Aw, isn't he cute?
Children are more likely to get injured in the home, than they are to get kidnapped, or catch meningitis. What a depressing thought to be drinking your afternoon coffee to.
Bruised knees and scraped elbows are all part of growing up, and it is hard keeping children in a protective bubble until they are at the age where they understand that by running down a rocky path they WILL fall.
Children are not the brightest of people, but they are willing to learn, and they learn by doing, touching, playing and sticking wet fingers in plug sockets. (Make sure your children know that electricity and water DO NOT mix).
When was the last time you crawled around your home on your hands and knees? It may seem like a silly idea, but babies and toddlers may reach and come across things that you have failed to notice as a hazard.
Pam Prentice, Campaigns manager for the Child Accident Prevention Trust, says: "Most accidents involving under 5s happen in the home so it's helpful for parents to see the home through the child's eyes in order to spot the dangers.
"Getting down on your hands and knees can give you a really interesting insight."
By identifying and understanding the potential risks that can arise in your home, you can take simple safety steps to keep your children safe and ease your panic-ridden mind.
Falls
Babies are fasinated by stairs, as well as all things scary and hazardous, because of the sense of freedom they pose. Although it would be lovely to let your child explore and wonder what a remarkable contraption they are, stairs are a no-go.
Most accidents involving under 5s happen in the home
Shut them off with baby gates at the top and bottom, and keep them clear of toys, shoes and any other obstructive item. (This will also benefit your own health).
Children can be there one minute and gone the next, seriously, they are fast at disappearing, you must try to always stay one step ahead of your sneaky child, they like to surprise you by finding hazards you'd never even think of. Pam adds: "As children frow and begin to explore the world around them more, the risks change."
Poisonings
Aswell as climbing, it is also evident that children love to put things in their mouths, and swallow things that look skiny or funny or, well, anything really. Lock up every potential poison in your home, anything from bleach to aspirin tablets.
It is useful to keep harmful household chemicals in an out-of-reach, locked cabinet and always keep medicines and poisonous products in their original and labelled containers.
Fires
Children like fire. It looks cool. It's certainly anything but cool when it blazes up your curtains. Fires aren't just deadly to your children, they're deadly to you. Smoke alarms weren't made as a ceiling decoration so make sure that they work, place one on every floor of your home and always check the batteries.
Keep lighters, matches, anything that makes fire (even twigs) away from curious children, don't leave burning cigarrettes unattended and make sure you put them out properly - in an ash tray. Don't leave pans unattended either - especially if you have a gas cooker - make sure that children can't see the handles by using the rings furthest away and keeping the handles turned towards the worktops.
It might be cold, and your heater is a God send, but make sure that it is kept away from flammable materials such as curtains, furniture and bedding and use fireguards to stop young babies and children from falling into them.
Develop a plan of two escape routes from every room in the house, and a meeting point, let your family know the drill. You can practise it too... if you want.
Suffocation and Choking
Remember when we said that children love to put things in their mouth? You should probably give them toys that are too big to even fit in their mouth, even though these days you could probably swallow an ipod they're that tiny.
Never place an infant face down onto a pillow, or soft bedding, they cannot raise their heads and their oxygen may be severly decreased or cut off altogether.
Keep plastic bags out of reach and out of sight, it's probably much healthier for the environment and your child if you sever the use of them altogether.
A child will find a way to become entangled within anything, so keep an eye out for strangulation risks - headbands, long curtain ties, telephone cords etc.
When they are eating cut their food up for them, in tiny tiny pieces - tinier than an ipod shuffle - to ensure that they don't choke.
Burns and Scalds
Never leave hot drinks within reach of wandering little hands, hot liquids are the number one cause of scalds among under fives. Pam says: "A cup of tea can still scald a young child's skin 15 minutes after it's made. Keep hot drinks, pots and kettles out of reach and put the cold water in the bath first and top up with hot."
Buy kettles with short cords or push them to the back of the kicthen work top and never hold or play with a child whilst drinking a hot drink. It may sound obvious, but it's easily done without any thought at all.
Electrical Safety
It is a good idea to check all plugs, wires and sockets in your house for faults, if you come across anything, call in an expert to fix it.
Don't feel the need to over-use plug sockets, you might have 100 electrical contraptions - you want to have your DVD player plugged in at the same time as your Freeview box but is this really necessary?
Teach young people to keep electrical mains-powered appliances away from water - this means out of the bathroom or anywhere where the wires could trail into water. (Remember water and electricity don't mix!)
Drowning
Pam points out: "Babies and young children can drown in only 5cm of water so never leave them alone in the bath."
Equally don't leave children unattended in a paddling pool, or hot tub, even if they are wearing arm bands.
Now we have got the serious bit over, have a happy and safe 2010.
Female First
Jennifer Dixon
Tagged in children