Falls

Whilst falls can be part of learning and growing and may result in a bruise or a graze, some falls are more serious and the injuries can be painful and even life-long.

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. Do not leave babies unattended on any raised surface. Falls like these are often serious and yet, are completely preventable.

Toddlers often move fast. They may be 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 lots of hazards at home which we need to protect children from, including stairs and windows, and 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 from occurring.

Children often fall whilst they are playing and 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.

Looking at the risk, discussing it with your children and providing adult supervision helps reduce serious injury.