I've read a great deal about childhood injuries, mostly so I could prevent our children from winding up in the emergency room. They had their share of accidents, to be honest, no parent is going to be able to find every hazard available. Kids can find ways to hurt themselves we adults would never have considered.
Two of my heroes in educating parents on this topic are Dr. Martin Eichelberger and former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. Through public service announcements and legislation, they and their team have cut the accident death rate for children by about 40%. As accidents are the leading cause of death in children fourteen and younger, that's quite an accomplishment.
Crib Rail
Many of the things on this list may seem old hat to you, but perhaps not to everyone. In this, there isn't any such thing as too much information:
1) Baby Gates: These are great for those of us with multiple story houses or locations we want to keep the kids out of. However, make sure that a) the gate itself is safe and b) the kid can't figure out how to open it. Toddlers are more adept and smarter than we think.
2) Capes: One of my favorite lines from The Incredibles is Edna saying, "No Capes." She is so right. Even using a towel tied around the neck can be deadly if it gets caught on something.
3) Cribs: Many cribs are being recalled due to the danger your child will suffocate. If the child can slide down between the rails and the mattress, it can kill. Before buying or making a crib, make sure the design will prevent that from happening.
4) Drapes: It's not so much the drapes that are the problem, it's the string used to open and close them. If the line is tied or otherwise closed at the end, it makes a choking hazard that can and has killed. Make sure, if there is more than one line, that they are not connected at the bottom.
5) Electric Outlets: There are small, plastic covers for the outlets that will keep Baby from sticking something in and getting electrocuted. They don't cost much, and are worth the time and the annoyance when you have to get one off to use the outlet.
6) Frying Pans: All pans with handles should have the handle turned away from the front. If you are deep fat frying something, put the baby gate up and cook it on the back burner. Many children have been scarred for life because of these pans.
7) Irons: Never leave an iron unattended, even if it isn't on. Irons are heavy enough to do damage even without the heat problem. Add that to the mix and it could be really bad.
8) Latches: I recommend that you child proof latch every single cupboard throughout the house. Kids can get into the darndest places. If you live in earthquake country, it has the added benefit of keeping the contents in the cabinet rather than all over the floor.
9) Medications: May I recommend, from personal experience, that you keep them under lock and key? Medicine cabinets, even if baby latched, may not be enough. We kept ours locked until both children were in grade school.
10) Mop Buckets: A child's head weighs more per square inch than the rest of his or her body, especially when they are very small. Children have drowned in two inches of water at the bottom of such a bucket.
11) Plastic: Grocery and trash bags, wrappers for toys and many other items come in plastic form. If it manages to get wrapped around a child's head, suffocation could occur. If it's small enough, it could be inhaled and have the same result.
12) Poisons: Like medications, I recommend lock and key storage. Kids can and will find even the most carefully hidden places. While they're toddlers, baby latches will work but when they get old enough to know how to operate them, that storage place is no longer a good idea.
13) Small Toys: This information comes out every Christmas. If a toy can fit into an empty toilet paper holder, your child can choke on it.
These are just a few of the things you'll need to keep in mind to keep your child safe. When we were expecting our oldest daughter, we were told to crawl around on the floor in every room and look for ways a child could get hurt. That's good advice for all of us.