5 Ways To Make Your Home Safe & Comfortable For Children with Disabilities

Let’s not sugarcoat it: caring for a child with a disability is backbreaking work. 

Not only do you need to provide the standard parental duties to uphold your child's well-being, but you also have to create an environment that supports their specific needs.

The last thing you'd want happening to your child is them accidentally injuring or hurting themselves.

Fortunately, there are many ways you can secure your child's safety—and that's by keeping your house as risk-free as possible.

From carefully designing the home layout to installing disability-friendly features, these tiny changes can be a tremendous help for keeping your little one in good hands. 

Want to know how to improve the safety of your house, exactly? Read on for five tips on keeping your home safe for your child.

1. Keep Electric Materials Away From Research

Plugs, sockets, and wires tend to be found everywhere around the house. 

And while we definitely know better than to mess with these items, your disabled child may not be as knowledgeable.

As such, if you have loose and visible electric cords plugged into an electric port, consider tucking them away out of view and out of sight. 

This is especially true if these wires are situated in areas where your child may wander in, like the kitchen, living room, or bedroom.

One way to derisk your home from these hazardous items is by sticking a small cord organiser to the wall and putting cords between that item.

This not only helps make the room look less messy but it also prevents your child from randomly tangling themselves into these cords, increasing the risk of injury.

2. Lock the Windows and Doors at Night

It's no secret that children with mental disabilities can and will do unpredictable things. 

There's no limit to their actions, and as a parent, you want to ensure that the odds of the worst possible outcome are minimal.

That said, we can't constantly work surveillance around our child's movements, especially during the nighttime when you need much-needed rest.

But we can control what our children can do while they're at home—and one way to do just that is by locking your doors and windows from opening during the night.

Unlocked windows that children can climb on can be dangerous as it can make them accidentally fall. 

On the other hand, disabled children can open unlocked doors and put themselves in imminent danger, whether they find themselves wandering outside the neighbourhood or unveiling a cabinet of sharp kitchenware.

If you want to ensure your child's safety, ensure that you have proper lock mechanisms that can prevent them from hurting themselves. 

This can be safety latches, knob covers, adhesive locks, or any other tool to stop them from reaching dangerous places.

3. Ensure Mobility With Mindful Furniture Choices

The layout of a home is essential for creating a safe environment. 

Having too much furniture sprawled around isn't only suffocating for people living in the household, it's also a safety hazard.

This is especially true for young kids with impaired abilities who may not always have their wits about them.

As such, it's important to be mindful of your furniture choices.

For homes with a disabled child, consider choosing Sensory Furniture in Australia or your local community.

For more specific examples, instead of, say, using sharp-edged tables and chairs, consider using plush cushions and round tables.

If you have broken or unstable furniture, get a leg protector or replace it entirely.

By doing this, you can remove the danger of your home and have peace of mind knowing that you're nurturing a safe environment for your kid.

4. Illuminate The House

Turns out, you should be afraid of the dark, especially if you have children with visual, mental, or mobility impairments.

Maintaining sufficient lighting in the house is essential for ensuring that you and your kid can see everything—including potential risks—around you.

It's possible to trip over loose things scattered around the floor or bump into heavy-set furniture that your child has forgotten was there.

One way to easily fix this issue is by installing ample light sources in your place. 

If you want to add a sustainable touch, consider installing LED lights as they don't use as much power.

Have broken bulbs in your basement or kitchen? Replace them and give them a new light.

Make sure that your child can reach the light switches too.

By providing light to your home, you can decrease the risk of your child tripping or stumbling on things.

This, in turn, can make your home a safer place for the entire family.

5. Modify the Bathroom, Entryways, and Stairs For Safety

There are 'red zones' in your house that are inherently more risky than others. 

If you feel overwhelmed getting your house in its safest shape, you should focus on improving these sections of the home as a start.

The bathroom is one area that has an increased risk of falls and injuries, especially when wet. 

To keep this place safe, consider putting on a non-slip mat, a small stool, and rails to help your disabled child bathe easily.

Entryways should also accommodate children with movement disabilities, particularly those using a wheelchair.

If the dimensions of a room or house door can't fit your child being pushed in a wheelchair, consider renovating it to allow easy access. 

Lastly, stairs should also be safety-proofed.

Consider installing a vertical platform lift to bring your child up and down the stairs safely.

You can also put a baby gate to avoid accidental entry.

By doing these, and by upholding safety in other key aspects of your home, you can keep your PWD child safe from most major risks.

We wish you the best in safeguarding your home!

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