Keep cleaning products high up out of reach, including those for the toilet. If this isn't possible, fit safety catches to low cupboard doors. Choose cleaning products that contain a bittering agent. This makes them taste nasty, so children are less likely to swallow them. At night, switch off electrical items before you go to bed and close all doors to contain a potential fire.

Make sure your garden is secure so that your child cannot get into neighbouring gardens, where there may be ponds or other drowning hazards. Here's how to protect your baby or toddler from some of the commonest accidents that affect young children. Choking Keep small, silver button batteries well away from small children. As well as being a choking hazard, they can cause severe internal burns if swallowed. Always keep bouncing cradles or baby car seats on the floor, rather than on a table or kitchen worktop, as your baby's wriggling could tip it over the edge. Keep button batteries well away from babies and small children, as they can cause severe internal burns if swallowed.

Use a kettle with a short or curly flex to stop it hanging over the edge of the work surface, where it could be grabbed. Watch where you're putting your feet while carrying your baby. It's easy to trip over something like a toy. If the gaps between banisters or balcony railings are more than 6.5cm (2.5 inches) wide, cover them with boards or safety netting.

Liquid laundry capsules can cause chemical burns if the liquid gets into a child's eyes, nose or mouth. Keep them out of sight and out of reach. After warming a bottle of formula, shake the bottle well and test the temperature by placing a few drops on the inside of your wrist before feeding. It should feel lukewarm, not hot.Fit safety gates to stop your baby getting onto stairs. Close the gates properly after you go through them. Toddlers will play with anything they can reach, so keep matches and lighters out of young children's sight and reach.

Babies and toddlers will grab at brightly coloured objects, such as mugs. If you're having a hot drink, put it down well out of reach before you hold your baby. Keep hot drinks well away from all young children. A hot drink can still scald 15 minutes after it was made. Once your baby has started on solid food, always cut it up into small pieces. Babies can choke on something as small as a grape (these should be cut lengthways). Raw jelly cubes can be a choking hazard. If you're making jelly, make sure you always follow the manufacturer's instructions.Stay with your child when they're eating. Encourage them to sit still while they eat, as running around while eating could make them choke. Baths are the commonest place for babies and young children to drown. Stay with your baby or toddler the whole time they're in the bath. Never leave them for a moment, even if there's an older brother or sister in the bath with them. Use safety glass at a low level, such as in doors and windows. This shatters less easily than normal glass. Look for the British Standards (BS) kitemark.

Each year thousands of under-5s are admitted to hospital following accidents, and lots of these accidents are preventable. If you own a greenhouse or cold frame (a structure to protect plants from the winter cold), make sure it has safety glazing or is fenced off from children. Domestic fires are a significant risk to children. Smoke from a fire can kill a child in a few minutes. Cooking appliances, electrical equipment and cigarettes are common causes. Once they learn to crawl, babies may try to climb onto things, such as sofas, which increases the risk of falling.If you use a bath seat, remember that it's not a safety device. You still need to stay with your baby all the time. If you have an open fireplace, always use a fireguard that encloses the whole fireplace and make sure it's attached to the wall. Do not place anything on it or hang things from it. Work out an escape plan for your family and tell your children what to do in case of a fire. Practise the plan regularly. Carry on using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs until your infant is at least 2 years old.