Falls can be a part of learning and growing, like a baby who is learning to walk, but some falls are avoidable.
Some falls mean you get a bruise, a graze or a cut and whilst these injuries may not sound too serious, other falls can lead to broken bones, head injuries and even more serious consequences.
Start by making sure that you don’t leave things lying around on the floor. These can be a trip hazard. Remind other people about this too.
Don’t leave things on the stairs. This is another trip hazard.
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Babies with very limited movement usually fall when they are learning to sit and crawl. By looking around your house on your hands and knees you will be able to identify areas that they may fall on to. Moving furniture around and putting corner covers can help to reduce the injury when they fall.
When babies fall from a raised surface such as a changing table or a bed, it is because they were put there. Don’t leave babies unattended on any raised surface. Falls like these are often serious and yet, completely preventable.
Toddlers often move fast. They are able to get upstairs by themselves and love to explore and copy adult behaviour. Tripping and falling as they play is often part of their development but more serious injuries can occur if we do not put simple safety measures in place.
There are many hazards at home which we need to protect children from, including stairs and windows, yet simple safety equipment and forethought can help reduce serious injury.
Stair gates are recommended for homes with children under the age of 2 years and window locks can help prevent serious falls form occurring
Children often fall whilst they are playing. Exploring and pushing boundaries is fun and part of their development but by talking to your child about risk and how to manage it, you will give them the tools to start thinking about their own safety.
Pushing play equipment to its limit is not uncommon but is a risk. Bouncing from a trampoline into a paddling pool may seem like fun but quite often results in serious injury.
Looking at the risk, discussing it with your children and providing adult supervision helps reduce serious injury.
