Every age

Safety and first aid

How to see the house from your child’s eye level and fix it room by room, plus what to do in the minutes that matter: choking, burns, falls, poisoning and water.

Small children don’t understand gravity, heat or poison, and they explore everything. Most accidents happen at home, and most can be prevented. There are room-by-room checklists in the 7 to 12 months tab. Here are the biggest four causes, and what to do when something goes wrong.

Poisoning

The usual culprits: iron pills and other tablets that look like sweets, petrol and paraffin, insecticides, stain remover, nail polish remover, tranquillisers, contraceptive pills and cigarettes.

  • Keep every medicine, cleaner and cosmetic out of reach, ideally in a locked cupboard.
  • Never call medicine “sweets”.
  • Keep cigarettes away. One swallowed cigarette can kill a one-year-old.

Choking and suffocation

  • Keep coins, beads and peanuts out of reach.
  • Cut fruit very small or mash it, and cut sausages lengthways.
  • No plastic bags, and no strings on curtains or furniture.
  • Toys should be large, with no small parts or sharp corners.
  • Keep the toilet lid closed and locked, and old fridges shut.
  • Don’t sleep with a baby in the bed: you can roll onto them, or your breast or a pillow can cover their face.

Falls

  • Wipe wet floors. Use non-slip mats in the bathroom and tub, and skip small slippery rugs.
  • Avoid baby walkers.
  • No tables or chairs next to windows or balconies. Fit barriers.
  • Watch closely whenever they learn to crawl or walk.

Fire and electricity

  • Lock away matches and lighters. Keep gas canisters out of reach.
  • Keep children away from stoves and heaters. Cover electric sockets.
  • Don’t carry your child while cooking, ironing or smoking. Never put a hot iron on the floor.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher, and learn to use it.

First aid

Learn first aid before you need it. Courses run in many countries. This is a summary, and it doesn’t replace a course or a doctor.

Poisoning

Suspect it if your child has sudden severe stomach pain without fever, you find an empty bottle beside them, the mouth is discoloured or burned, or they suddenly have trouble breathing, feel sick, or drool a lot.

  1. Take the substance away

    and keep the container or what is left, to show the doctor. Remove anything still in their mouth.

  2. Don’t make them sick

    Medicine to induce vomiting does more harm than good.

  3. If it is on their skin

    Wear gloves, take off their clothes and wash them with cool or tepid water.

  4. Get help

    Call an ambulance or go to the nearest hospital, taking the container.

Burns
DegreeLooks like
FirstRed and painful.
SecondRed, blistered and painful.
ThirdStiff, white or brown.
FourthBlack and charred.

First and second degree

  • Hold under cool (not cold) running water straight away, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pain eases.
  • Cover loosely with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. No fluffy cotton wool.
  • Don’t burst blisters.
  • Face, eyes or a large area? Get medical help.

Third and fourth degree

  • Call an ambulance immediately.
  • Don’t remove burned clothing, and check they are away from heat and smoke.
  • Don’t put a large severe burn in cold water. It can drop their temperature and cause shock.
  • Check breathing, and start CPR if there is none.
  • Raise the burn above the heart if you can and cover it with a cool, damp, clean cloth.

Chemical burns: take off their clothing, rinse the skin gently with cool water, wrap loosely, and read the container for instructions.

Broken bones

Signs: they can’t move the part normally, the pain is intense, or it is swollen. In an open fracture the bone shows through the skin.

  • Call for emergency help.
  • Don’t move them if you suspect the head, neck or back, or unless you must to prevent more injury.
  • Support the limb where it is. Never try to set the bone or push it back.
  • Stop any bleeding.
  • Nothing to eat or drink and no painkillers until a doctor has seen them, in case they need an anaesthetic.
  • An ice pack, or a bag of frozen vegetables, eases pain and swelling.
Near drowning
  • Pull them out at once and call an ambulance.
  • If they are unconscious, not breathing or have no pulse, start CPR.
  • Take off wet clothes and wrap them in blankets to prevent hypothermia.
Cuts and bleeding
  • Press on the wound with gauze or a clean cloth to stop the bleeding.
  • Clean it. Small bits of grit can come out with clean tweezers. Anything deep needs a doctor.
  • Cover with a clean dressing that fully covers the wound. If blood seeps through, put a second dressing on top.
  • A large wound may need stitches, so go to a doctor or emergency room.
Bites and stings

Animal bites

Let it bleed a little to clean it, press to control heavy bleeding, then wash with antiseptic soap and cover. If the animal might have rabies, get medical help at once. A jab straight away can prevent infection.

Snake bites

Teach children not to touch snakes. If bitten, keep your child calm and still, and get emergency help. Don’t try to suck out the venom or cut the skin.

Insect stings

Remove the stinger, wash with soap and water, and apply ice. Calamine or hydrocortisone cream and an antihistamine ease itching. If there is facial swelling, trouble breathing, dizziness, vomiting or a racing heart, call an ambulance.

Something in the eye
  • Gently pull down the lower lid and look. If you can’t see it, gently lift the upper lid.
  • Lift it out with the corner of a wet tissue or a clean, lint-free cloth.
  • Rinse the eye with water until it is gone.
  • If you can’t remove it, the eye stays red and swollen, or it is stuck in the eyeball, get medical help straight away.