Home Safety

Safe sleep

Knowing the facts about safe sleep will help to reduce the risks of sudden unexpected deaths.

Burns and scalds

Burns are the third leading cause of hospitalization in children 0 to 4 years of age in Canada.

To prevent burns in the kitchen:

• Keep cords from coffee makers, kettles, or toasters out of reach.
• Keep hot drinks out of arms reach of your child. Do not hold your child and a hot drink at the same time.
• Use the back burners on the stove, whenever possible.
• Keep children away from kitchen appliances and use barriers and screens to block access to these as needed.
• Use outlet covers on all electrical outlets. 

To prevent burns in the bathroom:

• Set your hot water heater thermostat to 49°C (120°F).
• Check the temperature of the bath water across the whole tub, before putting your child in.
• Keep the cords from hair straighteners and curling irons out of reach.

To prevent burns with lighters, matches, and candles:

• Keep matches and lighters out of sight and reach.
• Ensure burning candles are out of your child's reach.
• Teach your children that lighters, matches and candles are not toys.

To prevent burns from fireplaces:

• Install child safety gates around hot fireplaces or heating sources. Remember, doors on gas fireplaces get hot too.
• Do not leave your child alone around a fireplace.
• Help your child identify the dangers of fire at an early age.

Alcohol, drugs, and poisoning 

Poisoning

Poisoning happens when something is swallowed that makes a person sick. Poisoning is the second leading cause of hospitalization in children 0 to 4 years of age.

To prevent poisoning in your home:

• Keep poisons locked up and out of reach of children. Common household poisons include medications, vitamins, cleaning supplies, alcohol, batteries, magnets, and plants.
• Ask guests to place their bag off the floor. They may contain prescription medications, hand sanitizer, or other poisons that may hurt your child.
• As your baby grows, get down to their level to see what they can see and reach.

• Never call medication vitamins or candy. If you must give your baby medicine, check the label and measure accurately every time.

If you suspect your child has been poisoned, call the Ontario Poison Centre, 24 hours a day at 1-800-268-9017. If your child stops breathing, collapses, has a seizure, is unconscious or unresponsive, call 911 right away.

Cannabis safety around young children at home

Cannabis smoke, plants, resin, joints, and edibles can be harmful to the health of children in your home. 

Cannabis poisoning in children

Due to their size, children can experience more intense ‘highs’ and negative reactions to the chemicals in cannabis compared to adults. Common signs of cannabis poisoning include:

• Drowsiness
• Difficulty with balance and coordination
• Slurred speech
• Abnormal behaviour
• Fast heart rate
• Dilated pupils
• Trouble breathing
• Floppy muscles
• Sleepiness
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness or coma

If you suspect your child has been poisoned with cannabis, call the Ontario Poison Centre at 1-800-268-9017, 24 hours a day at 1-800-268-9017. If you notice any of the cannabis poisoning signs or if your child stops breathing, collapses, has a seizure, is unconscious or unresponsive, call 911 right away.

Cannabis exposure

There are many ways in which children at home can come in contact with cannabis, including:

• Second-hand smoke

  • Children can experience nausea or dizziness from second-hand cannabis smoke. Repeated exposure can lead to many health problems including respiratory issues and a weakened immune system.

• Ingestion (eating)

  • Young children are curious by nature and often tend to explore their world through touch and taste. Unable to tell the difference, they can easily mistake a cannabis product (e.g., a pot-brownie or cannabis-infused gummy bear) for a treat. Resin or hashish, cookies and joints are the most commonly ingested cannabis edibles resulting in pediatric emergency room visits.

• Plants

  • Children may taste or eat part of a cannabis plant. It is important to keep plants away from children, as you would with other medications. 

Safety precautions

Storage

• Lock up all cannabis products and store them out of children’s reach and sight. Use clearly marked lock-boxes when storing cannabis products. Keep cannabis plants locked up in areas that are inaccessible to children.

Consumption

• Children often model behaviours they see in parents. Avoid using cannabis recreationally in front of children.

Safe disposal

• Dispose of cannabis waste safely and keep it out of reach of children.

Communication

• If cannabis is present in the home, ensure that all adults (i.e., family and visitors) know how to store it safely and away from children.
• Teach children about medicine safety and to treat cannabis as they would other drugs and medication.

Emergencies

• Keep emergency contact information visible and accessible to everyone (i.e., family and visitors) at home.
• Call 9-1-1 for any emergencies.
• Ontario Poison Centre: 1-800-268-9017

Education

• Awareness is key in preventing injuries at home. To learn more about cannabis, visit our cannabis page. 

Drowning

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths among Canadian children under 10 years of age. Infants and young children under 5 years are especially at risk in the bathtub. A child can drown in as little as 10 seconds.

To prevent drowning:

• Never leave your baby alone in the bathtub, or wading pool, even for a short time.

• Many babies have been injured or drowned when using a bath seat. Health Canada does not recommend the use of bath seats.

• Supervise children carefully around bodies of water such as pools, ponds, and lakes.

• Toilets can be a drowning hazard for babies on the move. Always keep lids closed. Consider using toilet locks and keep bathroom doors locked.

Choking and suffocation

Babies are curious and put almost everything in their mouth. Follow these simple steps to help keep your baby safe from choking:

• Keep all objects that can fit through a toilet paper roll out of reach.

• Cords from blinds and curtains can strangle a baby. Keep them up and out of reach.

• Avoid ties and ribbons on your baby's toys and clothes.

• Check pacifiers regularly for cracks or loose pieces. Do not attach strings or cords to pacifiers.

• Balloons are not safe for babies and toddlers. Broken balloons can be swallowed and cause choking.

Falls

Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization in children 0 to 4 years of age. Infants and young children fall for different reasons depending on their age and stage of development. To prevent falls:

• Supervision is key. Babies learn to roll over quickly after birth. Always keep one hand on your baby when they are on a raised surface, such as a change table.
• Never put a baby in a car seat on a table or couch.
• Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Gates at the top of stairs should be anchored into the wall or banister. Do not use pressure gates at the top of stairs.

Falls often happen from household items, so watch your child when they are playing and keep your child's environment free of items that they may trip and fall on.

Furniture

When your child is able to walk, they begin to explore their environment, climbing, and jumping on furniture. To keep your child safe it is important to:

• Keep drawers of dressers, television stands, and hutches closed, locked, and secured.
• Remove chairs and stools next to counters or high surfaces that children could climb up on.
• Furniture that may tip should be secured to the wall.
• Teach your child to jump on the floor and not on household items that they could fall from.
• Keep balcony doors closed and locked. Do not leave furniture on the balcony as children may be able to climb up and fall over the railing.
• Keep a hand on your baby at all times when they are on a raised surface such as a change table, bed, or couch.

Carriers and slings

Choose a carrier that fits your baby, and learn how to correctly use the cling or carrier to help keep your baby safe. Follow these Health Canada safety tips:

• Keep the baby's face in view.
• Keep the baby in an upright position.
• Make sure the baby's face is not pressed into the fabric or the carrier or sling, your body, or clothing.
• Make sure the baby's chin is not pressed into their chest.
• Make sure the baby's legs are not bunched up against their stomach.
• Wear the baby snug enough to support their back, and hold on to the baby when bending over so they don't fall out.
• Check your baby often.

Stairs

Once your child can wiggle, walk, or crawl they can easily get to the stairs. Install wall mounted safety gates at the bottom and top of the stairs. When your child is able to climb over the gate it is no longer safe. Remove the gates and teach your child how to walk up and down the stairs using the hand rail.

Windows

Playground and outdoor safety

Playgrounds can be a great place for children to be active, develop important skills, use their imaginations and make friends! By encouraging a few simple safety rules, your child can learn how to play safely. For more information on playground safety, visit Parachute Canada.