When a baby starts to show the signs of ambulation, then it’s the responsibility of the parents to take this into consideration and make their house baby-proof.
There are various ways of making your house more secure and safe for babies to move freely. But the most important and essential step towards the baby’s security is to install stair gates.
These stair gates are beneficial for kids up to 2 years of age as they need extra protection.
As the baby gets more sensible, they learn to climb over the stair gates and knows how to open the gate. So at this stage, the stair gates should be removed as babies no longer need security while passing the stairs. Read the following article and find out at what age should you stop using stair gates.
When is it Safe to Remove Baby Gates?
To provide security to your baby as he or she starts to walk and crawl, stair gates are used to make the house safe for the baby to move freely all around.
Stair gates having voluntary safety standards provide high protection to the babies from stairs and other hazardous places of the house. But these gates themselves can cause injury when are installed improperly.
According to recent research, parents should stop using Stair gates when the baby turns over 2 years of age.
The reason behind this is that at this age, the kids are more sensible enough to climb over the gate and can easily disclose it.
If you do not remove the stair gates at this certain stage, it can cause injury to the baby instead of protecting them.
Types of Stair Gates used for Protection
The most preferred stair gates of the parents are the ones whose gates are pressure-mounted. These gates are used at the bottom of the stairs and for dividing the rooms because they do not require much force and can easily fall.
The gates that are used at the stair top are a bit heavy in weight and are tightened in the wall for preventing the baby from falling on the stairs.
After Removing the Stair Gates
After removing the gates, teach your toddler the ways of climbing up and down the stairs safely. Make them understand that stairs are not the area for playing and they should pass them carefully.
Start spending time making your toddler independent enough to freely move around the home safely without any fear of falling.
Once they reach the stage of maturation, they are no longer dependant upon any protection devices for their safety.
FAQs
How long do you keep baby gates up?
Stair gates can be used for babies of 6 months to 2 years of age. When your kid starts to push the gates and starts climbing over them, then you should remove them from the stairs.
At what age can a child go up and down the stairs alone?
Toddlers of age 3 years or more can climb up and down the stairs independently without having fear of falling.
Do I need gates at the bottom of the stairs?
Stair gates are the protection device for babies that is particularly used in houses that contain stairs. If you get the signs of mobility from your kid then it’s high time to insert these stair gates at the bottom and top of the stairs.
Are baby gates safe?
Yes, baby gates are the safest way for protecting your baby from falling on the stairs. Stair gates are used for babies of 6 months to 2 years of age to provide them protection.
What are the sizes of the stair gates?
The standard size of the stair gates ranges from 1 meter in height and 60cm in width. These safety gates follow the standards of BS 4125.
Conclusion
If your kid has started moving all around the house, then you need to apply some safety measures in order to prevent them from falling on the stairs.
The stair gates are the most essential protective devices used by parents to make their home baby-proof. But these gates can be used for a certain period of time until the baby starts pushing the gates and knows the way of disclosing it.
Using these stair gates for toddlers of age above 2 years can be dangerous as they start climbing over the gates that can make them fall from the stair and can cause severe injury to the soft tissues or head injury.
So after 2 years of age, the stair gates should be removed from the top and the bottom of the stairs.