Protecting Children from Accidents: Parents’ Child Safety Checklist

Children fall, children burn their fingers, children swallow things they shouldn’t swallow. The emergency doctors Dr. Annalena Dehe and Dr. Lukas Dehé have a lot of experience with children’s emergencies: The most common ones are avoidable!

That’s why they give emergency doctors in PICTURE for Child Safety Day important tips for parents – and name the worst traps.

falls

Falls are the most common reason for inpatient hospital treatment for children and adolescents under the age of 15. Parents should create a child-safe environment. This can be done, for example, with stair gates and security devices for furniture. Windows and doors should be fitted with safety bolts or locks.

burns

Always check the water temperature when bathing and washing your hands. Avoid access to hot stovetops or ovens.

By the way: One of the biggest sources of danger in the kitchen is the hanging cable from kettles. Make sure that the cables are hidden and that kettles cannot be pulled down.

Drown

Leave children not a second unattended when there is water in the area. This can be the bathtub, but also the pond or the paddling pool in the garden.

Important: Secure the garden pond or pool with a fence that is at least one meter high.

heatstroke

children in hot Weather always provide enough liquid and stay in cool surroundings in between if possible. Absolutely avoid excessive physical exertion at high temperatures.

ingestion of foreign objects

Small children up to the age of 5 are particularly at risk – even if there is a warning on many toys only for children under the age of three. These parts can completely block the windpipe. Also, teach older siblings not to leave small items lying around.

Caution is also required with small delicacies such as grapes, cherry tomatoes or almonds – especially in lunch boxes for daycare. Basically, parents should always offer their children suitable foods. It is best to sit at arm’s length during the little ones’ meals.

poisoning

To avoid accidents, parents should ensure that dangerous substances and objects are always kept out of the reach of children. These include cleaning agents and medicines, and recently also e-cigarettes and liquids. Children love the colorful packaging as toys.

Drive

Children should always be in child seats or booster seats with seat belts in the car. Test for suspender belts: One finger should fit under the belt, no more – even if the child thinks it’s stupid.

road traffic

Many kindergartens give daycare children a “pedestrian driver’s license”. Local police departments help the groups to officially take the “test” and show the children how important it is to behave correctly on the road.

Parents can also playfully get such a driver’s license with their children. Teach children about traffic (pedestrians, cyclists, cars, trucks), how to be seen, which routes – including detours – to take, how to stop at the road and when to cross safely.

head injuries

Many children take it for granted that they wear helmets when cycling. But also think about head protection when riding a scooter or balance bike, or when roller skating or skating.

electrics

Cover electrical outlets and keep loose cords away from children. Tip: Replace the sockets anyway, look for models in which a child safety device is already installed.

Also look at the apartment from a child’s point of view to find all sources of danger. Crawl across the floor yourself and see where it can be dangerous.