Falls on stairs are one of the top causes of injury for kids under 5. Install hardware-mounted gates at the top of stairs and pressure-mounted gates at the bottom. Make sure banisters have slats close enough together that a child can't squeeze through.
Related Terms
A barrier installed in doorways or at the top/bottom of stairs to keep babies and toddlers from entering unsafe areas. Hardware-mounted gates screw into the wall and are the only safe option for the top of stairs. Pressure-mounted gates work for doorways and the bottom of stairs.
Steps taken to keep babies and toddlers from falling off furniture, down stairs, or out of windows. Baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs, window guards above the first floor, and never leaving a baby unattended on a changing table are the big ones.
A baby gate that screws directly into the wall studs or door frame. These are stronger than pressure-mounted gates and won't pop loose if a child pushes on them. Required at the top of stairs where a fall could be serious.