page_title: Childproofing
section_title: Physical access
hierarchical_section_title: Childproofing / Physical access
caption_attribution_description: English: Playpen Deutsch: Laufgitter Français&#160;: Parc Español: Andaderas Italiano: Girello Polski: Kojec
context_page_description: Childproofing is the act of making an environment or object safe for children. This reduces risks to a level considered acceptable by a society, an institution, or to specific parents. Childproofing may include restriction of children to safe areas or preventing children from reaching unsafe areas. This can be accomplished by the parent or by hiring a professional for assistance. Childproofing is gaining more prominence now that parents have greater access to information on child injury and a wide variety of products are available to help prevent it. It has become so top-of-mind for parents that even hotels and child-friendly resorts are offering "child-proof" rooms.
context_section_description: One of the more common methods of childproofing is to move potentially dangerous items to higher levels, beyond the reach of young children. This may include small items that pose a choking hazard, sharp items that might poke or cut a child, breakable items such as glass vases and anything that is long and flexible, like ropes and cables. If you want to get a better understanding of the potential dangers around your house, getting down to the eye level of your child will make you see your house the way your child does.
  A playpen is another device that is commonly used as a form of childproofing, by restricting the movement of a child while resting, playing or bottle feeding, requiring a somewhat lower level of supervision while in use. Many playpens are portable, making them an alternative when the parent and child are visiting a home that has not been "childproofed".
  Safety gates are used to help prevent a child from accessing an area of a house, especially the stairway, or to allow an exterior door to be open for ventilation while restricting movement of a child. Pressure gates and hardware mounted gates are available. Pressure gates can be dislodged by children and should not be used at the top of stairs. In some situations, pressure gates at the top of stairs have caused serious injury when a child has run against it or when a parent has fallen trying to step over the gate. Hardware mounted gates are the most secure option and should be installed securely into wall studs.
  Interior doors should be closed and secured to restrict a child's access to such areas as garages, basements, laundry rooms, home offices & gyms, bathrooms, or any other potentially hazardous area. Many different types of door latches are available from simple door knob covers to top-of-door latches that can be operated from both sides of the door. Another type of lock is an inexpensive device which can be easily installed into drawers, cabinets, or other openables to prevent easy opening. It consists of a bendable plastic rod with a blunt hook on one side, and is situated on the inside of the drawer or cabinet.
caption: Common playpen.
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