If there is a great fear that parents have, it is falls from a great height. Every parent knows how difficult it is to protect a child from fall-related injuries. When a child is a baby, he learns to walk before anything else and the prevention of these falls requires constant supervision. Later, the child may fall when climbing on the chairs or when getting on the sofa ... there are falls that are unavoidable but there are also ways to promote more safety against falls from low, medium and high height in children.
Falls are the most common cause of injuries treated in hospitals at any age. From the moment a child begins to roll, that is, even before walking when they already know how to crawl and climb, there is a risk that they will fall from great heights. Children are naturally curious and often have the desire to go up and see what is around them higher.
Slips and falls are a normal part of a child's development. For example, when a child is learning to walk, tripping is a common part of the process. To avoid injury, the goal is to provide a safe environment in which they can practice their new skills.
Many falls may not be serious and may simply result in a slight concussion, others can lead to fractures, cuts or head injuries ... parents need to take into account some safety measures to avoid major problems.
Three important factors that influence the severity of a fall
- The height to which the child falls. The lower the height of the fall, the less the danger. Children under the age of five should not have access to heights of more than 1 meters. Older children should not have access to heights greater than two meters.
- Where the child falls. Hard surfaces such as concrete, ceramic tiles, and even compacted sand are much more dangerous than if the child falls on softer surfaces. If your child has a playroom, it is advisable that there are shock-absorbing materials on the floor or that there are devices that make possible falls softer.
- Where the child can be hit during the fall. It is very important that objects or items with sharp edges, such as coffee tables next to the room, are avoided at home. Arrange the furniture so that children cannot climb into the windows and have a fatal fall.
Falls from high altitude at home
A fall from great height does not always have to be on a mountain or through a window, in the home there can also be falls from great height that have fatal consequences. At home, whether children fall will depend mainly on whether or not some basic precautions are taken. You have to keep in mind some tips to avoid falls from great height at home -or any type of fall-.
Beware of heights
- Never leave a baby alone in bed or on the table, or even on a piece of furniture. Even if you think it's only a few seconds to get a clean diaper ... that second is more than enough for a baby to roll over and fall.
- When you have your child sitting in a highchair or infant seat, Always tie him up with straps.
- Never allow your young child to play on stairs, on a porch or balcony. Always put on safety nets to avoid possible falls.
- Keep the stairs safe. It is necessary that you have the stairs free of obstacles and always well lit. Also, if your child is small, do not hesitate to put some safety fences both at the top and at the bottom of the stairs to prevent your child from falling blocking access.
- Keep the windows closed. A child can climb into an open window much easier than you can imagine. Avoid gambling near windows and have security locks. Remember not to have anything near the window that could cause them to climb and fall out the window.
- Beware of slippery or uneven surfaces. Use rubber mats in the tub to prevent slipping. When there are spills in the kitchen, clean them up quickly, use non-slip, non-slip rugs, etc.
- Avoid walkers. A young child using a walker may trip and fall down the stairs while using the walker. It is best to use a baby activity center, so you will stimulate him. Remember that walkers are not necessary for the baby's motor development and that if you have them, you should be watched all the time you use them and not leave them for too long. The walker should be considered as a game tool and never as a motor development tool.
- Fasten seat belts. As long as children are tied to car seats, strollers or chairs in shopping carts it will be fine, but never leave them alone or allow them to stand up in the shopping cart seat.
- Examine the surroundings. If your child is in a park or playground, you should examine the environment to see that he may be playing in a safe place. Eliminate all the risks that there may be for falls and make him see which are the dangerous areas that he should not access.
- Beware of escalators. To prevent your child from falling on the escalator if he is in a stroller, it is better to go through the elevator and if he is walking, do not let go of his hand at any time.
Keeping your child safe from falls is about much more than just being lucky. It is important that you follow the precautions and that you never lose sight of your child because it only takes a second for incidents with fatal consequences to occur.