Child Safety - Lexington,KY

That is a tough issue. The two main things I can think of that may help are: 1) installing a door chain up high enough that he can't reach it. That way, even if he gets the door unlocked, he will not be able to actually open it very far. 2) install a simple door alarm that will go off when the door is opened. I've seen a couple cheap ones on the market. It won't help keep him in, it will just alert you when he is going out. It may also deter him from going out if you teach.

Hope this helps!

S. -
Just get a chain lock or a slide lock and install it OUT of his reach - they make some that are a double action to unlock. You can also get a door alarm that installs easily so that you will be alerted at least if he gets out when you are in another part of the house.

T.

I know someone who put chain locks way up on their exterior doors. Or maybe you could get the hotel-style locks (with the bar instead of the chain). These might be a bit easier to install than a deadbolt and would be pretty effective.

Have you considered a door alarm?
Here's O.:

http://www.mypreciouskid.com/wireless-door-alarm.html

Heres a scary story for you that might make you use all the suggestions listed below and quick. Just before my oldest turned 3 he was found outside by a busy road at 2-am in November. We are in NH so its a bit chilly at that time. He was sleep walking when it happened but he still managed to knock the chain of the door and get out. Luckily for me it was a friend of a friend who found him and brought him back to me. I installed chain locks on the top of the door and haven't slept the same since.

We used flip locks. Cheap and easy. Put them up high.

http://www.lowes.com/pl__0__s?pageNumber=40&totalPage...

How about putting a chain near the top of the door where he can't reach.

If you have a sliding door, http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

Until you get a chain for your front door, put a bell on there, or tape some keys, silverware, anything that will make noise when he opens it.

Our son did this same thing.. had no fear of going outside to explore on his own, sometimes stark naked at that age! We bought a device that installs high up on the doorframe, and it has a 'knob' on the part that attaches to the door. The part on the frame looks like a 'hollow' latch, so that you can just flip it over the knob part. When it's flipped onto the knob, the door can only open about 2". You have to intentionally flip the latch over, so it has never accidentally flipped and locked us out. I imagine if you go to Lowes and ask for a decorative child-proofing doorbolt they could help you find it. You might have him stand on your highest stool first, to see how far up he can possible reach if he were to think of using it. (not in front of the door, of course, lest he catch on) It sounds like your little guy is quite resourceful. This will be a good thing when he's older.

I was just cruising the home security section at Home Depot the other day and they do have something called a door guardian that states on it as a child safety addition to keep kids from opening the door, it also resists from forced entry from the outside also. I did a google search for bump guards and a hit came up for this item also. So check it out, and maybe just take a trip to your local home improvement store head to the hardware dept and start asking questions, they have options for you.

Just put in a chain lock. We just did a few days ago for our 2 1/2 year old. Now she cannot get out without our help.

We use a lock similar to a chain up at the top of the door. It is a bar that flips over a ball, instead of a sliding chain. It is safer than a chain for break-ins too. With a chain you can kick the door open still, or it can open a crack and they can use bolt cutters from the outside, with this one it is more sturdy than that. I got it lowes or home depot where the locks are, not hard to find. I like the idea of the alarm chime too. Having both can't hurt.

We live on a busy highway and a river is at the back of our property so I know exactly how you feel. Our kids were 2 days and 20 months old when we moved in. We looked at all the options and decided on the hooks with a spring on it. We put it about 12 to 18 inches above the doorknobs so they couldn't reach it. The springs were strong enough that even when they got old enough to pull a chair up and try they couldn't undo it. (My son tried many times.) Just be sure that it does have the spring. We tried both the bigger and the smaller hooks and found that the springs on the smaller hooks were stronger.They are 8 and 9 now and I don't worry about them going outside but we still use the hooks at night for an extra lock. Hope this helps.

Hustle and install something, don't delay, the street is pretty irresistable.

On our front door we have the regular deadbolt but it is locked with a key and not a knob that turns. So when I get in the shower or leave them alone for any period of time, I lock the door with the key and take the key. You can change the deadbolt to an interior key lock easily. Or you can get a chain lock that sits up really high on the door.

my 3 year old does this we have a sliding lock on the top of the door that she cant reach and it works only problem is if i take a nap with her no one can get in. but normally not a big deal it was less than 5 dollars at home depot

We just recently installed hook and eye latches at the top of our doors for that same reason. Our 5 year old just won't stay in the house. My Great Gramma had them on all her doors and that gave me the idea. We also plan on installing alarms on the doors because we can't keep the latches closed all the time. We also make sure that she gets to go outside for a while every day with supervision so she is learning that there are times to go outside and times to stay in the house. Also that there are areas of the yard that she can play in and areas she needs to stay away from. Our backyard is completely fenced so that makes it a little easier.

maybe put those alarms on your doors so that when he opens one you will know right then and there they only other thing is to put a lock up high where he can't reach.

You just need to install a deadbolt HIGHER up the door... so he cannot reach it.
Put it at adult height... at least 5 feet high or higher. And use those sliding-bolt type things... like you would see in bathrooms. Or those chain type sliding door latches.

That is what many of my friends did with their able sons. Putting the door latches/sliding bolts HIGH up on the door solved their problems like this.

A child that age does NOT have "impulse control"... so it will happen again.

good luck,
Susan

I installed an alarm system for exactly this reason, my neighbor found my son outside one morning while I was in the bathroom. I thought he was asleep in the bed. yes, you could install a chain or a dead bolt and any number of other things but if it's daytime chances are you have it unlocked. If you have an alarm system you can turn on the chime feature and you will know any time a door opens in your house, locked or otherwise and the alarm does not have to be armed for the chime to function.

i found this on babies r us... it looks like it may help you because it prevents the door from being opened http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3812906

it has some good ratings i think it will work for you :)

Get a door alarm. Most are in two pieces, going on the door frame, then on the door itself. There is a magnetic field between the two pieces, and when it is broken a 160 db (decibel--about the range of a jet taking off) sound alarms, and trust me, it works. I have two autistic angels and this works for us...

Also, get an ID bracelet for him with your numbers, home, mobile, work. There is also an electronic monitoring system called Project Lifesaver that works like a tracking system. I am not overly familiar with that, but if he does wander, it could be an added safety device to locate your son quickly.

For my two kids, I just have the Medical ID bracelet on each of them. Their names, my and my husband's name and phone numbers, and the fact they have autism and that they may or may not answer questions and try to bolt. All this including rush shipping cost about 50 to 60 dollars. It is worth that and more to know that in the event that they could not answer for themselves, they have a way to communicate this important information.

Good luck.

I suggest those locks that require a key on the inside to open them. That's what we have on our front and back door. It will not only help with this, but prevent burglary.

i have one of those flip latches and i also have a clip thing through the hole cus my 4 yr old fig it out but it takes longer for him to get this done and its a the top of the door and yes he sttill seems to find ways of gettting to it

get a chain for the top of the door.