If your child has special needs, then you know that you need to set up unique environments to assist them in functioning safely. Your home is no different. Have you thought about house safety for special needs? Here are a few different ways to ensure that your home is safe for your special needs child.
Put Code Locks on Doors
While it’s hard to avoid keeping all unsafe products from your home, you can keep them confined to one area that is under a lock. Rooms such as those that you store your cleaning materials, furnaces, or even basements with stairs can be easily avoided by putting a code lock on the door.
It’s best to opt for a code lock over a traditional key for the lock for a couple of reasons. First, it’s easier when you’re maneuvering around your home to simply know a code than to have to stop everything and go grab a key. Second, if your child figures out the code, you can simply change it without having to change out your hardware.
Outlet Protectors
One thing that can help protect your children is homeowners insurance, which can help fund medical visits due to faulty home materials. You should also take the initiative to make your home safe. You should do your best to ensure your child’s protection from dangerous things like live power throughout your home.
There is an abundance of outlet protectors on the market that you can purchase to keep your child from being able to stick random objects in receptacles in your home.
Cover Sharp Objects
It’s important to take the time to walk through your home and look for any sharp objects. Certain special needs children will be as safe as any other child around sharp objects, but if you have a child who has a fascination with reflective surfaces or a lack of ability to recognize danger, you should cover them.
Things like metal radiator grates can be sharp enough to puncture the skin of your child. It’s best to cover these sharp objects with a specially crafted cover to ensure your child can’t see them and accidentally hurt themselves.
Hidden Switches and Shut-Off Valves
When it comes to the stove in your home, it can be a real hazard for your special needs child. By having hidden switches or shut-off valves installed, you can rest assured they won’t be able to turn on the switches when you’re not watching.
These hidden switches or shut-offs should be installed in inconspicuous places. You should ensure that your child is not in the room when you reach to turn the switch or shut-off valve on or off.
House safety for special needs is a little more intricate. You have to think about everything that could be potentially dangerous if they don’t hold that instinct of fear from things like hot objects.
The above four tips are a great place to start when creating a safe environment in your home for your special needs child. You should pay attention to your child’s specific needs in all things, though. What works for some children will not work for others.