RoSPA Statistics Highlight the Importance of Child-Proofing your Home

The need to protect our children from injuries caused by accidents in the home, at nursery and in schools has been underlined by statistics from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents RoSPA).

They report that:

• More than 2 million children under the age of 15 experience injuries in and around the home requiring a visit to A&E each year.

• Many more are treated by GPs, parents and carers each year.

• 62 children under 5 die due to accidents each year.

• 76,000 children under 14 are admitted to hospital for treatment to injuries caused by accidents.

• 40% of those are under 5.

The figures are chilling. What’s worse is that many of these accidents are entirely preventable. Child-proofing your home can reduce the risk of injuries caused by accidents and it’s a relatively simple thing to do. While much of it is common sense, and the vast majority of parents will have safety measures in place, it’s worth reminding ourselves what the most common accidents are and how they can be prevented.

Falls

RoSPA says that 44% of all children’s accidents are caused by falls, either from windows and balconies or stairs. Around 10 children die every year from a fall.

What can you do?

Safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs are a must, especially for parents with toddlers. Choose a safety gate that is tested to BS EN 1930:2011 and, most importantly, ensure they are fitted exactly to the manufacturer’s specifications.

A safety gate is only as good as its installation so take extra care when putting it in place.

Falls from windows are less common than down stairs, but they do occur and will cause more serious injury or even death. Fit all bedroom and upstairs windows with BS EN 14351-1 and BS EN 13126-5 tested Window Restrictors and ensure the frames they are fitted to are maintained properly.

Additionally, make sure you place nothing under a window that a child could climb onto.

Poisoning

According to the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), poisoning is the second most common cause of hospital admissions amongst children after falls. RoSPA report 28,000 children are treated ever year.

Common sense prevails in protecting children from poisoning. You should keep medicines and chemicals out of sight and reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard or fit them with childproof locks.

Buy any cleaning products such as bleach and any medicines in childproof containers wherever you can.

Always store chemicals in their original containers to prevent any confusion when it comes to storage.

Dispose of unwanted medicines and chemicals safely and immediately.

Burns and Scalds

The third most commonly reported child injuries in the home are burns and scalds, the causes of which are many. Spilled hot drinks, hot bath water, radiators and fires and house fires are all possibilities.

What can you do?

The best way to protect your children from burns and scalds is to prevent them from going near any heat sources or objects that can cause fires. Here’s a few tips.

• Safety gates on kitchen doors will keep them from accidentally tipping boiling pans on themselves or burning themselves on hot cookers, ovens and stoves.

• Lighters and matches should be stored in out of reach cupboards and never left lying around. Ensure all cigarettes are properly extinguished.

• Fit smoke alarms throughout the house and ensure they are properly tested at least once a year.

• Don’t have hot drinks while carrying a child or leave them within reach.

• Never leave children unattended at bathtime – even for a second – and properly test the water temperature before allowing them to enter.

• Radiator guards can be fitted around radiators and heaters to prevent children from leaning on or touching them.

Additional Child-Proofing Measures

While these are the three most common causes of injuries to children in the home, there are, of course, many more potential hazards, including finger trapping in doors and electrocution from plug sockets.

At Cardea Solutions, these are two dangers we take very seriously – which is why we have several safety products to address them.

Firstly, to prevent finger trapping in doors we offer a Home Door Finger Guard pack which will prevent finger trapping on both handle and hinge sides of doors. We also provide Happy Hands, an easy fit, fun safety device that also prevents children trapping their fingers on the handle side of doors – ideal for children’s bedrooms and play rooms.

To protect children from accidental electrocution  from plug sockets, you should choose Socket Shield, an innovative design which covers sockets when not in use AND allows for plugs to be covered – preventing them being removed by curious little fingers!

While you will never make your home entirely safe for your children, there are measures you can take to childproof your home that will significantly reduce the risk of injury of death, leaving you free to enjoy your children without worrying.