Accidents to children in the home accidental injuries in and around the home are one of the leading causes of serious harm and death in young children the uk. However, most of these accidents are preventable. each year, it's estimated that around 2 million children under the age of 15 are taken to accident and emergency a amp e after being injured in or around the home. Young children are particularly at risk because they're less able to assess danger. Their perception of the environment around them is often limited and their lack of experience and development, such as poor co ordination and balance, can result in them being injured.

Injuries that occur in the home are often linked to a child's age and level of development. It can sometimes be difficult for parents to keep up with their child’s capabilities. Between 6 and 12 months old, they may be able to stand, sit, crawl and put things in their mouth. As they get older, they're able to walk and move about, reach things higher up, climb, and find hidden objects. Most serious accidents that affect young children at home are caused by: falls from a height burns and scalds from fire, hot water or hot objects choking or suffocating poisoning from swallowing a harmful substance or object drowning there are potential hazards in every home, such as stairs, household chemicals, fireplaces and ponds. However, there are lots of things you can do to help keep your child safe see how to prevent accidents in the home below accidents are more likely to occur at home during the summer, weekends and school holidays, especially in the late afternoon and early evening. An accident in the home is more likely to happen if: there is a distraction and lack of supervision there is a change to the child's usual routine, or you're rushing around in a hurry surroundings are unfamiliar – for example, you're on holiday or visiting friends or relatives poor housing, overcrowded conditions and social deprivation have also been linked to an increased risk of childhood accidents.

Many accidents should be treated initially with first aid at home. read our pages on first aid for information about how to treat common injuries and when you should seek medical help. If you’re not sure whether you should move your child, make sure they’re warm and then dial 9 to request an ambulance. Exploring and playing are an essential part of your child's learning and development, so you should be careful not to overprotect them. Minor injuries such as bumps and bruises are unavoidable, but there are some things you can do to help protect your child from more serious and potentially life threatening accidents. In general, this includes supervising your child carefully, being aware of any potential risks and taking steps to make your home safer. Below is some specific advice about some of the most common childhood accidents and how you can help prevent them.

It's likely that young children will fall over and get knocks and bruises while learning to walk, but serious injuries can be avoided for babies, the biggest danger is rolling off the edge of a table, bed or sofa. Toddlers quickly learn how to climb and explore and it's very easy for them to fall off a piece of furniture, down stairs or out of a window or balcony. make sure your baby cannot roll off the changing surface and don't leave them unattended on any raised surfaces. don't put a bouncing cradle or similar piece of equipment on a table or worktop – they can easily bounce off the edge. fit restrictors to upstairs windows so they cannot be opened more than 6.5cm – but make sure you can still open them quickly in an emergency.

keep chairs and other climbing objects away from windows and balconies. fit safety gates approved by british standards bs en 19311 at the top and bottom of stairs if your child is younger than two. don't leave anything on the floor or stairs that might cause someone to fall over, and ensure there is enough light on the stairs. check there is no room for a child to crawl through any banisters at the top of the stairs. Board them up if there's a risk of your child falling through them or getting stuck. keep balcony doors locked to prevent your child from going on to it alone and board up any balcony railings or fit wire netting as a guard. secure any furniture and kitchen appliances to the wall if there's a risk they could be pulled over.

suffocating and choking

babies and young children can easily swallow, inhale or choke on small items such as marbles, buttons, peanuts and small toys. choose toys designed for the age of your baby or child – encourage older children to keep their toys away from your baby. beware of clothing with cords, dummies on necklace cords and bag straps – they can easily get caught and pull tightly on the neck. lay your baby on their back in a cot to sleep – don't let babies sleep in an adult bed or on the sofa and don't use pillows as they can suffocate. keep plastic bags away from young children – they can pull these over their heads and suffocate. nappy sacks, used to dispose of soiled nappies, can also pose a risk – keep them out of the reach of babies and young children. curtain and blind pull cords should be kept short and out of reach of children.

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keep animals, particularly cats, out of your bedrooms – if they jump into cots or beds they could suffocate your child. The youngest children often hide from the danger and may not be found until it's too late. The following points are important safety precautions to prevent a fire starting while you sleep and ensure you and your child don't breathe in poisonous smoke.

test smoke alarms regularly and change the batteries every year. Even better, get alarms that have 10 year batteries or are wired into the mains or plug into light sockets. at night, switch off electrical items before you go to bed and close all doors to contain a potential fire.

work out an escape plan for your family and tell your children what to do in case of a fire. always use a fireguard on an open fireplace and make sure it's attached to the wall. extinguish and dispose of cigarettes carefully, particularly at night.

burns and scalds

hot drinks cause most burns and scalds to young children. A child’s skin is far more sensitive than an adult's, and hot water can scald for up to 15 minutes after it has boiled.

Hot bath water is also an important cause of severe and fatal scalding injuries in young children. Children can also get burns from open fires, cookers, irons, hair straighteners and tongs, cigarettes, matches, lighters and other hot surfaces. switch off heated appliances immediately after use and place them out of reach – this includes irons, hair straighteners and curling tongs.

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Keep them away from the edges of tables and surfaces, and don’t use tablecloths that children can pull at. don't drink anything hot with a child on your lap or in your arms. use a cordless kettle or one with a coiled lead that can be kept short. use the back rings on the cooker whenever possible and turn saucepan handles away from the edge of the counter. before bathing your baby or child, check the water is not too hot – a good test is to put your elbow in first.

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fit a thermostatic mixing valve to your bath's hot tap to control the temperature and stop your child being badly scalded. keep anything that may be poisonous out of reach, preferably in a locked cupboard – this includes all medicines and pills, household cleaners, liquid detergent capsules and garden products. use containers with child resistant tops – be aware that by three years of age, many children are able to open child resistant tops, although it may take them a little longer. keep all dangerous chemicals in their original containers – for example, don't store weedkiller in an old drinks bottle because a young child may mistake it for something safe to drink. discourage your children from eating any plants, berries or fungi when outside – some are poisonous and can be fatal.