The most common childhood accidents for each child's age
The well-being of children is one of the biggest concerns in all parents. Therefore, prevention becomes the best tool to achieve this goal. Practices that not only seek to prevent the little ones from getting sick, but also to keep away the child accidents which can cause injuries, bruises and other conditions.
A good way to prevent child accidents, is to know which are the most common for each age of the child. About this is the guide "Mom, dad, can I take that?" which has been written by Pilar Camacho, Pediatric Emergency Coordinator of the Quirónsalud Sacred Heart Hospital in Seville. A compendium that aims to avoid what, according to the European Union, is the first cause of death in children.
Childhood accidents and children's age
Data from the European Union highlights that mortality due to child accidents in Spain happens 8.1 each 100,000 inhabitants. The prevention of these unintentional injuries that occur in the home is key. These are the mishaps most repeated by age in the smallest of the house:
- From 0 to 6 months of life. The most frequent accidents in these ages are suffocation in the crib, traumatisms due to the changing of the changing table or the bed, burns in the bath water or the ingestion of hot liquids.
- From 6 months to 1 year of life. At this age, the baby becomes a researcher, so he takes everything to his mouth in order to discover what he has before him. In this stage, the most frequent accidents are choking, so you have to monitor everything that surrounds the child and it can reach. At the end of this period the crawling and the first steps begin in an insecure way, which will increase the risk of injuries due to falls or collisions with furniture.
- After 3 years. In this stage, the most frequent accidents are those produced by the ingestion of toxic products, or medications, related by the curiosity that they can produce. It is recommended not to use them near children, especially those with bright colors, of course they should be stored in places inaccessible to them. Episodes of suffocation due to nuts, chewing gums and fruits with stones are also common.
- Beginning at 6 years. At these ages, injuries become the most frequent accidents since at this stage physical activity, games and sports. Practices in which a good team must be ensured and remember the need to proceed with care to avoid injuries and, if they occur, ensure that their correct cure is developed.
Accidents in the rooms
In this guide, not only the most common accidents by age are listed. Also the most repeated mishaps for each room in the home, these are some of them:
- The kitchen. This room is considered the most dangerous in the house since it has a great attraction for the little ones: presence of delicious food, cleaning products of bright colors and endless gadgets with which they would like to play. To the extent possible, children should be prevented from entering.
It is a relatively small space where very dangerous circumstances arise, so children should also be reminded that cooking is not a place to play. The most common accidents are injuries caused by knocks with furniture, burns from too close to a source of heat. Poisonings also occur frequently due to the presence of dangerous chemicals in cleaning products.
- Bathroom. A room that can be the scene of numerous scenarios like burns when bathe the little ones and not regulate the temperature of the guide correctly. Remember that the skin of the baby is more sensitive and thin than that of the adult, so it is recommended to use a thermometer and not be guided by the sensations of the dermis of the parents.
Injuries can also happen due to knocks against the faucets, so you should never leave a child alone in the bathtub, in this way it will be possible to prevent drowning. Be careful to expose products that may cause intoxication such as cosmetics and other hygiene items.
- The lounge. Unlike the kitchen, in this space it serves to play. Yes, with some safety regulations. The most common accidents are injuries due to colliding with furniture, so children should be instructed not to run as if they were in the park.
Damián Montero
