Reminders for Choosing the Best Child Safety Gates

Proper knowledge of child safety gates can help save one’s time in looking for a good one from the big pool to choose from. There are general guidelines that can be followed in choosing what’s just right.

First consider the age and physical attributes of the child. Take note of his/her height and head size. The JPMA has claimed that a child safety gate can be used for young children of ages 6 months to 2 years and that it should be higher than of the child’s height. Some studies have reported that some children for whom old models were used have been strangled when their bodies slipped through the openings. Above anything else, looking for the JPMA seal on the childproofing product is the easiest way to determine whether the quality of the child safety gate passes the standards. Other institutions whose website may be consulted are the ASTM International and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The next thing to ask is where the child safety gate is going to be installed. Potentially dangerous areas such as the top of stairs and fireplaces call for the use of “hardware mounted” child safety gates because they are permanent and stronger. “Pressure mounted” child safety gates are used in less unsafe places such as the bottom of stairs and doorways. They can be easily removed unlike the ones of the “hardware mounted” type. The dimensions and the shape of the gates are determined by the wideness and irregularities of the spaces. A child safety gate is made of wood, metal, or plastic. The appropriate one depends on the room ventilation and temperature conditions. You know what can happen if a plastic or wood gate is installed near the fireplace.

There’s no way to forget about aesthetic quality and reasonable pricing. After having bought one, there are three things to do: get to know more about the child safety gate with the manual and experience, put it to good use, and constantly check its appropriateness and utility.

It is important to mention that orientation should be given to the members of the household or the day care as to the use of a child safety gate. Some pressure mounted safety gates are precarious for a heavy load to rest on. A child who sees adults climbing over them and opening them easily learns by example. However, with or without examples to imitate, one cannot underestimate the keenness of a child to break free from safety and try adventure once in a while. In the end, it’s still maximum adult supervision which saves the day.

A well-made child safety gate should give the child a sense of security-not too tight or too loose.

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