- Trips and falls
- What can we do?
- Real life stories
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- Did you know..
Most falls are not serious, and children continue on their way with a better understanding of what they can or cannot do.
Falls from heights or on to hard surfaces, however, can result in serious injury, disability or death.
Trips and falls - What can we do?
For younger children, there are some simple safety precautions which can be taken:
- Tidying up toys after use so they cannot be tripped over
- Keeping stairs free of clutter
- Installing safety gates to stop 0 to 2 year olds climbing up stairs or falling down them
- Install window locks
- Wiping up liquid spills immediately
- Keeping furniture away from open windows and balcony edges (including stools or other items which young children can move by themselves)
- Supervising children in the garden and at back and front doors
- Avoiding loose rugs on floors
- Changing babies on the floor where possible
- Never leaving babies alone on chairs or beds
- Use a five point harness on high chairs and buggies
An essential element of parenting is safety training with each child as soon as they can understand and follow simple rules. This applies especially to learning how to use stairs independently in both directions (remembering that safety gates are only guaranteed by the manufacturers up to the child’s age of 24 months, after which there is a tendency for children to climb on or over them or to try pushing them out of position). Older children also need to be taught how to use stair gates in an adult fashion, opening and closing, so that they maintain the safety of younger children in the home.
As children get older, it is very important that they develop and understand their physical abilities, and know what they are, and are not, capable of. They should also start learning how to assess and manage the risks around them so they can judge how high they can safely climb or how far they can jump etc. They should also be introduced to higher levels of responsibility for behaviour in hazardous areas. Active and adventurous play is a very important part of this learning process, and should be encouraged.
For further information about what help and resources are available, visit our Trips and Falls Links section.
