During your child’s younger years, they tend to do a lot of exploring and try to test the limits. Sometimes, this can lead to accidents with pretty serious injuries. While the odd bumps and bruises are nothing to be concerned about, there are some more severe situations that you will want to avoid.
Below we are going to take a look at the most common childhood injuries and explain some of the things you can do to prevent them.
Want to learn more? Then keep on reading.
Falls
Children can often be uncoordinated, so it makes sense that falls are one of the most common childhood injuries. While some are minor and result in small scrapes and bruises, others can be quite serious, leading to broken bones and potential concussions.
While not all of them can be prevented, you can reduce risk by removing hazards in your home and supervising vigilantly. It’s also important to keep your first aid kit stocked with aquacel dressing, antiseptic wipes, and medical tape so that you are prepared for any accidents.
Drowning
In the US, according to the CPSC, approximately 350 children under the age of five drown in pools every year. The statistics certainly are shocking, but luckily, there are quite a few things you can do to prevent drownings. Some of which include:
– Supervising your child around water sources.
– Teaching your child how to swim from an early age.
– Putting up a fence around your backyard pool with a self-closing and self-latching gate. (This should also be locked at all times.)
– Removing water hazards such as buckets, wading pools, birdbaths, etc.
Poisoning
Children are naturally curious, and this can put them in very dangerous situations. Certain items around the home may look like food but are actually toxic. Any medications and hazardous chemicals must be stored in a safe and secure place to prevent poisoning from occurring. Keep in mind that children are more clever than you think. Some “child-proof’ locks won’t be very effective. Check out these poison prevention tips for more information.
Burns
Mild burns happen to all of us, but they can be quite severe on little hands. Thermal burns are the most common and are caused by coming into contact with flames and hot surfaces. In order to prevent them from occurring, it’s vital to remove hazards from the home. Fires should have screens, and stoves should have child-safety knob covers. Installing smoke alarms will also help protect your home and your family.
Bites and Stings
Lastly, bites and stings are another common childhood injury, and while they are mostly harmless, they can also be deadly. Even something as small as a mosquito can carry harmful diseases.
Again, while you can’t always prevent these from occurring, you can educate your children about the dangers of certain animals, such as snakes and spiders. While you shouldn’t instill fear, they should know not to play with them.
