Child safety: Preventing falls and accidents

Child injuries, such as broken bones, cuts and scrapes, are a serious issue according to Safe Kids Worldwide, and many of these are preventable. There are many seemingly harmless household items and environments that can cause injury to our children. Looking at our homes through the curious eyes of our children can help us to identify danger areas and prevent harm to our children. 

Danger zones

Children are naturally curious and adventurous; however, they don’t have the foresight to recognise danger. With this in mind, attention needs to be given to how safe your home is for your children.

• Keep furniture away from windows and balconies that would allow your child to climb over or push their way through the opening.
• Make sure that all staircases and balconies have proper protective railings that your child would not be able to slip through. 
• If your children are still young or speed-demons, close off both the top and bottom of staircases with a baby gate. 
• You never know when your little adventurer may turn into a climber, so secure top-heavy furniture such as cabinets, bookcases and TVs to the wall to prevent toppling. 

Kitchen 

The kitchen is often the most dangerous room in the home for children and every effort that goes into childproofing is certainly worthwhile.  Time must also be spent on teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviour in the kitchen.

• All sharp and dangerous items, such as knives, forks, corkscrews, blenders and slicers, must be secured in child-locked drawers or cupboards.
• Plastic bags of all kinds are both suffocation and choking hazards. Tie shopping bags closed to prevent children from pulling them over their heads and place these and other plastic items in top cupboards. Make sure all used packaging is disposed of safely. 
• Breakable items like cups, glasses and crockery should be kept in child-locked cupboards to prevent breaks and cuts. Dedicate a low cupboard to plastic cups, plates, bowls and other items that are safe for your child to use. 
• Children love pulling on cords and cables and, in the kitchen, this can have disastrous results. Ensure all appliance cabling is properly secured to the wall and out of reach of little hands. 
• Read our article on protecting children from burns  for more information on kitchen safety measures. 
• While you’re at it, read our article on poisoning prevention  for tips on keeping chemicals, poisons and flammable liquids out of reach. 

Bathroom

With its slick surfaces and slippery soaps, the bathroom can be as much a hazard to adults as it is to children. However, it’s not just slips and falls that you need to worry about. 

• Slip mats for your bath and shower should be essential items in every household, regardless of whether there are children in the home. Stylish slip mats are now available for every kind of bathroom design and go a long way to preventing head injuries, broken bones and cuts and bruises.
• While you’re at it, make sure your bathmats have a rubber underside to prevent slips and falls when stepping out of the shower or bath. 
• We tend to keep potentially dangerous personal grooming items out in the open in our bathrooms. All razors, scissors, nail clippers, tweezers, nail files and any other sharp objects should be kept in a cabinet which can lock.
• Medication is also often left in easy reach of children, and this can be particularly dangerous as your child might mistake them for sweets. All medication (even those with child-proof lids) should be stored in a locked cupboard or box. 
• Avoid the risk of accidental electrocution by removing all electrical items from the bathroom.  

Bedroom

Your kid’s bedroom may be child-friendly, but what about the master and spare bedrooms? Securing a few essential items can prevent future nightmares. 

• Children of all ages are fascinated by mirrors and like to get as close as possible to their image. Prevent cuts and scrapes – and 7 years of bad luck – by ensuring your mirrors are fixed securely to the wall. 
• Another item that should be securely attached to the wall is the headboard. 
• We tend to keep a multitude of potentially dangerous items in our bedside table, such as medication, scissors, nail files and batteries. Ensure you have at least one drawer or cupboard that locks to put these items in. 
• Breakable décor items in glass or ceramics should be kept away from the bed. 

Lounge

This is a room that gets a lot of family use, which makes it a site of many accidents. 

• Where possible, remove any ties, cords and rope. These are items that children love to play with, but this play can result in accidental strangulation.
• Make sure that all electrical cabling is firmly secured to the wall and out of reach of little hands that may pull the items they are attached to onto themselves. 
• While you’re at it, make sure your plug points are not overloaded and have faulty devices and appliances repaired immediately. 
• Use safety plugs for any unused plug points. 
• Keep any glass, ceramic or delicate décor items out of your children’s reach. Not only will this prevent breakages, but it will also lower the chances of having to dash to the hospital for stitches. 

Garage

This often-overlooked area of the home tends to house many dangerous items that should be kept out of reach of children. 

• Having a lockable cabinet in your garage not only prevents theft of valuable tools, it also stops your children from injuring themselves.
• Items to store in this cabinet include toolboxes, power tools, sharp hand tools, chemicals, paints and flammable liquids. 
• Large garden tools and heavy items should be stored in a way that does not get in the way of foot traffic and will not overturn. 
• Ladders in particular should be stored horizontally and secured in place.