Toddler falls
A bruise or bump is part of growing up and not something that you should be too worried about. Falls also cause other injuries, not just bangs to the head, although Jersey's Accident Department sees about 100 under 5's a year because of a head injury.
There are times when you do need to take a closer look and reduce the risk of an accident and the severity of a possible injury.
- Stairs need stairgates, top and bottom to prevent a toddler from falling and they need to be put in place before the child is crawling.
- Take care if the stairgate has a bar at the bottom - this is a perfect trip hazard at the top of the stairs. Think about choosing a gate without the bar so it is permanently fixed to the walls.
- Teach your child how to climb up and down the stairs under supervision.
- Keep the stairs free of clutter and if you are carrying your child downstairs, try and hold onto the banister to prevent yourself from falling.
Toddlers love to explore and some are quite adept at climbing. They can do the unexpected and use anything as a leg up to get higher.
- The safest window locks are designed so they can not be opened more than 6.5cm.
- A fall from a ground floor window onto concrete can still hurt so locks are not just needed upstairs.
- Keep furniture away from windows to reduce the risk of your child climbing to reach them
