Injury Prevention

What every family and community has a right to know about INJURY PREVENTION

1. Many serious injuries can be prevented if parents and caretakers watch young children carefully and keep their environment safe.

2. Children should be kept away from fires, cooking stoves, lamps, matches and electrical appliances.

3. Young children like to climb. Stairs, balconies, roofs, windows and play areas should be made secure to protect children from falling.

4. Knives, scissors, sharp or pointed objects and broken glass can cause serious injuries. These objects should be kept out of children's reach.

5. Young children like to put things in their mouths. Small objects should be kept out of their reach to prevent choking.

6. Poisons, medicines, bleach, acid, and liquid fuels such as paraffin (kerosene) should never be stored in drinking bottles. All such liquids and poisons should be kept in clearly marked
containers out of children's sight and reach.

7. Children can drown in less than two minutes and in a very small amount of water. They should never be left alone when they are in or near water.

8. Children under five years old are particularly at risk on the roads. They should always have someone with them and they should be taught safe road behaviour as soon as they can walk.