Going out safely
When your child starts walking and you are outside the home you will need to keep him
safely by your side, particularly near traffic or in busy, crowded places where you could
quickly lose sight of him. You may consider:
- A child harness - these come with adjustable shoulder and waist straps
and are secured at the back. The same design can be used for a pram, highchair or
outdoors. Reins are attached to the harness for you to hold while your child walks
alongside. They may be made of leather or washable nylon
- Wrist link - a simpler alternative to a harness for walking, this is a
strap with an adjustable buckle or Velcro strap at either end which fastens around the
child’s and the parent’s wrists
- Child alarm - this is a two unit, battery-operated monitor which alerts
you if your toddler wanders from your side while you are out. Your child wears a small
electronic transmitter, you carry an alarm unit. The alarm triggers when the two units are
parted beyond a certain range, which you set to the distance you feel is safe. The alarm
is also triggered if your child falls into water. However, these alarms are expensive and
won’t actually help you find your child once he is out of sight
- ID bracelets - ideal for children too young to remember their name and
address, these allow your child to be clearly identified if he does become lost.
Disposable bracelets are available in packs - you fill in your child’s details and
secure it around his wrist
|
