Safety Tips For Families

All families are concerned with safety, both when at home and when away. Families with special needs share this concern. In addition, though they have certain issues other families may not have to deal with, which force them to focus on security at a higher level. Certain things like mobility, communication, and developmental delays make safety doubly important.

Here is advice from experts about how to handle this challenge.

Safety Plan Creation Tips:

1. Include family and community members who come into daily contact with the special needs child.
2. Think about all of the places in which your child needs to be protected.
3. Consider the top safety risks for your child.
4.  Give your child a form of identification with contact names and numbers listed.
5. Contact your local communications center, police department, and/or 911 call center to communicate your concerns and safety plan with the appropriate officials.

Safety In The Home Tips:

• Furniture – Secure top-heavy furniture and electronic equipment to the wall with furniture brackets or safety straps.

• Visitors – Teach your special needs child the safety rules about opening the door to visitors, especially if he is home alone.

With a little extra focus, families that have special needs can easily create a safety plan, which will let them live in confidence and comfort, knowing that they are prepared for any emergency.