Keeping children safe is the top priority of most parents. But it sometimes seems that there is another danger for young children at every turn. Fortunately, manufacturers of alarm security systems and burglar alarms are paying more attention to the heartbreaking number of children who die every year in the USA because of unintentional injuries. What these companies are discovering is that they can dramatically reduce these figures by creating devices that sound an alarm.  Alarm security system configurations can take into account the need to protect young children.

In 2006 (the most recent data available), just over 20% of all deaths of children age 14 and under occurred due to some type of unintentional injury. A large number of those deaths might have been prevented with the right alarm security system and monitoring configuration.

Accidental drowning of children ages 1-4 resulted in more than 111,000 deaths in 2006, and the vast majority of these fatalities occurred in back yard swimming pools. More than 650,000 children died from accidental poisoning in 2006. The saddest truth in all of these statistics is that many of these children might still be alive if the right alarm security system had been installed in their homes.

Most parents are aware of the need to try to “child-proof” their homes. We have been told to put medicines in cabinets or drawers that are out of the reach of children. We are told that child-proof latches will keep children out of cabinets where we store items that might be dangerous to them. Parents place their trust in these latches and doorknob covers and the like which we are told are child proof. What parents need is an alarm security system.

My experience is that the first person in the house who is able to manipulate anything that claims to be child proof is usually the youngest child in the house. I have also noted the pleasure children derive from crawling under things, climbing on top of things, and generally getting into places parents think they cannot go. The most frightening part of all this activity is that parents don’t know their children have out-maneuvered these devices until it is too late. But this does not need to happen with an alarm security system.

Keeping children safe from falling into a family pool and drowning should consist of more than trusting that a gate or door is locked or inaccessible to young children and instructions to stay away from the pool. Parents have immediate access to several styles of alarms that will make some kind of sound to get their attention before a child is in danger.  Access to the pool area can be monitored by a camera, a stress sensor in the flooring (activated when weight is applied), a motion detector, thermal detector of a person present or a switch sensor on the door or gate. These can be programmed as part of an alarm security system to either sound a chime to let you know someone has activated them, or to sound an alarm or siren if activated. There are also alarms that are activated by movement of the water in the pool.

Similarly, instead of installing child proof latches on medicine cabinets, storage areas for cleaning substances or other dangerous areas for young children, parents can purchase and install an inexpensive alarm for these cabinet doors or drawers. These alarm security system devices actually give parents time to react and prevent harm to their children.

Finally, there are devices and monitoring configurations created for the elderly, as part of an alarm security system, which can be of tremendous help in monitoring their activities while at home. There are panic button bracelets and pendants a senior can activate if afraid or in danger. There are motion sensors that will sound an alert if there is no activity in a particular area at specified times. There are also devices that will monitor the length of time spent in a specific place (the bathroom, for example) and trigger an alarm if the person does not come out in a reasonable amount of time.

New devices are being developed regularly. It is increasingly easy with an alarm security system to protect your children from harm and from many unintentional injuries that could result in death. Your local security professional can help you identify and customize the devices that can help you keep your children safe even at home and in their own yard with an alarm security system configured for your needs.