Most children’s accidents occur at home, between 4 and 6 pm on weekdays, and at the weekend. The most dangerous areas are the backyard and the kitchen and the most common accidents are the falls, cuts, poisoning, burns and scalds, drowning, and motor vehicle and bicycle injuries.
After the hone, the next most frequent sites of children’s accidents are the road, the school and playgrounds. Children under the age of five are at great risk.
Falls
Common causes of fall are bad lighting, slippery flours, worn floor coverings, defective footwear and household articles and tools and toys left lying about. Young infants, once they become mobile, are particularly liable to fall from one level to another, such as down the stairs or from the cot down, or from a bed to a table if unattended, even for a moment. A baby is safest in a playpen on the floor with mother close by.
Cuts
Keep knives, scissors and razor blades where they belong, out of the reach of young children. Use non-glass containers whenever possible, for example milk cartons instead of milk bottles. Sweep up broken glass immediately and wrap it securely before placing it in the garbage bin. Make sure glass doors are clearly marked. Never allow small children near motor mowers.
Burns and Scalds
Scalds are much commoner than burns but flame burns tend to be more serious. Matches and flammable substances like petrol, methylated spirits and kerosene are responsible for most flame burns. Keep matches out of the reach of children. Never use flammable liquids on barbeque fire. Do not store petrol in the house or garage and keep small flammable liquids stored in child-resistant closures and out of reach of young children. Household heaters should be properly guarded. Never leave young children unsupervised near an open fire inside or outside the house. Young children should always have track-suit style pajamas. Night gowns and long flowing dresses are dangerous. Never leave your child unattended in a car. Do you know that cigarette lighter works when ignition is off? Even if you don’t the child probably does. To avoid the risk of scalds, always check the temperature of bath water, and put in cold water before hot. Never leave a young child unattended in the bath room even for a moment. Use safety cords for your heating appliances and never allow the hot water jug flex to dangle over the side of the bench. Turn saucepan handles away from the edge of the stove. Never place hot cups of tea or coffee near the edge of the table. If you have young children at home, use table mats instead of table cloth.
By Remy Kelvin -->
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