there are no faulty, frayed, or damaged wires installed.
- If you’ve got multiple cables lying around, wrap them up and make sure they’re out of sight.
- Get in touch with a residential electrician and get them to upgrade the panels, rewire the system, repair broken wires, and ground all outlets so there are no chances of electrocution.
If you’re based in the Bay Area, TD West Electric will baby-proof your home! Get in touch and we will make sure that all your electrical connections and outlets are safe and secure.
