For tips on how to babyproof your house so your child can crawl safely, check out this guide from Let’s Grow Pediatrics.
Crawling: A Huge Milestone
As your baby grows more mobile, they will soon be rolling, scooting, and crawling all over the house! To make sure they are kept safe, it’s time to babyproof your home. Here are some tips to help you do so, such as ideas for different rooms and a simple checklist to help you stay on track. Crawling is an important milestone in your baby’s development as it allows them to explore their environment. To keep them safe, you’ll want to ensure there are no hazards in your home. Follow these steps to keep your little one safe while they learn to explore the world around them.
What To Consider When Babyproofing Your Home
If you have an inquisitive and active baby, it’s important to babyproof your home, room by room. Here are some helpful tips to make each area of your home safe for your little one:
- Install baby safety gates as soon as your baby begins to crawl. Safety gates are a must for babyproofing stairs, so make sure to install one at the top and bottom. They can also be used to block off rooms or areas that you don’t want your little one to access, like the kitchen, laundry room, and garage.
- Additionally, ensure that all furniture and large household items are secure. You want to make sure bookshelves, TVs, cabinets, and lamps won’t topple over. You can mount and anchor heavy furniture to the wall for extra safety.
- Prevent risk of slipping. If your floors or stairs are slippery, think about covering them with carpet. Make sure your child doesn’t walk or run on them while wearing socks.
- Put away small objects to avoid choking hazards. Check your house regularly, especially on the floor, for small items that a young child may try to put in their mouth.
- Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your house. Check them on a monthly basis and change the batteries when needed.
- Cover all electrical outlets with covers to prevent your baby from sticking their fingers in them. Additionally, keep electrical cords tucked away and out of sight.
- Keep all batteries and battery-powered items out of reach and secure the battery compartments on all battery-containing devices. Many everyday objects, such as toys, TV remotes, car key fobs, and calculators, contain coin or button batteries that children may try to put in their mouths, similar to other small items. However, batteries are very different and pose a serious risk. Not only are they a choking hazard, but when they come into contact with saliva, they produce an electrical current that can burn body tissues. Swallowing a battery can cause severe damage to the organs it passes through. Make sure to safely dispose of any old batteries.
How Can Physical Therapy Benefit A Child’s Development?
At Let’s Grow Pediatrics, we believe that it is important to catch any signs of developmental delays early. We recommend that if a child has a diagnosis with known associated delays, they should seek a physical therapy referral before any signs of delay become apparent. Our evaluations for developmental disabilities and plagiocephaly begin as early as one month of age.
How Can Physical Therapy Benefit A Child With Plagiocephaly?
Let’s Grow can offer several options for physical therapy to meet the development needs of your child. These include the Universal Exercise Unit, which utilizes a pulley and weight system to improve balance, muscle control, and motor skills. Dynamic Movement Intervention is also available, with repeated dynamic exercises to boost balance and function. Intensive Physical Therapy is a week-long session focused on posture, movement, and regaining lost milestones. Finally, Muscle and Joint Strengthening can be used to help those with severe injuries regain range of motion and control.
If you wonder if your child has plagiocephaly or torticollis, call Let’s Grow Pediatrics for a diagnosis and physical therapy care plan. To find out more about our treatment options and how your child can benefit from Pediatric Intensive Physical Therapy, reach out to Let’s Grow Pediatrics in Edmond, OK. Call 405-562-3485 to schedule your consultation today.
