A clean house is a safe house for children Published March 27, 2009 By Joyce Atlee Family Advocacy Outreach Manager TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- A licensed clinical social worker says she's noticed a trend at Tinker in the past several years and it's not a good one. Sheryl Milton, who has worked as a Family Advocacy treatment manager at Tinker for 13 years, said she gets a lot of referrals on what she calls "dirty house complaints." That term, she said, is shorthand for a home where the conditions are so unsanitary or unsafe that it presents a clear danger to the young children living there. Ms. Milton gave examples of some of the things she has personally seen in homes at Tinker. "I've walked in and seen bottles of baby oil on the floor. People often aren't aware that if a baby or young child ingested that, it could kill them," she said. "Sometimes people store mouthwash in low, unlocked cabinets, easily accessible to a crawling baby or toddler. Mouthwash is 40 percent alcohol, which could cause a fatality if swallowed." Ms. Milton pointed out other household hazards she has encountered: ashtrays full of cigarette butts and ashes, or cigarette butts all over a child's play area. "Not only is the nicotine poisonous to young children, the cigarette butts themselves could present a choking risk," she said. Poisonous plants are another danger. "If you enjoy houseplants in your home, make sure they are out of the child's reach," she cautioned. "But even if they are hanging up, parents need to be alert for leaves or flowers that may fall off where a child could reach them and stuff them into their mouths. An infant is especially drawn to tasting things. That's part of exploring their world." Ms. Milton added that toddlers also often try out new things by tasting. Other dangers include electrical cords strung over the floor. "Small children often just can't resist playing with them, posing a danger of electrical shock," Ms. Milton said. Ms. Milton said the lack of baby gates, especially at the top and bottom of stairs, also alarms her. "A baby might crawl up the stairs, and be unable to crawl down and fall and break their neck," she said. She emphasized that parents need to vigilantly supervise their babies and young children in any case. Ms. Milton said that even in a normally clean house, parents might be surprised at the number of potentially dangerous objects they will find if they alter their viewpoint a bit. "Parents should get down on the floor at their young child's level and look at the multiplicity of things that could be harmful to their child and remove them," she said. Family Advocacy offers a quarterly class, Baby Business, which includes a segment on keeping babies and toddlers safe at home. Also a quick Internet search of baby-proofing will bring up dozens of tips and suggestions. In addition to implementing new ideas, basic housekeeping and common sense can go a long way to keeping children safe, Ms. Milton said. "Parents need to constantly monitor their child's environment and correct situations that could prove harmful or fatal," she said. Even if a tragedy hasn't happened yet, a home that presents health and safety hazards to young children is likely to result in a referral to the Department of Human Services. "No parent would want DHS intervention and the possibility of their children being removed into state custody because their home presents a danger to them," Ms. Milton pointed out. She said sometimes, people grew up in an unsanitary or unsafe home themselves and simply have no idea how to go about changing. "But there is a wealth of information online on Web sites such as as http://www.mycleaningplan.com/ or http://housekeeping.about.com/," she said. "All it takes is a willingness and commitment to change and making the effort to create and maintain a safe and pleasant home for children."