Although it's easy to get paranoid about the safety of young children it's important to keep things in perspective. After all, most children grow up safely, having just encountered the usual cuts and scrapes. The list is not exhaustive, so if you have your own ideas or experiences to share, please email us , and we'll include as many as we can. Falls, bangs and knocks Fire and scalding Swallowing items and poisoning In the bath and around water Teach your child about safety Falls, bangs and knocks Bangs to the head, falls and other impacts are a major risk around the home. If your child is old enough to be able to roll him or herself over, then you need to take care.
Scalds are common, and spilt hot drinks cause most injuries.
They also often put things in their ears and up their nose. Try and buy brands which have a child-proof caps or lids keep bleaches and cleaning fluids in their original containers, which clearly show the contents. Never keep them in inappropriate containers such as a biscuit tin or jam jar, as they are unlikely to be secure and the packaging may confuse young children and even adults dispose of used containers and their last drops of contents safely when buying toys, check that there are no small parts which could be pulled off and swallowed. Never leave your child alone near water - it can take less than three centimetres of water for a child to drown. Putting a non-slip bath mat in the bath and shower is a good idea.