Falls

Around 44% of accidents where children need medical care are because of falls. The risk of falls starts very early.

Babies can fall from changing tables or from beds. Babies should never be left on a high surface – you never know when that first time they roll or move themselves will happen!

• The safest place to put your baby is somewhere designed for them, like a pram or cot.
• If you use a bouncy chair, swing seat, high chair or car seat it is important you use the safety straps provided including the over the shoulder straps every time.
• When you are carrying your baby make sure you keep the area tidy and clear so that you are less likely to trip. Do not put things on the stairs where you might fall over them.

On the Move

As your baby gets more mobile you need to think ahead to what they can do and what they will learn to do. Your baby can move more quickly than you might think – do not leave them unattended.

As your baby starts to crawl, climb and walk, look around your home and other places you go. Get down to their level – see what might ‘tempt’ a busy baby to explore. Think about how falls might happen.

• Use safety gates.
• Fix any heavy furniture that could be pulled over or climbed on to the wall.
• Move things from the cot or bed that your child could use to climb up on.
• Move furniture from under windows that your child could use to climb up on.
• Use window locks.

Young children have little sense of danger and will need you close by to keep them safe. As your child grows they will still not always assess falls risks for themselves. Make sure they use safety equipment like;

• • Safety sides on trampolines
  • Helmets elbow and knee pads when using bikes and scooters.

Poisoning

There are a lot of everyday products we use in our home that are dangerous to children, if they swallow them and / or spill them on themselves.

It is important that medicines, cleaning products and other harmful products are kept safely out of children’s reach. Products that we use every day like washing capsules, dishwasher tablets are really dangerous if a child puts them in their mouth.

• Keep all medicines, cleaning and washing products out of children’s reach. Choose a high cupboard, ideally one you can lock.
• Keep products in their original packs. If your child should swallow some the hospital will want to see the packet.
• As your child gets older teach them about poisons and never drinking or putting something they are not sure about in their mouths.

Some plants, flowers and trees are poisonous to children too. You will nee to be extra careful when your child is still at the ‘putting things in their mouth stage’.

As your child grows talk to them about not playing with or ‘tasting’ things that they do not know for certain are safe.

Button Batteries

In recent years the use of button batteries has increased. They are widely used in toys and gadgets. They are small and can be easily picked up by little ones and swallowed. When this happens if children are not treated very quickly by emergency doctors they can cause serious harm and even death.

Because they are so dangerous it is important to know where they are used in your home. Items using button batteries and any spares should be stored safely and out of children’s reach.

Some toys use button batteries. If a toy has batteries they should be safely secured needing a screwdriver to open the compartment. You should check that this is firmly in place regularly.

Baby CPR

No one wants to think that they might have to use life saving skills on a baby. But knowing what you would need to do in an emergency can make you feel a bit less worried about it. It is an important skill for everyone. You are learning this to protect your own baby but it could be you who knows what to do to help someone else, some time in the future.

Watch the video below and get others in your family to do the same.

Choking

Children can choke on things they put in their mouth or things than can become tangled around their necks. One child in the UK dies each month by choking.

• Keep small objects out of reach – like coins, button batteries, screws, hair grips.
• Make sure children sit down to eat and drink.
• Be careful with small round food like grapes and cherry tomatoes. Chop into small pieces for children under 4.
• Hard round foods like nuts and popcorn should not be given to small children.
• All cords and ties should be kept away from children. Blind cords must be fixed to the wall and out of reach.

Watch the video below and get others in your family to do the same.

Animal Safety

Many families have pets and this can help teach children kindness and develop their social skills. Children like to kiss and cuddle and get close to animals but this is not how animals show love - they may find it frightening and bite or scratch.

Remember that however gentle and well trained your pet might be, they still rely on their animal instincts. They can react in unexpected ways when they are frightened or stressed. This can make animals like dogs dangerous. Children have been badly injured and even killed by family pets.

Never leave small children and pets unattended together – even for the shortest time. Even if they seem to have got used to each other there is a risk.

Read more about animal safety at home

Food Poisoning

During the summer months, you should be extra careful about preventing food poisoning in your family. Barbecues in the summer are something to look forward to but the food must be cooked correctly to prevent people getting sick.

Here are some tips that can help:

• It's important to make sure that any food you eat is cooked properly. This means making sure that meat is cooked all the way through and that there are no pink or raw parts left. It's also a good idea to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, so that germs can't grow on them.
• Germs can easily spread from your hands to your food. Make sure to wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before eating or handling food.
• Be careful about where you get your food from. Try to buy food from trusted places, like grocery stores or restaurants. If you're ever in doubt about whether food is safe to eat, it's better to be safe than sorry and throw it away.