Accidents to children in the home
Introduction
Most injuries in
children up to the age of five happen in the home. They can happen
very quickly and are more likely to happen when adults are under
stress or in a rush, or when there is a change to the usual routine.
You know your
own home and you are in the best position to look out for possible
dangers.
Definition
The kinds of
accidents children have are linked to their level of development, so
there are particular things to watch out for depending on the age of
your child.
Babies 0-1 years old:
At this stage babies are able to
wriggle, grasp, suck and roll over. There are a number of possible
accidents that are common in this age group.
Suffocating
and choking in babies:
Babies can swallow, inhale (breathe
in) or choke on things like small toys, peanuts and marbles. Choose
toys designed for the age of your baby and make sure that small
objects such as marbles, peanuts and small toys are kept out of
reach. Encourage older children to keep their toys away from the
baby. Lay your baby on its back in a cot to sleep - don't put babies
to sleep alone in an adult bed or on the sofa.
Falls:
Falls can happen if you leave your
baby on a raised surface. When you are changing nappies, make sure
your baby can’t roll off a bed or sofa. You can use a baby mat on
the floor.
Burns and
scalds:
Burns and scalds are possible if
your baby is near hot objects. Avoid putting your baby near things
like ovens, light bulbs, radiators, hairdryers, irons and fires.
Place hot drinks well out of your baby's reach. Fit short power
leads on kettles and heaters. Remember hot water can scald for up to
30 minutes after it has boiled.
When bathing your baby, check that
the water isn’t too hot. A good test is to put your elbow in first.
If the water feels hot, it could possibly burn your baby. When
filling the bath, run the cold water first and then add hot water.
This reduces the risk of your baby slipping into scalding water.
Poisoning:
Babies have a natural instinct to
suck anything that comes into contact with their mouths. Many
ordinary household cleaners can be poisonous, so it’s important to
keep them out of reach.
Take care when washing your baby’s
bottle so it doesn’t come into contact with poisonous substances.
Older brothers or sisters should be supervised when around a baby to
stop them feeding tablets or other poisonous substances to the baby.
Remember a baby’s stomach is much more sensitive
than an adult's.
Children 1-4 years old:
Toddlers can move very quickly, so
accidents often happen in seconds. As children get older they will
explore more, which means they are more likely to have knocks and
bruises.
Burns and
scalds:
Make sure that you use an
appropriate fireguard for all fires. Fit a smoke alarm on each floor
of your home and make sure you check that it is working properly on
a weekly basis. It’s importantto have a fire escape plan worked out
and to tell your children what to do in case of a fire. Keep matches
and lighters out of children’s reach.
Place hot drinks out of children's
reach. Fit short power leads on kettles and heaters. Use the back
rings on the cooker, and turn pan handles away from the edge.
Children are curious and will reach for the handle of a pan on the
stove – it’s best to keep young children out of the kitchen
altogether if possible.
As with babies, it’s important to
test the temperature of bath water before putting you child in, to
avoid burning or scalding them. As they get older, teach them to
test the water first, too.
Poisoning:
By the age of 18 months or earlier
children can open containers, and by three years they may also be
able to open child-resistant tops within minutes.
Keep household
chemicals, medicines, alcohol and even cosmetics out of children’s
reach, preferably in a locked cupboard or lockable suitcase or
cosmetics case. Use containers that have child-resistant tops.
Recommendations
You can save
yourself a lot of stress by child-proofing your home before it
becomes a danger to growing children. This allows them to explore
with more freedom without you having to say no all the time:
Check locks on
windows. Windows, especially in children’s bedrooms, should have
child locks on to stop them opening any wider than 10cm/4 inches.
Put latches on
low cupboards and put a guard in front of the fire. Also make sure
electrical sockets are covered and leads are tucked out of the way.
Fit child
safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.
Move furniture
such as beds, sofas and chairs away from windows to prevent children
climbing up and falling out. Don’t encourage your children to wave
from the windows, as they might try to climb up when you’re out of
the room.
Small children
can squeeze their bodies through a gap as small as 10cm / 4in wide
(smaller than the length of a teaspoon) but they may get their heads
trapped. Check the width between railings, banisters and balconies
and board them up if necessary.
Move cleaning
products and other chemical based solutions out of low
(child-height) cupboards or put safety locks on the cupboards.
Don’t leave
medicines or pills lying around where children and toddlers can get
at them.
If you can,
make sure everything breakable or dangerous is out of toddler reach.
You can buy corner guards to cover the sharp edges of furniture.
Keep knives,
razors, sewing kits and DIY tools locked away.
Make sure your garden is safe. Put a fence around a
pond or pool, lock away garden tools, make sure there aren’t any
gaps in the fence your child could squeeze through, and teach them
the importance of not putting berries and poisonous plants in their
mouth.
Healthcentral 2005
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