Dangerous Household Items
Any parent, grandparent, God parent, Aunt, Uncle, Guardian (you name it!) knows how important it is to keep 
children safe at home and how easy it is for potential dangers to go unnoticed. We spend so much time ‘baby proofing’ the house: putting locks on cabinet doors, installing baby gates at the stairs, putting bumpers on table corners; but, have you ever thought about the everyday household items?
So whether or not you skip these decor items in your home, or adapt them to be safer, take a look these 8 dangerous household items can be dangerous for your kids.
Window Blinds
We’ve all heard the dangers of window blind cords for children, for years now, but the danger is still prevalent. Although many companies have switched to selling cordless window blinds, the older models are still available.
House Plants
Despite being loved by savvy interior designers and gardeners alike, some houseplants can be extremely dangerous for children. If touched or ingested, certain plants can result in diarrhea, swelling, and potentially even more life-threatening symptoms. Here are some example of plants that should be kept out of the reach of children, or avoided all together: pothos, philodendrons, and oleander.
Candles
This one is a bit of a no-brainer (but, hey…you never know!). You should never leave lit candles unattended when children are present. Besides the potential fire hazard, it has also been proven that scented candles emit toxic chemicals that can be harmful to children. They can especially be dangerous to children with asthma or are prone to migraines.
Toy Boxes
Toy boxes are great for keeping your kids room clean, but the wrong one can be detrimental. These seemingly harmless items can pose a threat if the lids are heavy or if the lid support fails. If left unattended, your child has the potential to seriously harm their fingers, hands, neck and head. Toy boxes with lightweight lids are becoming popular, as well as some lids that will close softly and slowly, so opt for one of these styles instead.
Televisions
While too much TV isn’t good for anyone, it specifically falls into the dangerous household items category. TV’s pose more danger to your children than what they watch. As children get older, they get more adventurous and is pretty common for them to tip over televisions. This has become even more prevalent with the invention of flat screen TV’s.
Dressers
We all know once children discover their mobility, they’re non-stop moving. They become more curious and that makes everyday household furniture, like dressers, potentially dangerous. Dressers are especially dangerous because they’re so easy to climb. Just recently, Ikea undertook a massive recall on the Malm Dresser because of the amount of injuries and deaths reported.
Book Shelves
Similarly to dressers, bookcases are fairly easy to climb, and if they are not secured to the wall, they can tip over and crush a child. As a tip, always keep larger items on the bottom shelf in addition to securing the bookcase to the wall.
Cribs
The danger of cribs is perhaps a scarier one. Over the years, many child deaths have been reported due to their clothing getting caught in posts or the hardware, where others have trapped their fingers or heads between the rails. Fortunately, cribs made after 2011 have a much stricter safety regulation and standards. Try avoiding, or reconsider that hand-me-down crib.
Are you thinking of buying or selling a home, or have a friend or family member who is? Contact The Pivec Group today by calling 443-692-8800 or visiting our website! We look forward to hearing from you and helping you find your dream home!
