The numbers speak for themselves.
56,000 … Number of children injured EVERY DAY
20.6 Million…Number of children injured EACH YEAR
22,000… Number of young children who dies as a result of injury EACH YEAR
60,000… Number of young children who are permanently disabled EACH YEAR
$347 BILLION… Cost of common child injury to U.S. healthcare system EACH YEAR
298,000… Number of hospitalizations of young children EACH YEAR due to injury
10,600,000… Number of visits to physician’s offices of young children EACH YEAR due to injury
90… Percentage of unintentional injuries suffered by young children in their homes.
$10-15… Average cost of a life-saving safety device
(Source: The As Safe As Possible Campaign)
Unintentional injuries to children is a serious problem. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control, the leading cause of death for children under the age of 1 is unintentional injuries. Most childhood injuries are preventable with the best way to prevent these incidents being adult supervision. Parents and other caregivers need to be aware of the steps they should take to make sure their home environment is safe. The most common types of injuries involve scalds, poisoning, drowning, fires, falls and suffocation/chocking.
September 1-7 is National Childhood Injury Prevention Week. The As Safe As Possible campaign, sponsors of the event, offers a checklist for preventing common childhood injuries including:
POISONING
Lock dangerous items such as medicines, household cleaners, health and beauty aids out of your child’s reach.
DROWNING
Never leave small children unattended near any of the following: pools, toilets, bathtubs, showers, hot tubs, diaper pails, and outside pails.
FIRES and BURNS
Keep children a safe distance from the stove at ALL times, especially when cooking and be sure to lock up matches and lighters. Keep all homes equipped with smoke detectors and fire alarms. Check batteries.
CHOKING
Check the entire house for small objects that can pose a choking threat.
FALLS
Secure all windows, doors, tops and bottoms of stairways loose rugs and floor coverings. Remove ALL tripping hazards.Make sure all paths are well lit. ALL surfaces in bathrooms should be non-slip.
ELECTRICAL
Cover unused electrical outlets with an appropriate device.Keep plugs “locked,” and secure cords to baseboards, to prevent tripping.
STRANGULATION SUFFOCATION
Make sure that there are no cords, wires, or strings longer than 10″. Keep plastic wraps, dry cleaning bags and garbage bags away from children.
And don’t forget these common items that can cause problems for small children.
Paint-Cover old paint that is chipped or peeling with duct tape or contact paper and remove fallen chips immediately.
Dust-Mop and wipe floors, windowsills and window frames weekly with warm water and a general all-purpose cleaner.
Soil-Wash children’s hands before eating, after playing and before taking a nap or going to bed.
Toys-Buy toys that can be easily washed and avoid buying baby bottles with decals
Candy– Avoid giving children imported candies made with tamarind or chili powder.
Pottery-Do not use handmade or imported pottery and highly decorated dishes for cooking and storing food unless you are certain it is lead free.
Special swabs to test for lead can be purchased at some hardware stores.
Nutrition -Give children low-fat, healthy foods rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C because a healthy diet helps prevent the absorption on lead into the body. For more information call 619-515-6694 or the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.