Falls

Falls are the most common cause of accidental injury to children and young people. Every year, almost 400,000 children are rushed to casualty after a fall at home or in the garden. Well over half of them are children under five. While most falls aren’t serious, some can have long-term consequences. Find out how to keep babies and young children safe from falls.

Did you know?

• A baby’s skull isn’t ‘fused’ (closed together) at birth. This leaves a very soft spot on top and serious falls can cause lasting injuries.
• Many falls happen because young children take their parents by surprise. They didn’t realise their child could ‘do that’ yet – whether ‘that’ is rolling, climbing or standing.
• Around 41,000 under fives are rushed to casualty each year after falling down a flight of stairs. That’s almost 800 a week.
• Almost 2,000 under fives are rushed to casualty every year after falling from buildings. Last year, seven under fives died this way.
• Once a baby can crawl, they can climb – including on furniture pushed up against windows.
  
  

Safety tips

• Stay one step ahead of your child, so their next move doesn’t take you by surprise!
  See our age-related safety information for details.
• Change your baby’s nappy on the floor. Babies can roll and wriggle off beds or changing tables in seconds – even very young ones.
• Don’t put your bouncing cradle or baby car seat on tables or work surfaces. A baby can wriggle and bounce them off the raised surface.
• Hold onto the hand rail when carrying a baby or small child down stairs. And keep stairs clear of clutter.
• Watch out for signs that a baby is starting to crawl. Fit safety gates to stop them climbing stairs or falling down them. You can use safety gates until children are about two years-old.
• Teach young children how to use stairs safely and supervise them while they learn. Also teach them never to play on stairs.
• Board up any gaps in horizontal banister rails, as they are easy for young children to climb up.
• Keep furniture such as beds and chairs away from windows.
• Fit window locks or safety catches to stop windows opening more than 6.5cm (2.5 ins). But make sure family members know where keys are kept in case of fire.
• Only use baby walkers that comply with the new British Standard BS EN 1273: 2005. Baby walkers with older standards are less safe. They can tip over and throw a baby down stairs or into a fire.
• As babies learn to walk they are very unsteady. So fit soft corners on low tables. And use fireguards to stop babies falling into fireplaces.
• Use a five point harness to stop a baby falling from a highchair or pushchair.
• Don’t use the top bunk of bunk beds for toddlers or young children – they are only suitable for children over six years-old.
• Keep young children away from balconies unless you are with them.
• If you have vertical banister rails on your landing that are more than 6.5cm apart, you also need to board these up. Babies can squeeze their bodies – but not their heads – through a gap this small. And then become trapped by their heads.

Useful links

Test your knowledge and enter our home safety equipment competition

More information on burns and scalds from www.direct.gov.uk/childsafety

Information from Which? on child safety equipment click here

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© Child Accident Prevention Trust 2008