It's a really important week - Child Safety Week - so we have teamed up with the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) on their campaign to make safety simple for families. Very sadly, accidents are a leading cause of death in children and young people, second only to cancer. This is why it is so crucial that as parents, we all take time to make sure we prevent as many accidents as possible.

With family life busier than ever, it can sometimes be hard to find time for safety, and it might feel overwhelming knowing where to start and what to look for. Accidents often happen when there’s a lot going on, and that’s why we need to keep accident prevention simple.

In this blog, CAPT help us explore some of the main accident risks to children, and how making simple changes at home can have a huge impact and prevent even the scariest accidents. They've provided some brilliant resources to help make safety as simple as possible.

Button batteries

If your child swallows a big, powerful, lithium coin cell battery – around the size of a five pence piece - it can get stuck in their food pipe. The chemicals contained in these batteries then burn through to the main artery, badly harming or even killing young children. Children aged 6 months to 4.5 years are most at risk. Do you know what they look like and where they might be?

·      Why not take a look around your home for button batteries. CAPT’s Button batteries – where are yours? poster can help

·      Keep any toys, books and objects with easily accessible button batteries out of children’s reach

·      Even flat batteries can still hold enough charge to be dangerous if swallowed. Make sure they’re kept safely out of reach until you can dispose of them

If you suspect your child has swallowed a button battery, take them straight to A&E or call 999 for an ambulance. Make sure you tell the medical staff that you think your child has swallowed a button battery.

You can find more tips on keeping children safe from button batteries here.

Safety around dogs

As recently reported by the BBC, dog attacks which lead to injury are on the increase, with over 22,000 cases in 2022 compared to just over 16,000 in 2018. It might surprise some people to learn that children are most likely to be bitten at home by a familiar dog. It’s important to think about how to keep your child safe and your dog happy:

·      If you have a baby on the way, gradually introduce simple changes, giving your dog time to adjust, ready for the new arrival.

·      Closely supervise your dog and children when they’re together.

·      Get to know your dog’s body language, so you can spot the signs that they are feeling uncomfortable.

Find simple advice on keeping dogs and children happy together in CAPT’s brand new fact sheets, Safety around dogs and Your dog and your new baby.

Window blind cords

Sadly, it can take just seconds for a toddler to lose consciousness if a window blind cord gets tangled around their neck, and death can occur in just 2 minutes. But taking a few quick and easy steps can stop a serious accident:

·      Consider cord free blinds for your child’s bedroom or playroom.

·      If you have a cleat hook use it every time to keep blind cords out of reach.

·      If you don’t have a safety device installed, fit a cleat hook or tensioner to the wall.

·      Remember curious kids love to climb, so make sure bedroom furniture is away from cords and chains.

You can find more simple steps to blind cord safety here.

Burns and scalds

Children’s delicate, thinner skin can burn much more easily than an adult's. Hot drinks are one of the key culprits in children's burns, and can stay hot enough to cause injury 15 minutes after being made.  Prevent serious burns by making simple changes:

·      Keep hot drinks away from the edges of worktops or tables. Little fingers move fast, so find a safe spot.

·      Move cots and highchairs out of the reach of radiators.

·      If you can, keep children out of the kitchen when cooking. If you can’t, keep them safely in a highchair or away from the oven.

Keep your child safe from burns with these top tips.

More top tips

Looking for more top tips for safety? CAPT’s Child Safety Week Parents’ pack contains bite-sized facts, tips and fun activities for children, allowing you to make simple changes that you can fit into busy routines.

Sources: CAPT, BBC News

At Mini First Aid we are so passionate about preventing babies and children having accidents that we developed our Baby Proofing course! It follows on from our 2 hour Baby and Child class, giving you the knowledge you need to safety proof your home, so that your child doesn't become another accident statistic. It also comes with a handy refresher on choking and burns. Book your Baby Proofing class today.

Competition Time!

To highlight Child Safety Week’s "Safety Made Simple" campaign, we have teamed up with one of our favourite brands, and Mini First Aid partners, Fred Safety for a brilliant safety giveaway.

You could win a Fred Safety Pressure Fit Clear-View Stairgate, a home safety starter pack, AND a Mini First Aid Family First Aid Kit, a combination prize bundle worth over £225!

To enter, head over to our Facebook, Insta and Twitter pages now! Good luck! T and C's apply.