Safe Kids Week

May 25 – May 31, 2009

Safe Kids Week One of the biggest challenges for busy parents is keeping our children safe. We try to protect them by providing a safe home. But a new review of child injury research from Safe Kids Canada suggests Canadian homes may not be as safe for children as many parents want them to be.

We assume things we use in our homes are safe; but many items adults use can hurt a child. Between 1990 and 2007 there were more than 1.6 million emergency room visits for children under the age of 19. In the past 10 years, nearly half (46 per cent) of these visits were for injuries caused by home products such as magnets, furniture, window cords, bunk beds, trampolines and baby bath seats.

Here are some tips for home safety to ensure your home is a safe home for your children.

Keep your home S.A.F.E.

Look at products around your home through the eyes of your child, and think about how a child might use it differently. Keep potentially dangerous products out of reach.
Ask yourself if the products you buy are suitable for your child. Look at the size and remove any strings. Remember, smaller children need to use bigger products.
Find products that follow safety standard seals such as CSA (Canadian Standards Association) or ASTM when choosing an item for your home.
Learn about products that have been recalled and contact Health Canada if you have a concern about at 1 866-662-0666. Their website has information on product recalls, product advisories and children's products.

Here are a few examples of products that have caused serious injuries to children:

Mini Magnets

Did you know…?
Magnets may be small, but they have a lot of power. Magnets found in products like toys and jewelry can be hazardous to children. Small, colourful magnets can be mistaken for candy and swallowed. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can connect, tearing through internal organs and causing a life-threatening situation.

To keep your children safe from magnets:

Keep magnets out of reach of young children. Make sure that products with magnets are kept away from small children. If magnets are swallowed, seek immediate medical care.
Use age-appropriate toys. Keep toys for older children out of reach of younger ones. Young children may put things in their mouths, which puts them at higher risk for small toys or small loose parts becoming a choking hazard.

Falling Furniture

Did you know…?

Small children may climb on large pieces of furniture and don’t realize they may fall over and cause injuries. Newer televisions have bigger screens and smaller backs, which make them easier to fall over as they are heavier in the front.

More than 100 children visit hospital emergency departments every year in Canada due to falling televisions.

To keep your children safe from falling furniture:

Keep televisions on low, sturdy furniture so they are less likely to fall.
Use anchors to hold furniture to the wall and furniture straps or angle-braces to hold televisions to furniture. If a television set or other heavy furniture falls over, it could cause head injuries, broken bones, crushed nerves and internal injuries.
Use child-resistant latches to stop children from opening drawers and climbing on items like dressers.

Secure Strings

Did you know…?
Although 56 per cent of Canadian parents use window blinds, nearly a quarter of them do not know the cords could cause injuries to a child. However, between 1989 and 2006, 27 children died and an additional 23 children were reported to have been injured by becoming tangled in window blind cords. To keep your children safe from window cords:

Cut the cords short and tie them out of reach.
Furniture should not be placed near windows to decrease the likelihood of young children reaching for blinds or curtain cords.

Backyard Playground Equipment

Did you know…?
Backyard playground equipment can be fun when used properly, but can be dangerous if safety precautions are not followed. In fact, home playground equipment injuries are quite common. Approximately 25 per cent of injuries to children occur on home playground equipment. The most severe injuries result from falls off playground equipment onto a hard surface like grass.

Playgrounds should be surrounded by a deep, soft surface such as wood chips or sand to help cushion a child's fall.
To prevent strangulations, drawstrings on children's clothing should be removed, and scarves should be tucked into clothing, before children play on playground equipment.

Bunk Beds

Did you know…?
Bunk beds present numerous hazards to young children including falls and strangulations. Between 1990 and 2007, 5,403 cases of injuries associated with bunk beds were identified. Over 30 per cent of Canadian families have owned bunk beds, yet 10 per cent of parents do not believe they could injure a child. To keep little ones safe from bunk bed injuries:

Make sure your bunk bed meets the ASTM standard F4127.
Only allow children over age 6 to use the top bunk.
Make sure the top bunk has guard rails on all four sides of the bed.
Install padded carpeting in rooms where bunk beds are used.

Baby Bath Seats

Did you know…?
Drowning and near-drowning can occur with baby bath seats. Although 40 per cent of Canadian parents have baby bath seats; more than a quarter do not know they could injure a child. To keep your child safe in the bath:

Stay within sight and reach of your child while they are in the bath. Most drownings happen while the child is either unattended or left in the care of an older sibling. Always take your child with you if you leave the room.
Do not use baby bath seats and rings. These devices may give parents and caregivers a false sense of security. Children should never be left alone for a moment in a bathtub. If a baby slips out of the seat or under a bath ring, the bath ring can trap a baby under the water. In addition, the arms that attach the seat or ring to the side of the tub can slip, also causing a baby to slip underwater.

Safe Kids Canada and its North American Founding Sponsor, Johnson & Johnson, are offering a free Home Safe Home educational pamphlet for parents and caregivers. Log onto Safe Kids Canada to download your copy.

Manitoba Healthy Living