Do you have small children at home? Or a baby who is just about ready to start walking and getting around a lot more? If so, one thing’s for sure, they will be exploring more areas of the home and be exposed to more surfaces than ever before. Creating a healthy environment is vital. Cleaning and childproofing is a must for protecting your child, but what about hidden dangers that they could suddenly become exposed to? Here are a few things to consider and watch out for as you generate a thriving environment for your toddler to explore.
Controlling Pests
No one would want their toddler to be exposed to rodents or insects that are crawling around on the floor, but sometimes you can have a problem and not even know it. Mouse droppings can easily go unnoticed for a few days if you’re not looking. Then a few days or weeks later once you go to mop floors, you may notice a lot of mouse droppings. Not only are rodents dirty, they can also be detrimental to the health of a toddler. They can carry the Hantavirus—which causes severe respiratory distress and other diseases, including Lyme Disease, Salmonella, and Typhus. Not only that, mice can also destroy household items and invade food cabinets. Keeping your child’s environment safe means eradicating mice both indoors and out. Setting traps is one way to control a mouse population, but you should call in a pest control las vegas NV based company or one in your hometown to make sure the rodents stay gone. Be sure to tighten up any gaps in your home, such as cracks between your house and the foundation. Rodents only need a small area to crawl into and make your house theirs.
Creating Non-toxic Surfaces
You probably have all of your flooring and low-lying table areas cleaned and sanitized for your crawling toddler. But now that your little one is embarking on walking around and finding new destinations in the home, you’ll have to clean upward to include chair rails, knobs and handrails as well. To generate a healthy environment, you’ll want to be sure not to use chemical products that may be harmful to your toddler’s health. Keeping their socks white and preventing falls means maintaining floors and sanitizing them at the same time. Choose natural cleaners that may be vinegar based or use organic ingredients to clean floors and surface areas. This leaves behind a pleasant smell and eliminates a glossy and slippery surface that could make little feet prone to slip and falls. Eliminating harsh chemicals with cleaning products will help promote a healthy environment for not only your toddler but the entire family as well.
Improving Air Quality
Part of your toddler living a healthy lifestyle includes making sure the air quality is good. Even if you clean frequently and don’t smoke inside the house, there can still be particles that can trigger adverse health reactions such as contact dermatitis and respiratory problems. The best way to increase the air quality in the home is to start with the areas you can’t see. Having your homes duct work cleaned completely can help trap allergens before they become a problem. Air duct cleaning involves a pro coming in and trapping and removing all the dirt, debris, hair, rodent droppings, insects remnants and other materials that have been lodged in your HVAC ductwork. From there, the newly cleaned surface is then sprayed and sanitized to help destroy mold and bacteria. The clean ductwork now allows fresh air to flow freely through the house. You can also add an air purifier and HEPA air filter to help keep the air that passes through cleaner and odor-free.
Optimal Physical and Mental Health
Part of raising a healthy toddler is to make sure their physical and mental health is at its best as they embark on childhood. This means routine testing and well visits with the pediatrician. Any issues should be readily addressed to help ensure that they have a solid start in life. A healthy diet, peer social interaction and a non-sedentary lifestyle offer the best chance of preventing obesity and creating a healthy lifestyle before kindergarten starts.
Raising a toddler is multifaceted. Your job as a parent is to give them the best environment to get a jump start on a thriving childhood.
