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Making Danger a Stranger

March 10, 2008 | Author: admin | Filed under: Baby Gates

Eighteen-month-old MaryRose has just learned to toddle and the entire house is now her playground.  Yesterday, you managed to catch her before she tripped over the dog dish in the kitchen, and today, you caught her playing sailboat in the toilet bowl. You realize you can’t put it off any longer. You go to your computer, type in Babyage.com and start going through the large variety of baby gates available. You decide get one for each room, as well as the stairway. Your child’s very life depends on it. A baby gate is an indispensable childproofing tool. These days, they are practically universal in homes with small children.  Baby gates serve a critical need, keeping infants, toddlers, and even pets, from falls, accidents, or simply getting into something they shouldn’t! Baby gates come in seemingly countless varieties and designs, so it might be somewhat intimidating making a choice. Here are a few pointers to help you make the smartest, safest choice for you and your baby:

      Child safety gates are intended for children between 6 months and 24 months of age, not for older children. The two basic types of gates are: a)     Hardware-mounted or permanent gates, and b)     Pressure-mounted or portable gates

  1.  For the tops of stairs, you should ONLY use hardware-mounted gates. If properly secured to the doorjamb or between two walls, hardware-mounted gates are the most secure choice, although you must bear in mind that no gate is 100% childproof!
  2. Be sure the baby gate is securely anchored in the doorway or stairway. Test it to make sure your child cannot push it over.  
  3. When using hardware-mounted gates in doorways, you will need to drill holes in the frame or stud behind the wall. You then attach the gate with brackets and screws.  
  4. If you have large, low set windows, you may want to install hardware-mounted gates in the frames.  
  5.  Pressure-mounted gates are suitable for less hazardous locations, such as between rooms.  

DOS AND DON’TS 

  1. Gates with an expanding pressure bar should be installed with this bar on the side away from your child.  This is to prevent little ones from using the bar as a foothold to climb over the gate. Also avoid gates with horizontal slats—they practically beg to be climbed on.
  2. NEVER use pressure-mounted gates at the top of the staircase. They can pop out and cause your child to fall.  Many tragic incidents of this kind have been documented.
  3. If you have older children in the home, you should invest in a gate that automatically swings and snaps closed. The last thing on a child’s mind is closing the gate behind him- or herself. 
  4. NEVER use accordion-style baby gates that have large V-shaped openings along the top edge and diamond-shaped openings between the slats. Children have gotten their heads entrapped and died with these gates. They are no longer sold in stores, but you may still find them at yard sales or in thrift stores. That’s where they should stay.
  5. Choose a gate with a straight top edge and rigid bars or mesh screen, or an accordion-style gate with small V-shapes and diamond-shaped openings. Entrances to V-shapes should be no more than 1-1/2 inches (38 mm) in width to prevent head entrapment.  Safety gates should be at least 75% as tall as your child. 
  6. Look for sturdy construction and an even finish. Wood surfaces should be smooth, splinter-free, and fashioned with rounded edges.  
  7. Make certain of the exact width measurements of doors or openings before you buy a gate. Avoid gates that have to be at their maximum width to fit, as they might not be stable enough.

Securing Irregular Spaces

If your home is like most households, there are probably some hazardous nooks and crannies that cannot be childproofed with standard safety gates.  For these odd-shaped areas that don’t have mounting points straight across, customizable or configurable gates are available. These gates usually come with interlocking sections that can be connected at virtually any angle. Gate systems with hinged panels are also an option for customizing a fence-like gate for irregular or extra-wide spaces. Babyage also offers driveway guards, deck guards, fireplace guards and banister guards specifically designed to keep children safe in those areas.  

This entry was posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008 and is filed under Baby Gates. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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