An ER Doctor's Childproofing Checklist

Babies start moving faster than you'd think! Prep your home well in advance to help prevent household-related injuries.

By Dr. Seran Kim and Amylia Ryan | Fact Checked by Shannon Vestal Robson

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An ER Doctor's Childproofing Checklist .

Newborn babies may seem immobile, all swaddled and sleepy. But they’ll be on the move as early as six months—and it happens fast. So be sure to prep your home well in advance to help prevent household-related injuries.

Infants and children younger than five years old account for over 40% of pediatric Emergency Department visits. Six of the top 10 reasons for emergency visits are for injuries such as bruises, open wounds, sprains and strains, broken arms and other injuries due to external causes.

Many of these common injuries occur in and around the home, so don’t forget to check all of these precautions off your list. You can even print out this checklist and keep it on your fridge so you can always refer back to it.

Editor’s note: We've included products to help you complete your childproofing checklist. The featured products were chosen by our editors and are not endorsed by Dr. Seran Kim.