This article contains information that some people might find distressing, please look after your own emotional wellbeing.
Each year, more than a million children are taken to an accident and emergency department, their GP or an urgent care centre as a result of an accident, with around 40,000 children under five being admitted to hospital.
Children are naturally curious, so some minor accidents (such as trips and falls as your child learns to walk) are an inevitable part of life. But as a parent or carer, you’ll naturally want to look out for any potential risks and do your best to prevent accidents from happening.
Childhood accidents include falling, choking, burns, head injuries, cuts, drowning, poisoning and ingestion or strangulation, and each stage in a child’s development presents different risks. Your child’s personal child health record (Red Book) has specific advice for each stage.
Scroll through the different sections below and click the titles for more information and support. This list is not extensive, please see CAPT and ROSPA for further advice on preventing accidents.
First aid
What to do if your baby’s unresponsive
Choking
Burns
Button batteries
Magnets
Poisoning
Falls from open windows
Drowning
Electricity
View a transcript of this video here.
Useful links
- Health for Under 5s- Keeping your child safe from looped cords
- Health for Under 5s- Understanding the dangers of button batteries
- NHS- Baby and toddler safety
- Health for Under 5s- Things to look for when buying a car seat
- Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)
- Keeping your child safe at home (CAPT One Step Ahead Poster)