Child Safety Gates
Parents often put up child safety gates throughout their home to prevent little ones from getting into trouble or getting hurt. While most professionals feel that child safety gates are essential, they do agree that they are not without risk, especially when used improperly.
In a 2014 study by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio, researchers found that nearly 1,800 children are taken to emergency rooms yearly because of child safety gate injuries that range from sprains and strains to traumatic brain injuries. To avoid common mistakes that often lead to accidents and injuries, the following do’s and don’ts are recommended by childproofing experts:
- Do: Get the right gate for the job-Child safety gates are often used at the top of stairs, however pressure mounted gates are the most dangerous type to choose for this area. Children can easily push an unmounted gate and tumble down the steps and parents can trip on the bar along the bottom of the gate. Always use a hardware-mounted gate at the top of the stairs, even if it means putting holes in the wall.
- Do: Follow manufacturer instructions-Reading the child safety gate instructions are important as they will inform you of proper installation instructions, which will vary depending on the type of gate you have chosen.
- Do: Frame it in-Child safety gate manufacturers often supply plastic plugs to screw a gate into the drywall. Experts agree that these are not strong enough and will often pop out after repeated use. The best way to prevent a gate from loosening is to screw directly into wood or to create a frame on each side of the gate, using toggle bolts to attach the gate to the drywall.
- Do: Use spacers-Instead of removing baseboards, use a wooden spacer the same thickness as the baseboard between the drywall and the frame you have created. This allows you to screw the gate securely into a strong, flat, vertical surface.
- Do: Consider hiring a professional-Professionals can advise and install a variety of child safety gates depending on your particular situation.
- Don’t: Make your own-Never use a homemade child safety gate. These types of gates rarely meet safety standards.
- Don’t: Only use safety gates at the top of steps-Children are curious and will attempt to climb stairs from the bottom, which is why a child safety gate at the bottom of a staircase is just as important as one located at the top.
- Don’t: Install the child safety gate too high-Parents will often leave a gap at the bottom to allow for easy passage for pets or to accommodate baseboards. This space is often big enough for a child to crawl through, allowing them to be entrapped or injured in a fall. The space between the floor and the bottom of the gate should be no more than three (3) inches.
- Don’t: Leave a gate up for too long-When a child is old enough to use the stairs safely, the child safety gates should be removed, unless they are required for a younger sibling. Never step over baby gates as children learn by example and they may attempt to climb over gates to emulate their parents.
- Don’t: Stack child safety gates on top of each other-If a child is attempting to climb over a safety gate, you may be tempted to stack one on top of the other to make them taller. Unless manufacturer instructions allow for this and provide proper installation instructions, do not attempt to increase the height of a gate which can lead to severe injuries, or worse.
Child safety gates are helpful when you need to keep your young children from getting into places that aren’t safe for them, but they must be used correctly to prevent serious injuries.
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