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Prevent Falls and Keep Your Child Injury-Free
Taking some simple precautions can keep your child safe.
- Article last reviewed 04 January 2023
- 4 mins read
While some falls and bumps can be expected as a young child learns to walk, some falls can occasionally result in serious injuries and can even be fatal. Pre-schoolers are more prone to falling due to their curiosity, lack of judgement and/or immature motor skills.
Here are some pointers to help you safeguard your child from falling:
1. Beware of Heights
- Do not leave your baby alone on tables, sofas or beds. He/she may roll over and fall.
- Do not arrange your furniture in a way that makes it easy for your child to climb to a higher level.
- Consider using bed guards to prevent your child from falling off the bed. Children below the age of seven should not sleep on double-decker beds.
- Teach the child not to climb on top of any furniture.
2. Watch Out for Slippery or Uneven Surfaces
- Use a rubber pad in the bathtub to help prevent slipping.
- Ensure that floors are free from grease, water or soap by wiping up spills immediately.
- Use a playpen instead of baby walkers as babies could easily trip and topple over objects on the ground or fall down a flight of stairs.
- Avoid highly polished floors. Toddlers may slip and fall. Do not let your child walk or run about with his/her socks on.
- Use non-slip mats and rugs to prevent slipping.
3. Other Precautions
- Avoid using sarong cradles as they are not sturdy enough to prevent a baby from falling out and getting seriously hurt.
- Install sturdy grilles on the windows if you live in a high-rise flat. Lock the grilles and keep the keys out of your child's reach.
- Ensure that all cabinets and wardrobes are fixed onto the wall to prevent them from toppling over onto the child.
- Keep clothes racks in less accessible corners to prevent toppling over.
- Do not allow your child to play along the corridors of high-rise flats, as there are no safety grilles to prevent falls.
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Contributed By
- Health Promotion Board
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