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| |    Kitchen Safety by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Kathryn Clark, M.D., F.A.A.P. Much more than just a room in which to cook and eat, a kitchen for many families is the spot to gather and share happy times. Unfortunately, this congenial meeting place is also full of potential hazards that need to be taken seriously. When it comes to allowing your young child to spend time in the kitchen, careful supervision should be first and foremost on your safety checklist. The next step is to familiarize yourself with some of the common hazards, and then take a close look at how you can make your own kitchen safer. Stove. Your stove can pose a significant risk when it comes to childhood burns. Being aware of the simple safety steps you can take--some less obvious than others--will help reduce the risk of injury to your child. Oven. Many ovens get very hot on the outside while in use, and remain toasty for quite a while afterwards. Make sure that if your child can reach your oven, you don't leave her unsupervised in the kitchen unless the appliance is sufficiently cool. If you have a double oven, try to use the top one whenever possible. Also, remember that while you are putting foods in or taking them out of the oven, your child should be reliably situated at a safe distance to keep him out of harm's way and from being underfoot. Garbage cans. Even if your garbage can is in a safety-locked cabinet, you should assume that your child can get into it. This means that you have to give much more thought to what you throw away, since edges of cans, almost empty bottles of cleaning supplies, broken glass, and even the sharp metal edges of empty plastic wrap boxes can all be hazardous. Knives and sharp objects. Get in the habit of putting knives well away from the edge of the counter when you're using them, and store them in inaccessible or safety-locked drawers when they're not in use. Store plastic-wrap and aluminum-foil boxes with perforated edges high out of reach or in locked drawers or cabinets. Dishwasher. If you are going to let your child "help" as you load the dishwasher, supervise carefully and pay close attention to what is within his eager reach. While most parents are very conscientious about where they store knives, peelers, glasses, and other potentially sharp or dangerous objects, they often forget to think about the accessibility of these kitchen supplies in the dishwasher. Cleaning supplies. If you keep cleaning supplies in your kitchen, you should store them just like anywhere else in the house: in a safety-locked and preferably high cabinet well out of your child's reach. Don't forget to put away the counter cleanser or the floor polish after you use it, and never store cleaning agents or any other potentially poisonous substances in anything but their original containers. Small electrical appliances. Many common small household appliances can pose a risk to your child's safety. Indoor grills can cause serious burns (both from the hot surfaces and the hot drippings), electric can openers have sharp edges, blenders and food processors have sharp blades, and mixers can cause significant injury to small fingers. In addition, never leave electrical cords hanging over the edge of the counter; instead, make sure they are tucked safely out of reach from below. Cabinets and drawers. Organize your cabinets and drawers so that dangerous or breakable items are stored out of reach whenever possible; innocuous items such as plastic cups, metal or plastic mixing bowls, and pots and pans should occupy the more accessible cabinets. As an added measure, consider installing child safety locks on cabinets and drawers containing sharp knives and other potentially hazardous items. And, as always, watch out for the all-too-common pinched fingers! Sink. As with any other source of water in your home, your kitchen sink has the potential to cause hot-water burns. In addition to safety precautions such as lowering the setting of your hot-water heater, use appropriate caution and supervision when it comes to your child using the hot water, and make the faucet off-limits for young children. Corners. When it comes to looking for sharp corners that stick out at head-level (for toddlers), the kitchen is a good place to start. Check your counters, table, and even the handle on the oven that sticks out, and consider putting corner protectors (available at hardware stores) on any sharp edges you may find. Hot food. One friend of mine still winces whenever she recalls the time she poured off hot bacon grease into an empty peanut can that was within the reach of her preschooler. Before she could stop him, he dipped his hand into the container, thinking to avail himself of a handful of treats. Luckily, the burn injury wasn't serious, but it reminded her-as it should careful parents everywhere-that hot food, as well as hot appliances and kitchenware-should be kept well beyond the reach of young children.
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