Child Proofing Help! URGENT!!!

[SilverSabre25]

Okay, so I have this railing in my living room that I didn't think anyone could *EVER* fit through the balusters (I think that's what they're called). They come within legal specifications as far as I know (seeing as how our home passed a home inspection a year ago). But today, just a short time ago, my 16 mo DCB managed to slip everything but his head through the bars and was standing on the OTHER SIDE.

My 3 yo old DD started shouting, "Mommy come quick, come QUICK!" with a note of real panic in her voice. My back had been turned for less than five seconds as I put snack dishes in the dishwasher (immediately off the playroom within sight of the railing where he was). My heart practically stopped beating, I thought I was watching a nightmare come to life. I got to him and grabbed hold of him over top of the railing and managed to get him back through the other side (thank GOD his head was too big to fit through). His body was barely small enough to fit through the bars and it was a job to get him back through.

Now I am freaking out; I have no idea how to child proof this safely! We've always planned to replace that railing with a half-height wall someday, but that's bound to be expensive and we don't have much extra money right now...Help! How can I possibly manage to make this safe so that this can't happen again?!?

The railing: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

[JenNJ]

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/prod...p?SKU=14996346

http://www.amazon.com/Deck-Shield-Ch.../dp/B0015GPMTW

http://www.target.com/16-Kidsafe-Dec.../dp/B0002KWTF2

http://www.walmart.com/ip/KidSafe-Ba...ci_sku=5358624

[missnikki]

cheap idea...
How about pool noodles, sliced down the side, wrapping around each post?

[SilverSabre25]

THANK YOU!!! Will be ordering one of those today...first I gotta get to naptime so that I can find the tape measure and find out how many feet I need protected. I couldn't even think what to search for. So grateful...just wish I could go buy one today!

[JenNJ]

No problem!

[MommyMuffin]

Pool noodles, I love that idea! It would look so colorful too!

[katie]

A friend of mine has a huge railing over really high stairs. She put a piece of lattice tied with those plastic pull tight straps over it. Lattice is cheap and easy to cut to size. It may not be the most beutiful but if you painted it white or black it would blend in for the time being. You can get a piece of lattice at a home improvement store for like 15 or 20 bucks in wood or finished pvc.

[DancingQueen]

pool noodles are great in theory but toddler like to bite them. Not just a few toddlers either.. MOST of them LOL don't ask how I know this.. just trust me..LOL

[melskids]

chicken wire?

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

for the immediate time being, I would get some baby gates, open them all the way and zip tie them to the railing. Like tonight. or if you are like me, I have some extras laying around, . After that I would look at getting that banister replaced ASAP. I wouldnt bother with netting or guarding. Id do immediate relief and then get to having it replaced. You may be able to get a local contractor to let you pay on time. ? Here I would call my r and r and see if they have someone who works with them on things like this. Or call a building inspector/home inspector,.. they may have someone who will give you a break. Then it would be done, right, and permanent. No matter how much proofing you do you will never feel secure with the banister there. Good luck,.. wow,.. big big hugs and an extra tall glass of chocolate milk to your child for alerting you!

[momofsix]

On another note, not to worry you any more-but, from the pictures it looks like the rocking chair and some toys might be close enough to the railing that a child could climb on to them and fall over the railing. Not sure if it is possible or not, but I'd hate for a child to try it
So thankful your little dcb is safe!

[broncomom1973]

You could place plexi-glass on one side of the railing and mount it to the wall and run it the whole length of the railing. It would be clear, you could see through it, but no one could get through it. My sister had to do that in her house.

[nannyde]

Silver

I think you have a lot of issues with that room. I can see a lot of danger there. I hope you can take this advice... as it is coming from a kind heart.

I don't think that's a safe place to care for kids. You have a lot of issues with the first one being the fall zone from the top of the rail to the floor below by the front door. I don't know how many feet it is but when you look at that angle of the picture it looks like at least eight foot.

If a child climbed that rail and stood on it his/her head could be as much as eleven foot plus off the ground. That's a fall zone that could kill a kid.

The second issue is the railing itself. You have now seen that a kid can get their body thru it. The other thing that could have happened was the child getting their body thru it with legs dangling down... and hanging from their neck.

Another issue is the rocker could be used to jump off over the rail or as a way to get to the top of the rail. The toy box could be turned upside down and be a step stool to the top of the rail.

If there is ANY way you could do daycare in a different area I would really consider it. I have 31 years experience and I could NEVER manage any age group kids with that configuration and that high of a fall zone.

Even if you somehow block off the vertical bars on the railing it still will be dangerous. The fall zone from the rail is just too high for small children that don't belong to you. It's a huge huge risk to provide care with that configuration.

Nan
ETA•Vertical posts or pickets in deck, balcony, and stairway railings should be no more than 3 1/2 inches apart if a young baby will have access to the area. The space between horizontal rails or bars, and between the floor and the first horizontal rail or bar, should be no more than 3 1/2 inches.

[misol]

How about this?

I think they sell some variation of this in Walmart too.

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=131755

Otherwise, I would go with the plexiglass idea as someone else suggested.

[SilverSabre25]

A friend of mine has a huge railing over really high stairs. She put a piece of lattice tied with those plastic pull tight straps over it. Lattice is cheap and easy to cut to size. It may not be the most beutiful but if you painted it white or black it would blend in for the time being. You can get a piece of lattice at a home improvement store for like 15 or 20 bucks in wood or finished pvc.

That's a very interesting idea and I'm going to have to think on that one...something like that could even be a short term solution to the height issue.

for the immediate time being, I would get some baby gates, open them all the way and zip tie them to the railing. Like tonight. or if you are like me, I have some extras laying around, . After that I would look at getting that banister replaced ASAP. I wouldnt bother with netting or guarding. Id do immediate relief and then get to having it replaced. You may be able to get a local contractor to let you pay on time. ? Here I would call my r and r and see if they have someone who works with them on things like this. Or call a building inspector/home inspector,.. they may have someone who will give you a break. Then it would be done, right, and permanent. No matter how much proofing you do you will never feel secure with the banister there. Good luck,.. wow,.. big big hugs and an extra tall glass of chocolate milk to your child for alerting you!

I want to replace the banister, but we just don't have the money. WE are barely making ends meet right now and are doing all we can to pay off credit cards so we can do some more of these things.

On another note, not to worry you any more-but, from the pictures it looks like the rocking chair and some toys might be close enough to the railing that a child could climb on to them and fall over the railing. Not sure if it is possible or not, but I'd hate for a child to try it
So thankful your little dcb is safe!

I'm not teribbly worried about the stuff that's along there, actually--the rocking chair is actually pretty far away from the rail and it would be HARD for someone to climb over there--plus the drop is relatively short on that end. The pillows and stuffed animals are there but squash down so far that I'm not concerned. It looks bad in a picture, but not so bad in person! I'm very careful about what goes on that stretch of the room.

You could place plexi-glass on one side of the railing and mount it to the wall and run it the whole length of the railing. It would be clear, you could see through it, but no one could get through it. My sister had to do that in her house.

Plexi-glass is another interesting idea that I will have to look into.

Silver

I think you have a lot of issues with that room. I can see a lot of danger there. I hope you can take this advice... as it is coming from a kind heart.

I don't think that's a safe place to care for kids. You have a lot of issues with the first one being the fall zone from the top of the rail to the floor below by the front door. I don't know how many feet it is but when you look at that angle of the picture it looks like at least eight foot.

If a child climbed that rail and stood on it his/her head could be as much as eleven foot plus off the ground. That's a fall zone that could kill a kid.

The second issue is the railing itself. You have now seen that a kid can get their body thru it. The other thing that could have happened was the child getting their body thru it with legs dangling down... and hanging from their neck.

Another issue is the rocker could be used to jump off over the rail or as a way to get to the top of the rail. The toy box could be turned upside down and be a step stool to the top of the rail.

If there is ANY way you could do daycare in a different area I would really consider it. I have 31 years experience and I could NEVER manage any age group kids with that configuration and that high of a fall zone.

Even if you somehow block off the vertical bars on the railing it still will be dangerous. The fall zone from the rail is just too high for small children that don't belong to you. It's a huge huge risk to provide care with that configuration.

Nan
ETA•Vertical posts or pickets in deck, balcony, and stairway railings should be no more than 3 1/2 inches apart if a young baby will have access to the area. The space between horizontal rails or bars, and between the floor and the first horizontal rail or bar, should be no more than 3 1/2 inches.

Nanny, thank you for your concern, and believe me, I'm working on fixing it! Not one of the kids (even this dopey monkey boy) have ever tried climbing like that--I have outlets for climbing in other areas of the room and the house. The rail is impossible to stand on as it is much to thin. I don't block the bars because of the climbing issue--what's in front of there is squashy and doesn't offer much purchase. Honestly they spend all their time where the "good" toys are in the rest of the room. What you're seeing isn't really play space, it's walking space. I can't do daycare anywhere else due to the set up of my home--no matter what they'll be in that room part of the day as it's the main room and directly off the kitchen. I wish I could, but it just won't work. Every house in my neighborhood has this style and design...and most of them still have this original railing, too. I know I'm not the only home daycare in here either. I am working on it, but it's going to take time and money and I don't have either at the moment! I know what you're trying to say though and I appreciate it--coming from the viewpoint of someone who doesn't know me, my kids, or my setup, I can totally understand your concern, and I share most of it as well.

I think they sell some variation of this in Walmart too.

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=131755

Otherwise, I would go with the plexiglass idea as someone else suggested.

This looks great and I'm probably going to order it tonight after I talk to DH about money.

I ended up getting http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2328540 this one at BRU tonight because it was cheap, it looks like it will do the trick for now, and I could get it NOW instead of ordering it. I'm looking into better/more permanent solutions, but they are going to take a lot more time and money and hassle to implement.

For now, thanks to everyone for your advice and recommendations; I love having a board like this where I can get advice on this stuff!