Common Accidents Among Children

Common Accidents Among Children A person would think the safest place on earth is a family’s home. Most accidents occur in and around the home. Most of the accidents that occur could have been prevented if a few precautions have been taken. Safety measures are often overlooked when a people are in a rush however protecting loved-ones from a senseless tragedy is worth the time. Most accidents that occur with infants are the use of mobile walkers. In 1997, mobile walkers need to be made wider than 36 inches, the size of a standard door. Accidents occur when a child in a walker falls down the stairs. The accidents can happen either inside a house, outside on the ground, or when on a deck or raised surface. Although it is the law that children are to ride in car seats when under the age of six or 60 pounds not everyone follows the law. Children are injured in motor vehicle accidents when the children are not placed in the car seats, the car seats are installed improperly, or the child is not wearing a seat belt. Many times when children are injured from not being in a car seat in an accident, there is an empty car seat in the back seat of the car. Burns are very common accidents with children. Parents should make sure their thermostat on the water heater is set below 120 degrees. Burns occur from scalding hot water in the bath tub. Many children suffer burns when adult’s accidentally spills hot liquids such as coffee or tea on a child. Children can also receive burns when they grab the handles of pots cooking on the stove. Parents should always make sure they all pot handles are turned toward the back of the stove so small children cannot pull them down on top of them. Another common way children receive burns are when the children pull the cords of curling irons or irons. Children riding on bikes with their parents are often injured. Children’s feet are caught in the spokes of the bicycle. Parents should always ride in seat. Parents and children should always make sure to wear their helmets. Poisoning is another accident that can be preventable. Cleaning products, paint thinners, pesticides, and medicines need to be locked up and out of the reach of children. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco should also be kept out of reach of children, if ingested it can be harmful to children. Children can also ingest plants that are poisonous. It is a good idea for parents to keep the phone number to poison control by the telephone in case of accidental ingestion. It is also a good idea to keep a bottle of Ipecac syrup in a medicine cabinet at all times. Parents should never induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by poison control. One of the most common causes of injury or death to young children is drowning. More males are injured than females, 3:1. A common misconception is that it takes a great deal of water for a child to drown. However, a child can drown in a few inches of water. Parents should Eradicate any standing water around the home. It sounds a little silly but even installing locks on the toilet bowl lids could prevent drowning. Children drown when left unattended in the bathtub. Parents should never leave their child unattended for any length of time when filling a bathtub full of water (Neifert, M. ,2003). Swimming pools should have gates with locks and have removable ladders. Children should never be allowed to swim by themselves. To maximize the security of children around the swimming pool, some parents have installed a water alarm. The alarm will sound when something enters the water. Electrocution is another common accident. Parents should put safety plugs in all outlets. This helps so that children cannot stick their fingers or metal objects into the outlets. Electrical cords should be hidden or out of the reach of the children. Children can pull at them or chew on them. Radios, curling irons and hair dryers should always be unplugged and kept away from the bathtub. Choking is another injury which occurs to children. Children especially those who have not started to walk yet pick up small objects off the floor and put them in their mouths. Toys that have small removable parts should not be given to children. Another toy children love that should be avoided is balloons. When balloons pop, the child can put a piece into his or her mouth. Once the balloon is swallowed it is very difficult to eject the balloon out of the child’s throat. Parents should always supervise their children when they are eating. Parents should avoid giving children hard candy, grapes, hot dogs, and peanuts. Children have also been known to choke accidentally themselves on the cord to the mini-blinds. Parents should not let their children play with long strings, ribbons, or ropes. Plastic bags should be thrown away or kept out of the reach of children to prevent suffocation. Keeping children safe is a difficult job. Parents and caregivers can make it easier by taking a few helpful precautions. If a house has a flight of stairs, parents need to put safety gates at the top and bottom to help prevent children from falling (LeBlanc, 2007). Keep the stairs free from toys or clutter to prevent falls. Loose carpeting should be tacked down and area rugs should have non-slip mats on the underside. The best way to prevent tragic accidents is to be aware about home safety. Supervision is the key with children. Children are quick and accidents can occur in a few seconds. References LeBlanc, J. (2007). Making Our Homes Safe For Children. Pediatrics for Parents, 23(9), 12. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database Neifert, M. (2003). Preventing common childhood injuries. Baby Talk, 68(8), 19. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.