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Mosquito nets, chests and other dangers lurking in your home

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1. Mosquito nets

3. Blind cords 

It can take less than 15 second for your toddler to choke to death. In a video posted on YouTube two years ago, Nathan Walla and his wife relives the horrifying day their son got caught in a window blind's cord.

The now 17-year-old Nathan Walla is one of the lucky ones and he says he's glad the video is out there and able to save other children's lives. 

4. Dishwashers 

Although rare, open dishwashers pose a potentially huge threat to small children. In 1997, a British 12-year-old boy stumbled and fell onto a knife blade that stood point up in the cutlery tray of the dishwasher. And in 2005, the same happened to a five-year-old girl from Kentucky, USA. Rememeber to always load utensils into the dishwasher with their sharp ends pointing down. 

Below is a video showing you how to load a dishwasher properly: 

5. Plastic bags

Plastic bags in and around your house can become very dangerous. Inquisitive little ones may try and play peekaboo, which of course poses the threat of suffocation. Simiarly, we should never leave children unattended in a bathroom – babies and toddlers are seemingly drawn to plastic, and shower curtains, like plastic bags, can suffocate them very quickly. 

6. Thorns and prickly garden flowers 

Thorny plants should be kept somewhere high or out of reach from children. Some plants are poisonous and can cause an allergic reaction, and your child could even, in rare cases, go into anaphylactic shock. Check out the names and backgrounds of the plants in and around your home.

7. Potpourri and incense sticks 

Potpourri might seem like the least likely to cause any dangerous threat to your child, but decorative flowers like potpourri can be very alluring and might end up in little mouths. Digesting potpourri in large quantities can be fatal: common symptoms of potpourri poisoning include difficulty swallowing, nausea and vomiting, and rapid breathing.  

What preventative measures have you taken to child proof your house? Send us your comments and stories to chatback@parent24.com and we might publish your response. Please inbox us should you wish to remain anonymous.

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