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Injuries are the leading cause of unintentional death in children and teenagers. More than 20 million child injuries are estimated to occur in the U.S. each year, resulting in approximately 300,000 emergency room visits and 16,000 child fatalities.
You can never completely “injury-proof” your home. But, the good news is that most child injuries can be prevented when parents and caregivers take the right life-saving measures and work proactively to make their environments safer.
Drowning
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), three children die every day as a result of unintentional drowning. Infants and toddlers are the most at-risk of these accidents, as they are still developing motor skills and do not understand hazards.
From swimming pools to bathtubs and rivers, lakes, creeks, and streams, any body of water can lead to drowning. Here are some of the most important safety measures to take in order to prevent these tragic child accidents:
- Have all children learn the basics of swimming and floating
- Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Fence off pools
- Never leave your child alone in the bathtub
- Make life jackets a must around large bodies of water
- Actively supervise children while playing in water
Falls
While everyone, no matter their age, can sustain injuries after falls, children are at an increased risk of sustaining serious or fatal injuries in these accidents. Each year, approximately 2.8 million children are treated in emergency rooms for fall-related injuries.
Here are some key fall prevention tips to keep in mind in order to improve your child’s safety:
- Make sure playground surfaces are safe and soft
- Use home safety devices, such as window locks, stair gates, and guard rails
- Make sure children wear the appropriate safety gear during sports and recreational activities, such as helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads
- Supervise children at all times
Fires and Burns
Every day, approximately two children die as a result of burns in the U.S., and another 300 children 18 years old or younger are treated for nonfatal burn-related injuries. Children can sustain burn injuries from a variety of sources, including fires, heat sources, electrical cords, scalding liquids, hot metals, and acids.
In order to prevent burn injuries to your children at home, here are some safety tips:
- Properly install and maintain smoke detectors in every room
- Have a fire escape plan for everyone, including children, to get outside
- Never leave cooking equipment unattended
- Test water and liquids before allowing your children to touch them
If your child is injured due to another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to pursue a personal injury claim on their behalf. Contact our Mississippi child injury attorneys at (662) 222-0597 to speak with the legal team at Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman today.
