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Most of us spend a great deal of time at home. But have you checked your house thoroughly for hidden dangers to your children? Here are some helpful tips to consider:

• Install smoke alarms outside bedrooms and on every level of the home. Test them at least once a month and change batteries once a year.
• Practice fire escape routes and identify an outside meeting place.
• Install carbon monoxide alarms outside bedrooms to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Make sure knives, matches, plastic bags and lighters are kept out of reach of children.
• Keep appliance cords unplugged and tied up. Replace any frayed cords and wires.
• Before bathing your child, always check the water temperature so you don't scald them. Set the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees.
• Keep cleaning solutions, pesticides and other potentially dangerous substances in their original containers and out of the reach of children.
• Place a baby to sleep on his or her back in a crib with no pillows or soft bedding underneath. Be sure to use a crib that meets national safety standards and has a snug-fitting mattress.
• Use safety gates to block stairways, safety plugs to cover electrical outlets, and safety latches to lock drawers and cabinets.
• Keep an updated list of emergency phone numbers, including doctor, poison control and hospital emergency room next to every phone in the house.