Children face hazards each and every day, but we can work together to make their environments as safe as possible.
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, 1 in 10 children ages 19 and younger will visit an emergency room for an unintentional injury each year. Common causes of injuries are falls, being struck by an object or against an object, bites, stings, cuts, poisons, and overexertion.
Here are some tips to help prevent child accidents in the home:
- Clear clutter and keep the floors clear of toys and other items that could cause falls.
- Exercise caution when choosing houseplants. Check to be sure plants in your home are nontoxic or placed out of reach of children.
- Install safety gates to keep small children out of areas of the home that are not childproofed. Install gates at the top and bottom of stairs to prevent falls.
- Secure large furniture to the wall with angle braces or anchors.
- Carefully remove or spray wasp or hornet nests to prevent stings.
- Keep household chemicals and medications out of reach of children and in a secured area.
- Make sure children get enough sleep, eat healthily, and stay hydrated to help prevent overexertion.
- Install bright lights on stairs and landings to help prevent falls.
- Test your smoke alarms on a regular basis. Hold fire and tornado drills with your children so they’ll know what to do in the event of a fire or tornado.
- When cooking, use the back burners and be sure to turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
- Examine all toys for defects regularly. Discard any toys that are damaged.
Child injury is often preventable. Following these child safety tips can help prevent unnecessary accidents and emergency room visits.
Child injuries can have serious consequences. Defective toys and other products can cause child injuries. If your child has been injured by a defective or malfunctioning product, contact the Schuerman Law office today. Schuerman Law has been working with personal injury claims for over 40 years. John Schuerman will compassionately advocate for injured individuals as well as their families while fighting for full compensation of their claims. Schuerman Law offers evening and weekend appointments in addition to home and hospital visits. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 1-800-274-0045.
