Safety in the Home
In 2002, 86,098 children under 16 where injured at home.
Here's some information regarding accidents and children.
What injuries occur?
The most severe injuries are associated with heat related accidents and falls from a height. Older children are more likely to sustain fractures than younger counterparts. Younger children have a higher percentage of burns and scalds as well as poisoning and ingestion accidents.
Where do accidents happen?
The largest number of accidents happen in the living/dining room. However, the most serious accidents happen in the kitchen and on the stairs. Every year over 67,000 children experience an accident in the kitchen - 43,000 of these are aged between 0-4 years, 58,000 children have accidents on the stairs.
When do accidents happen?
** Most happen between late afternoon and early evening, in the summer, during school holidays and at weekends.
** Factors such as stress, death in the family, chronic illness, homelessness or moving home increase the likelihood of the child having an accident.
** Some happen when the usual routine is changed or when people are in a hurry.
** Distractions and inadequate supervision are often the cause of accidents.
** Poor housing and overcrowded conditions lead to increased numbers of accidents.
** Some accidents are caused by lack of familiarity with surroundings, for example, when visiting friends or relatives, or in holiday accommodation.
Cost of children’s accidents
It is difficult to give a true cost of treating children’s accidents as outpatients and inpatients but in the past it has been estimated at over £200 million a year.9 It can cost as much as £250,000 to treat one severe bath water scald.
This figure does not reflect the long-term costs of prolonged treatment and rehabilitation or the cost of pain suffering to the patient. Nor does it reflect the lifetime disfigurement or disability and the financial loss to the patient and family or work hours lost caring for an injured child.
Who is at risk?
** 0-4 year olds have the most accidents at home.
** Boys are more likely to have accidents than girls.
Childhood injuries are closely linked with social deprivation. Children from poorer backgrounds are 5 times more likely to die as a result of an accident than children from better off families - and the gap is widening.
The full Question and Answers is available here.
Source: Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System (HASS/LASS) database; RoSPA.
For information and quizzes regarding home safety, please click here.
Tips
Most household accidents involving children are avoidable. With plenty of care and common sens, some helpful tips and a few essential items, you can minimise the risk of accidents in your home.
** Babies/children should be supervised at all times
** Keep floors and stairs free of toys and obstructions
** Always use a harness in the pram, buddy or highchair
** Never leave a baby unattended on a high surface
** Keep medicine, cleaning products and other poisonous household products in the original container in a locked cupboard
** Never leave a baby or young child unattended in the bath
** In a new environment, watch your child at all times
For more information, please contact:
Child Accident Prevention Turst (CAPT)
22-26 Farringdon Lane
London
EC1R 3AJ
Tel.: (02076) 083828
Fax.: (02076) 083674