In The Kitchen

• Turn pot handles inward so children cannot pull cookware off the stove, and try to use only the back burners.
• Keep long appliance cords toward the back of counter tops.
• Never leave hot foods or liquids unattended or at the edge of a table to be pulled down by a toddler.
• Keep youngsters at a safe distance while pouring or drinking hot liquids. Grabbing is common for children.
• Place babies and children in a playpen while you are cooking. This keeps them from playing underfoot, where hot spills are likely.
• Seat a child at the table only after all the food has been served and placed far from the child's reach.
• Be sure that foods and liquids are cool before giving them to a young child.
• Keep appliances from children's reach.
• Do not microwave your baby's bottle. Microwaves can make the plastic bag inside the bottle burst, and they heat unevenly, possibly causing scalding temperatures.

In The Bathroom

• Lower your hot water heater to 120 F. At this temperature, it will serve all your needs, but will not produce burn-causing temperatures. Remember: at temperatures above 120 F, a third degree burn can happen to a young child in only seconds!
• There is also an issue of live bacteria in your water tank and we strongly suggest that you contact your local utility company on this matter. Consider installing pressure balancing/ thermostatically controlled shower/tub valves which reduce the water temperature to 115 degrees F. or less. These valves can be attached to the bathtub fixtures, installed in the wall at the bathtub, or connected at the water heater. These temperature-controlling valves vary in cost and installation requirements, and can be purchased at some hardware stores or through plumbers. The resulting safety is worth the cost.
• NEVER leave a young child alone in a bathroom - not even for a few seconds. If the phone rings during a child's bath, take the child with you to answer it.
• Run cold water into the tub first, and then add hot water to warm it. Bath water for babies and children should be about 100-105 F.
• Keep chemicals far out of the reach of children. Drain cleaner, cleansers and other toiletries can be fatal to a child, and contact with skin can cause deep and painful burns.
• Keep young children out of the bathroom while using appliances like curling irons, hair dryers, shavers, etc. Never leave these products plugged in.
• Keep the bathroom door closed at all times to prevent small children from entering alone.

Around The House