Child Safety

Importance of Child Safety

The five most common causes of accidental injury or death among children occur from motor vehicles, drowning, burns, falls, or poisoning. Adult supervision teamed with knowledge of potential safety hazards is the best strategy to avoid accidental injuries and deaths among children.

Motor Vehicles

Children should be secured in car seats every time they ride in a vehicle. The safest place for children to be while driving is in the back seat. Until a child weighs twenty pounds and has reached his first birthday, he should ride in a rear-facing, infant car seat. Front-facing car seats should be used until the child reaches the top height and weight requirements for the seat and then the child should ride in a booster seat. A child is ready to use a seat belt when the belt lies across the chest instead of across the neck. One of the best ways to assure children remember to use seat belts at all times is for parents to use their own seat belts at all times. Because of the possibility of airbag injuries, children should ride in the back seat until they reach adult size. Parents should be aware that items left loose in a vehicle can become projectiles during a motor vehicle accident. Keep any heavy items like tools or lap tops in the trunk.

Drowning

A young child can drown in only a few inches of water, which means toilets and cleaning buckets are potential hazards. If toddlers live in or visit the home often, toilet seats should have child safety locks. Cleaning buckets full of water should never be left unattended. Backyard pools are another hazard to children. Pools should always be enclosed by tall, four sided lockable fences with self-closing latches. Alarms can be purchased for pool fences to protect young children from drowning. Wading pools should be emptied after each use and should always be stored upside down. Children should begin some form of swimming instruction around four years. Children should be closely supervised when near any body of water to ensure child safety.

Burns

Scalds

Every year in the United States, hundreds of children die from burn injuries, thousands are hospitalized due to burns, and hundreds of thousands of children suffer from mild burns. Children are most frequently burned by scalding accidents. Scalding can occur when a child pulls something off the top of the stove or when he is exposed to very hot water from a sink or tub faucet. Parents should use the back of the stove whenever boiling and children should always be supervised around a hot stove or oven. Pot handles should always be turned away from the front of the stove. Parents should never carry a container of hot liquid while young children are underfoot. Homeowners with children should set their hot water heaters to 120 degrees or less to prevent scalding injuries. People living in apartment complexes should be especially aware of the risk of scalding to child safety; apartment water heaters are often set very high to accommodate the upper level apartments. Never turn the water from any faucet on a child full force.

House Fires

The second common cause of child burn injuries is house fires. House fires are most often caused by adult cigarette use, electrical malfunction, and misuse of heating equipment. Parents should pay particular attention to fire prevention in these areas. Never smoke in bed. Smoke detectors should be used in every home. Families should have escape routes and plans in place and they should be discussed and practiced with children.

Falls

Falling down will always be a part of every child’s experience. It is the job of the parent to ensure that child falls will only be minor incidents. Simple safety measures will help to minimize child falls and better ensure child safety. The younger the child, the more susceptible they are to dangerous falls. As soon as a child begins to crawl, safety gates should be used on all stairways. Windows should always be kept securely locked. Small children can fit under a window that is only open a few inches and screens are not strong enough to hold the weight of a child. Walkways should be kept clear of tripping hazards, and safety straps should always be used on highchairs, changing tables, and strollers. Children should always be supervised around heights like on decks, balconies, or open porches. Stairs should always have sturdy hand rails. Bath mats should be kept in any bath tub where a child may bathe.

Poisoning

Almost every home has a number of household items that are poisonous if consumed. All cleaning supplies, pest control products, fuels, alcohol, medications, and vitamins should be kept well out of the reach of young children inside the home and garage. Some common household plants, like irises are also poisonous. Parents should visit the National Capital Poison Center for more information on household poisoning hazards and for what to do if you suspect a child may have been poisoned. Keep the poison control phone number in your area posted near every phone as well.

Gun Safety

As nearly one half of all American homes have a gun in them, whether you are a gun owner or not, children should learn about gun safety. Guns should always be kept unloaded, locked, and out of the reach of children. Ammunition should always be kept locked, out of the reach of children, and separate from the gun. Keys should also be hidden from children and should never be kept with other household keys. Children should be taught that they should never touch a gun, that they should leave any area where a gun may be found to prevent being injured by someone else, and that they should tell an adult if a gun has been found. Children should never be allowed to play with guns. Parents should think about whether or not they allow their children to play with toy guns as well.

Summary

Children’s natural curiosity, stature, and desire to run, jump, climb, and explore leaves them vulnerable to injury at every turn. “Safety first” should be the motto of any family. Hazard awareness and the knowledge and use of prevention strategies will help to reduce accidents and injuries among children. Parents can visit U.S. Consumer Product Safety , American Academy of Pediatrics, and Kids Health for more information on kids’ safety.