As we all know, most accidents happen in the home. Although the risk may not always be great, the natural curiosity of children does make injury more likely. Here's our child safety guide, all parents who like to be sure of their children's safety at all times.

Dangers

Children are at risk of a number of accidents in the home including bruises, cuts and falls, burns and scalds, drowning, choking, and even accidental poisoning. Although the list of potential hazards is a long one, there are plenty of measures you can put in place to protect your family and limit the risks involved.

When trying to childproof your home, think carefully about the danger points in each room (such as the hob in the kitchen) and take the necessary precautions. Try to see things from a child’s perspective by getting down to their height. This way you will be able to anticipate hazards that you wouldn’t even consider from your own point of view.

Prevention

1) Supervise your child

Never leave your child during bath time, and watch them closely when they are near danger points such as pans of hot food or boiling kettles.

2) Put dangerous items out of reach

Try to keep dangerous objects like knives and matches high up out of reach, and lock away poisonous substances such as cleaning fluids and bottles of medicine. Look for warning labels on products to see whether they would be harmful if ingested.

3) Use safety gadgets

There is a huge range of safety products for children on the market, from baby monitors and bath mats, to safety gates and finger guards to stop doors slamming on fragile fingers. Have a look at what is available and decide what is right for your family and your home.

4) Beware of choking hazards

Young children can easily choke on small parts, so check the label on toys and anything else you give them to make sure it’s safe.

5) Follow fire safety advice

Install fire alarms, employ qualified workmen to keep boilers and electrical and other equipment in good order, and follow fire safety advice (http://www.campaigns.direct.gov.uk/firekills/) to reduce the risk of a fatal fire in your home. Maintaining appliances in good condition will also reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Treatment:

No matter how many measures you put in place to prevent an accident from happening, you still need to know what to do should something go wrong. Keep a first aid kit in the house and do a course in first aid or find out the basics from the St John Ambulance website (http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice.aspx).

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