Baby proofing is a rite of passage for any parent to be, but it's not always as easy as it looks. Most of us know the basics, like covering up sharp corners and plug sockets and putting cleaning products out of reach, but are we doing enough? According to CBSNews, a new study has found that a child is brought into the ER every two hours due to ingesting or being exposed to cosmetic products.
The 15-year study was conducted by the Center for Injury Research at Nationwide Children's Hospital, so these guys know what they're talking about. Between 2002 and 2016, an estimated 64,686 kids under the age of 5 required medical treatment.
The most common cause of injury was when a child swallows a product, while the other 19% was made up of children who had spilled some into their eyes. Out of all the products named, 28% were nail care products (nail polish, oils or polish remover), 27% related to hair products and 25% to skincare.
Out of these, nail polish remover was the biggest culprit. These are all items that the majority of us have on display in our living spaces. Hair products and nail polish can often be found in bathrooms and on dressing tables where little hands can easily get to them. As kids often want to be just like their parents, it's no surprise that their curiosity could get the best of them. At such a young age, they aren't able to identify what each bottle is. When they see mom using one bottle for her face, they make pick up another one and do the same. Co-author of the study Rebecca McAdams echoed these sentiments.
Nationwide Children's Hospital is encouraging parents to make sure that all of these personal care products are kept safely in a locked cabinet so kids can't get to them. Making it part of your daily ritual to store things back in a cupboard or elsewhere out of sight could go a long way. Having to rush your child to the hospital over something so easily avoided is every parent's worst nightmare, so it's better safe than sorry.