Keeping children safe in the home

According to the Department for Children Schools and Families, accidents in the home are the biggest cause of injury to children under five. Tragically, around 500,000 under fives every year are admitted to hospital after an accident at home and more tragically, many of these accidents could have been prevented by taking simple precautions.

Injuries to children caused by accidents can take months or years to heal. The psychological damaged caused to children and their family sadly last much longer than the physical scars, and sometimes they can last a lifetime. Sadly, so many of these accidents could be prevented by taking a minimal amount of time. Simple precaution checks such as checking the smoke alarm, moving the hot drink from the edge of the counter, locking a medicine cabinet or covering the corners of the dining room table with a corner guard.

The living room is generally a fairly safe room for children in comparison to the kitchen and bathroom. However, there are still several possible danger zones. Many nasty accidents are caused by the sharp corners or coffee tables and dining tables. So if at all possible, choose a table with more rounded corners. You should also take care not to place any heavy or potentially harmful objects within reach of small children. All shelves should be firmly secured and if you have patio doors try to place something in front of them. Many a child has run straight through the glass and severely injured themselves.

Below are a few safety precautions, not taking much time, but keeping your little family safe in the home:
• Children should be supervised at all times.
• Keep floors free of toys and obstructions that can be tripped over.
• Always use a securely fitted safety harness in a pram, pushchair or highchair.
• Never leave babies unattended on raised surfaces.
• Do not place baby bouncers on raised surfaces.
• The use of baby-walkers and table-mounted high chairs is not recommended.
• Use corner guards or corner protectors on cabinets, coffee and dining tables, or any corner of furniture that does not have a rounded edge.

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