Living Room and Family Room Safety: General

. Do not use glass-topped tables. . Do not place heavy objects within a child's reach.
. Make sure TV, VCR, stereo, and other electronic equipment are out of reach of young children.
. Use a VCR guard on the cassette loader.
. To prevent falls from windows, install window guards or screens or a device that prevents windows from opening more than 4 inches. Do not use on windows that are emergency exits.
. Do not allow children to climb on furniture or play near windows.

Living Room and Family Room Safety: Playpens

. Designate a safe area, such as a playpen, for a young child.
. Be sure playpens have fine mesh sides with openings smaller than 1/2 inch or vertical slats less than 2-3/8 inches apart.
. To prevent playpen sides from collapsing, make sure the playpen is always fully opened and in a locked position.
. To prevent a child from climbing out, never place large toys in the playpen.

Living Room and Family Room Safety: Burns and Electrical Hazards

. Hot light bulbs should be out of reach from young children.
. Make sure fireplaces, radiators, and heaters have protective barriers.
. Do not use space heaters.
. If a space heater must be used, make sure it is not within a child's reach. Turn it off when you are asleep or out of the room. Also, check to be sure it automatically turns off if it is knocked over.

Living Room and Family Room Safety: Infant Walkers

. Do not use an infant walker. A "walker" without wheels can be used as an activity center.
. If you have an infant walker, make sure all stairways are blocked and items are out of reach of small hands. Never leave a walker near a stove, space heater or fireplace. Children in walkers should never be near hot liquids.
. An adult should always be present when a child is in a walker. To prevent falls, walkers should be kept away from stairs at all times.

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Information about Living Room and Family Room Safety was graciously shared by Dr. Patricia Keener, author of Caring for Kids: Useful Information & Hard-to-find Facts About Child Health and Development , and Riley Hospital for Children.