Research Study About Accidents That Occur To Young Children.
Introduction
For my year 10 child development coursework I have been set the task of completing a research study about accidents
that occur to young children.
Young children are vulnerable to accidents.
Carry out research into their safety.
Key words
Vulnerable = Able to be hurt or injured.
exposed to danger or criticism.
Accident = Unexpected event,
one causing damage, chance.
Research = Study and investigation to find
new facts.
Safety = Free from danger.
Children = A boy or girl between birth and puberty.
Accidents
Burns and scalds Accidents with plug sockets
Minor cuts and bruises Deep cuts
Choking
Drowning
Poisoning
Road accident Accidents involving baby
equipment
Accidents involving everyday products
Accidents in the car Accidents in the nursery
Accidents on the playground
Near dangerous chemicals In the front room
Near windows On the play ground
On the stairs In or near water
Near irons, matches,
lighters Near open fires
or cookers
Playing with broken
toys, loose parts Sharp objects
Near electrical appliances In the nursery
In cars On roads
With baby equipment
Why accidents happen:
* Child left to climb stairs alone.
* Child has easy access to sharp objects e.g. knife.
* Baby rolling off the sofa.
* Electrical or gas appliances left where child can turn it on.
* Child left unsupervised in or near water.
* No fireguard.
* Household objects left in reach of children.
* Nuts given to young children.
* No gate on stairs.
* No child's car seat.
* Medicine left where children can reach it.
* Toys have been given to children broken.
* Children have easy access to breakable glass.
* Child crosses road alone.
* Child plays on playground alone.
How accidents can be prevented:
* Supervise child while in water, near stairs, on playground and on the road.
* Teach children about safety from an early age.
* Have a car seat fitted.
* Fit a fireguard.
* Watch babies at all times.
* Fit a stair gate at the top and the bottom.
* Keep children away from glass objects.
* Keep children away from windows.
* Don't give broken toys to children.
* Don't feed young children under five nuts.
* Keep sharp objects, medicines and household objects
away from child.
* Keep child away from fires, matches, lighters and electrical or gas appliances.
RESEARCH IDEAS
* Research into water safety and how children can be protected from drowning.
* Research into accidents which occur on the road and how children can be kept safe when walking on the pavement or crossing the road.
* Investigate car safety and how children can be kept safe when travelling in a car.
* Research into accidents which may occur in the nursery.
Investigate safety factors which should be considered when planning a nursery .
* Investigate the accidents which occur to a specific age group.
Why do these accidents happen and how could they be prevented
* Investigate poisoning accidents. How could these be prevented?
* Research accident prevention campaigns.
Are parents and child carers safety aware?
* How safe are children's playgrounds?
Observe a group of children playing at the local park.
* Many every day products are dangerous. Investigate measures that are taken to prevent accidents occurring. In what ways have manufacturers made containers childproof?
* Many every day items of baby equipment are potentially dangerous. Investigate measures that are taken to prevent accidents occurring. In what ways have manufacturers tried to ensure their product is safe?
* Research into accidents in the home .
Why do they happen and how can they be prevented.
* Find out how important safety is to the mothers and carers of young children.
Observe a mother or carer minding a child and see what measures they take to prevent accidents .
POSSIBLE AREAS OF RESEARCH.
I feel the most important areas are :
* Research into water safety and how children can be protected
from drowning.
I feel this is important because quite a few children die from drowning and I feel it would be interesting to see how different accident prevention campaigns tell you how to be water safe.
* Research into accidents in the home.
I feel that this subject is of particular importance because nearly
650 000 children under five had an accident in the home in the
U.K in 1989. I would look into why these accidents happen and
how they could be prevented..
Research into accidents which may occur in the nursery.
Investigate safety factors which should be considered when
planning a nursery.
I feel this is important because safety factors in a nursery should
be considered and checked regularly and thoroughly.
I would also like to research further into this topic and do a survey about how safe mothers think their child's nursery and crèche are.
* Research accidents which occur to a specific age group.
I feel this is important because this topic would cover a variety
Of accidents happening in the home and elsewhere not just accidents that happen in one place.
* Research about how safe children's playgrounds are..
I feel this is important because many children are injured in playgrounds. It would also be interesting to find out what safety measures are taken to prevent accidents in the playground.
Chosen area of research
I have chosen to do research into the accidents which occur to a specific age group.
I have chosen this topic because I could research into a variety of accidents not just one specific area.
I have decided to research into accidents which occur to 0-5 year olds as this seems to be the age in which the most accidents
happen and also because this age is the most often presented in
accident prevention information.
Contents Page
Introduction..........................................Page 1
Contents Page........................................Page 2
Design brief and key words........................Page 3
Brainstorm on accidents............................Page 4 - 7
Research ideas.......................................Page 8 + 9
Possible areas of research...........................Page 10
Chosen area of research.............................Page 11
Development plan....................................Page 12
Where I could find information....................Page 13-15
How I will present and record findings...........Page 16+17
Hypothesis............................................Page 18
Questions for research..............................Page 19
What I will find out for each hypothesis.........Page 20-23
Research..............................................Page 24-43
Questionnaire and Graphs..........................Page 43-56
Surveys...............................................Page 57-58
Evaluation and conclusion.........................Page 58-62
Bibliography.........................................Page 63
Index..................................................Page 64
Development plan
Child Development Research Study
Introduction
Design brief
Key words
Analysis
Areas of research
Chosen area
Accidents which occur to 0-3 year olds
Development plan
Flow chart
Ways of presenting info
Sources of info
Hypothesis
8 predictions (min)
Research
Gather info needed
Charts, surveys and questionnaires
Present results + findings
Record sources used
Evaluation and conclusion
Discuss what I have found out
Discuss predictions
Were they right?
What have I learnt
Methods used in research
Skills learnt and used
Front cover and index
What went well?
The Internet
C-D ROM's
Safety
videos
Leaflets
Books
Where I can find information
* The internet - This would be a good way of finding information because you can get nearly any area of research off the internet. It is also easy to use and very quick compared to other ways of finding information e.g. Books and its reliable.
Disadvantages
* The computer might not be connected to the internet.
* You might not have a computer or access to one.
* The computer you are using might crash.
* C.D. ROM's - This would be a good way of finding information because like the internet it is quick and easy to use.
Disadvantages
* The computer you are using might crash.
* The information you need may not be on the C.D. ROM you are using.
* You might not have a computer or access to one.
* Leaflets - This would be a good source of information because leaflets are reliable and you can get hold of the information you need fairly quickly and easily.
Disadvantages
* You might not be able to find a leaflet on the area of research you are looking for.
* Leaflets don't often contain a vast amount of information.
* Books - Books are a good source of information because they are reliable, easy to get hold of usually and many ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
* You might not have a computer or access to one.
* Leaflets - This would be a good source of information because leaflets are reliable and you can get hold of the information you need fairly quickly and easily.
Disadvantages
* You might not be able to find a leaflet on the area of research you are looking for.
* Leaflets don't often contain a vast amount of information.
* Books - Books are a good source of information because they are reliable, easy to get hold of usually and many books go into great depth about the subject matter.
Disadvantages
* You might not be able to get hold of the book you want.
* If there is no local library near you might have to buy the books and that can be quite expensive.
* Safety Videos - Videos are a good way to find information because they are easy to get hold of, they are reliable and they contain a lot of information.
Disadvantages
* You might not be able to get hold of a safety video.
* You might not have a video player or have access to one.
Charts Surveys
Graphs Q Questionnaire
On a computer Brainstorm
How I will present and record findings
> Charts - Easy to read and understand.
Good way of recording and presenting Surveys and Questionnaires
> Surveys and Questionnaires - Fairly easy way of collecting information.
Can be recorded in chart or graphical form.
> Graphs - Easy to understand.
Like charts they're a good way of recording surveys and questionnaires.
> Brainstorms - Very visual and easy to read and understand.
Can be made bright and eye catching.
> On a computer - Very neat and presentable.
Clear and easy to read.
Hypothesis
. I think that most accidents happen when the child starts to crawl.
2. I predict that the playground is a danger area for young children.
3. I predict that the majority of accidents which occur to babies which cant crawl are caused by bad supervision or care.
4. I think that parents teach their children teach their children about what will hurt them from an early age.
5. I think that most houses have a stair gate and a fireguard if they are parents of young children.
6. I think that drowning is a worse accident amongst boys than girls.
7. I think that children's toys and baby equipment can be potentially dangerous.
8. I think that the majority of accidents which occur to 0-3 year olds occur in the home.
Questions for research
. Do accidents happen to children who can crawl more than to children who can walk or are too young too walk?
2. Is the playground a danger area to young children?
3. Are the majority of accidents which occur to children who cant crawl caused by bad supervision or care?
4. Do parents teach their children about what can hurt them from an early age?
5. Do parents of young children have a stair gate and a fireguard?
6. Is drowning a worse accident amongst boys than amongst girls?
7. Can children's toys and baby equipment be potentially dangerous?
8. Do the majority of accidents which occur to 0-3 year olds happen in the home?
I will also find out :
About poisoning
Hypothesis 1 :
Do accidents happen to children who can crawl more than to children who can walk or are too young to walk?
I think that accidents happen to children who can crawl because they are becoming more mobile and independent than when they were younger but are not yet aware of safety hazards.
I will obtain this information by doing a survey of parents and looking at information about accidents that occur, why they happen and how they can be prevented.
I will get this information from books, in leaflets and on the internet.
Hypothesis 2 :
Is the playground a danger area to very young children?
I think that the playground is a danger area to young children because when not supervised children become exposed to dangerous equipment. I will collect relevant information to this area by carrying out a survey about accidents on the playground and how many children I know that are under 3 have had any accident on the playground.
I will also study a playground and see what pieces of equipment are damaged or dangerous and I will look into safety on the playground. I will obtain this information out of books, off leaflets, on the internet and from doing a survey on 2 playgrounds.
Hypothesis 3:
Are the majority of accidents which occur to children who cant crawl caused by bad supervision or care?
I think that these accidents are caused by bad supervision or care because the majority of accidents which occur to very young children who cant crawl are things like drowning in the bath or rolling off the settee when they are unsupervised. I will find out more about these accidents further by looking at what accidents happen to this age group and why they happen and looking at how parents can be distracted from looking after their children.
I will collect this information from books, leaflets and on the internet.
Hypothesis 4:
Do parents teach their children about what can hurt them from an early age?
I think that most parents teach their children about what can hurt them from a very early age for instance: If a baby or toddler goes to touch a radiator and the parents say "no, that is hot".
I will obtain this information by doing a survey about what the parents taught their children about accidents when they were under 3 years of age.
Hypothesis 5:
Do parents of young children have a stair gate and fireguard?
I think that most parents will have a stair gate and a fireguard because it common sense to buy a stair gate and fireguard to increase your child's safety.
I will collect this information by doing a survey on how many parents have a stair gate and a fireguard.
Hypothesis 6:
Is drowning a worse accident amongst boys than girls?
I think that drowning is a worse accident amongst boys because most boys are more active and energetic and enjoy more physical and daring task's while most girls enjoy more quieter activity's like playing with dolls and playing with toy stoves.
I will collect this information by seeing if the statistics for accidents prove this prediction right I will also look into drowning- how and why it happens to young children and how it can be prevented.
I will obtain this Information by looking at accident statistics on the internet and collecting information about drowning from books, leaflets and off the internet.
Hypothesis 7:
Can children's toys and baby equipment be potentially dangerous?
I think that some children's toys can be dangerous as they can cause choking, suffocation and other accidents if they are not made to a high standard which a lot of toys aren't anyway.
I think that baby equipment can also be dangerous as things like baby walkers can just walk your child into danger as they allow children to become more mobile and therefore are exposed to a lot of dangers that they haven't come across or learnt about before and they can also tip over and the child can fall out.
I will collect this information by looking at some of the toys that are on the market for children under 3 years of age and seeing if they are safe and have the Red Lion symbol on them I will also look at accidents that happen with toys and baby equipment.
I will obtain this information from books, leaflets. The internet and by doing a survey of toys that are on sale at the moment.
Hypothesis 8:
Do the majority of accidents which occur to 0-3 year olds happen in the home?
I think that most accidents happen in the home because there are many potential danger hazards that people forget about such as windows which children can reach easily and open.
Also most children under 3 are supervised constantly when they are out of the home but many parents forget they are still exposed to danger when they are in the home.
I will collect this information by looking up the statistics for last years accidents and looking at what dangers they are in each room of the home and doing a survey to see how many children under 3 years of age have had a accident in the home whether it was a minor or major accident that happened.
I will collect this information out of books and off leaflets and the internet.
I am also going to look into poisoning.
I will try to find the following information for this.
* What accidents happen
* Why these accidents happen
* How these accidents can be prevented
Research Hypothesis 1
"Between the ages of one and two Infant mobility increases at a terrific, but irregular rate, such that they can escape parent's supervision and get into difficulties unexpectedly and quickly.
Even though mobility may increase, stability and co-ordination remain poor."
Accidents which mainly occur to children under the age of 1:
* Falls such as rolling unexpectedly off the settee.
* Choking.
* Drowning.
Why these accidents happen:
Falls
* Baby left unsupervised on a high surface.
* Buggy or pram not fastened properly.
* Baby learns to crawl and roll.
Choking
* Allowed to play with toys that are unsuitable for that particular child's age group.
* Left unsupervised with anything that can cause the child to choke.
Drowning
> Infants are unable to climb out of water once they are in it.
> Many parent's don't realise that children can drown in just 300 mm of water.
Accidents which mainly occur to children between the ages of 1 and 2 years old:
* Drowning.
* Burns and scalds.
* Poisoning.
* Choking and suffocation.
* Accidents with toys intended for older children.
Why these accidents happen:
Drowning
* Infants mobility increases.
* Stability and co-ordination are poor.
* They can get into dangerous situations quickly and unexpectedly.
* They don't understand the concept of danger.
* They don't understand warnings such as "Don't go near water".
* Many parents don't know that children can drown in just 300mm of water.
* Once in water the child can not climb out again.
Burns and scalds
* Infants mobility increases.
* They don't understand the concept of danger.
* They don't understand warnings such as "Don't go near the cooker".
* Parents or guardians leave matches, lighters and hot drinks in child's reach.
* There is no fireguard in front of the fire.
Poisoning
* Infants put anything into their mouths.
* Containers are left without lids on.
* Parents use the slang term 'Candy' when trying to get children to take their medicine.
* Alcohol or dangerous chemicals are left in child's reach.
* Parents, guardians or older siblings take medicine in front of young children.
Choking and suffocation.
* Parents often don't realise that children can swallow, inhale or choke on items such as small toys, peanuts or marbles.
* Children are given toys which are not appropriate for their age group.
* Cords on curtains and blinds are left hanging in children's reach.
Accidents which mainly occur to 2-3 year olds:
* Fires.
* Accidents with electric appliances.
* Falls.
Why these accidents happen:
Fires
* Children can climb and reach things that parents thought were out of reach.
* Children play with matches and lighters without knowing the consequences.
* Children haven't been warned about the risks fire poses.
* Parents or guardians may not have a fireguard.
Electrical
* Cord's and flexes are left in child's reach.
* Parents allow children near uncovered plug sockets.
Falls
* Children learn to climb onto things at the age of 2-3.
* Tripping hazards are left on stairs and various other areas around the home.
* Window locks have not been fitted and the child can now open windows.
General prevention for these accidents
Drowning:
* Never leave a child unattended in the bath even if you are doing a short and simple task such as answering the phone.
* Never leave uncovered containers full of water around the home or garden.
* When paddling pools are not in use empty then and store them upside down in a safe and secure place.
Burns and scalds:
* Never hold a hot drink whilst carrying a child.
* Keep hot drinks out of child's reach.
* Use a coiled flex or cordless device where possible.
* Keep small children out of the kitchen if possible when it is being used.
* Run the hot water system at 54 degrees C.
* Check the heat of baths and showers before letting children in.
* Always use rear hotplates and turn pan handles away from the front of the cooker.
Poisoning:
> Keep medicines and chemicals out of sight and reach of children, if possible keep in a locked cupboard.
> Watch what older siblings feed your child.
> Don't use the term 'Candy' as a slang term for medicine.
> Don't leave alcohol or dangerous chemicals in children's reach.
> Don't take medicine in front of your child.
Choking and suffocation:
* Watch children with things like small toys, peanuts and marbles.
* Don't give children toys which are not appropriate for their age group.
* Don't leave cords on curtains and blinds loose in child's reach.
Fires:
* Watch children anywhere near fires.
* Keep matches and lighters away from children.
* Warn children about the risk that fire poses.
* Fix a fireguard if you have a open fire.
Electrical:
* Have coiled flexes and short cords on electrical appliances.
* Don't allow children near uncovered plug sockets.
Falls:
* Watch children when climbing.
* Clear all tripping hazards away and store them safely.
* Never leave babies unsupervised on high surfaces.
* Fit window locks.
The majority of accidents happen to children between the ages of 1-2 as suggested in the paragraph about infant mobility.
Questionnaire
= 1 Person
. Did your child have more accidents before, they could crawl, whilst they could crawl or when they had learnt to walk?
When they could crawl
Before they could crawl
When they learnt to walk
2.Does your child injure themselves most at the park or at home?
At the park
At home
3.What piece of park equipment do they injure themselves most on?
Slide
Swings
Roundabout
See saw
Climbing frame
Other
4.Do you watch your child at all times?
Yes
No
5.Do you teach children about what can hurt them from an early age?
Yes
No
6.How much does your child know about safety and accident prevention?
A lot
Average
Not much
Nothing
7.Do you have a fireguard?
Yes
No
8.Do you have a stair gate?
Yes
No
9.Have any of your children ever drowned/nearly drowned ?
Yes
No
0.Has your child ever injured themselves on toys or baby equipment?
Never
Once or twice
Regularly
All the time
1.Do most of your child's accidents occur in the home?
Yes
No
Hypothesis 2 Playground Safety
'It is estimated that there are approximately 40,000 injuries to children on playgrounds each year which result in a hospital visit'
The department of trade and industry collects statistics, they say that accidents in the play area could occur for number of reasons, here are some of them:
Management Causes:
> Poor equipment design.
> Poor design and layout.
> Unsuitable equipment for the intended age group.
> Incorrect installation.
> Poor inspections and maintenance.
User Causes:
* Lack of supervision.
* Misuse of equipment.
* Unsuitable clothes.
* Weather Conditions.
'Not all accidents on the playground are related to the equipment maybe as few as 40% and of these 40%, 80% result in a fall to the surface.'
Equipment involved in fall accidents are as followed:
* Swings 40%
* Climbers 23%
* Slides 21%
* Roundabouts 5%
* See saws 4%
* Fireman's poles 1%
* Others 6%
'Playgrounds can be dangerous if equipment is misused'
I think that this is because until the age of about 5 children do not fully understand warnings that are given
to them and will not know what is dangerous whilst playing on the playground.
I also think that accidents may happen because the children are playing on the apparatus without any adult supervision.
I think that the most dangerous piece of equipment on the playground is the swings for 0-3 year olds as they can walk out in front of them quickly and they don't realise they could get hit by the swings.
Survey on playgrounds:
I will survey two parks in the Glossopdale area and compare them to see which is the safest in certain areas whilst doing this I will ask the following questions:
. Is someone supervising each child under 5 on the playground apparatus?
2. Is they're any dangerous looking pieces of playground apparatus?
3. If so why does it seem to be dangerous?
4. How could this be prevented?
5. Are the parents telling their children what is right and wrong?
6. Do the swings seem to be the most dangerous piece of playground apparatus?
7. How many children under 5 seem to have had a minor accident in the last 30 minutes.
Hypothesis 3
I think that the majority of accidents which occur to children who cant crawl are caused by bad supervision or care.
I think that this might be because most of the accidents which occur to this age group are things like rolling off the settee or drowning in the bath which could easily prevented by higher levels of parent supervision.
Tips to prevent accidents occurring:
> Change nappies on the floor and keep everything you need close by, don't leave your child for a second.
> When your child is able to sit in the bath make sure you are with him/her constantly so they don't slip in the water.
> In the highchair fit a safety harness and adjust to yours child's size and use it whilst they are sat in the highchair.
> Put hot drinks well out of the reach of grabbing hands.
> Put table cloths away, one pull on them and a hot drink could scald your child.
> Don't use baby walkers.
The following should be kept out of a child's reach until they are old enough to use them properly:
* Plastic bags There is a great risk of suffocation attached to leaving children with plastic bags. Plastic material is airtight and clings to warm surfaces, therefore a plastic bag over the head is very difficult to remove.
* Small, hard objects Sweets, peanuts, small pieces from toys e.t.c can easily cause children to choke therefore should be kept away from children.
* Medicines These can be poisonous and should be locked in a cabinet which requires adult hands to open it.
* Poisons Poisonous substances including cleaning materials, alcohol, weed killers and other chemicals. Empty drink bottles should never be used to store chemicals to avoid the possibility of mistakes .
* Inflammable items Matches, lighters, petrol, paraffin, methylated spirits and fireworks should be stored where children cannot reach them.
Hypothesis 5 Fireguards and stair gates
Fireguards:
Should be put in front of open fires. In England and Wales, it is illegal to leave a child under the age of 12 years in a room where there is no open fire without a fireguard. In Scotland and Northern Ireland this law applies to children under the age of 7 years.
A good fireguard is one which:
* Is strong and sturdy and has a cover on top.
* Has no sharp edges.
* Is firmly fixed to the wall by hooks which cannot be undone by a small child.
* Has mesh small enough to prevent a baby pushing his arms or toys through it.
* Has a door ( if there is one ) which fastens securely.
When a fire guard is in front of a fire, it should never be used as a clothes dryer.
Safety barriers or gates
Prevent young children from wandering to a part of the house the parents consider dangerous.
Safety barriers are often fitted across the bottom of the stairs and across the kitchen doorways ( the kitchen is the second most dangerous room in the house ).
Hypothesis 6- Drowning
'13 % of children drowning happen in or around the home'
I think this is because the home and garden contain many potential drowning hazards such as:
> Garden ponds.
> Barrels or containers which have collected rainwater.
> Watering cans.
> Containers in the home containing water.
> Bath's with water left in them.
> Child unsupervised in bath or shower.
Tips to prevent children from drowning:
* Cover all ponds, rivers through gardens e.t.c.
* Don't leave containers in the garden containing water empty rainwater from container's regularly.
* Don't leave full watering cans round the garden.
* Don't leave containers with water in on the floor where children can reach.
* Don't leave the water in the bath when its not being used.
* Don't leave child unsupervised in the bath or shower.
'Between 1992 and 1999 they're was 90 fatal drowning accidents involving children between the age of one and five'.
I think this might be because children don't fully understand warnings until the age of four or five and therefore might not heed warnings given by parents or guardians.
'78% of drowning incidents in the U.K. occur to boys'.
I believe this is because boys enjoy activities that are both physical and active such as fighting and running while girls enjoy playing with quieter and less active toys such as doll's houses and tea sets.
Water holds a particular fascination for young children under the age of 5. Whether the water is held in a garden pond, a rainwater butt, a paddling pool or a bucket, a young child will invariably investigate.
Even the shallowest of ponds, can be lethal from a child's perspective, a 500mm deep pond is equivalent to an adult falling into 1800mm of water, but the child is unable to climb out of the water.
Hypothesis 7 children's toys
' I think that children's toys can be dangerous as people can trip over them and babies often play with toys intended for older children'.
Toys are involved in over 40,000 accidents a year but safety is only one accept of the problem. Many accidents which involve toys happen when people trip over them or when younger children play with toys which are inappropriate for their age.
Particular risks with toys address the following hazards:
Physical and mechanical;
Flammability;
Chemical properties;
Electrical properties;
Hygiene and radioactivity.
Avoid the following for children under the age of 3:
* Toys with loose fabric or hair which sheds easily causing a choking hazard.
* Toys with small parts which detach on which a child could choke.
* Toys with sharp points or edges or edges.
* Loose ribbons on toys and long neck ties on children's costumes.
* Small toys sold with items of food.
Ten safety tips on TOY SAFETY:
. Buy toys only from recognised outlets.
2. Make sure that the toy is suitable for the child, check the age range.
3. Be particularly careful with toys for under 3 year olds.
4. Be wary of young children playing with older sibling's toys.
5. Check toys for loose hair, small parts, sharp edges and points.
6. Ensure that garden swings are strong and are not a strangulation hazard.
7. Check toys regularly for wear, and repair or dispose of them where it is necessary.
8. Keep play area's neat and tidy.
9. Follow all instructions and warnings provided with toys.
0. Supervise young children at play.
Survey on toys
I will look at toys in both a recognised outlet and a unrecognised one in Glossop. Such as Woolworth's and Glossop market.
Whilst looking at them I will ask myself these questions:
. Does the toy look safe?
2. If it doesn't look safe what seems dangerous?
3. Is it suitable for the recommended age group?
Hypothesis 8- Safety in the home
Almost everyone has a home and is entitled to a feeling of safety and security in their own home.
It is also the place where the most accidents which require medical treatment occur.
Every year more than 40,000 people die in accidents in the home and almost 3,000,000 turn up at accident and emergency departments in hospitals requiring medical attention.
Because accidents in the home occur behind closed doors in isolated incidents they rarely attract public or media attention.
Three children a week die as a result of accidents which have occurred in the home.
The chances of an accident happening are sometimes increased by one of the following:
* If your child is ill, tired or hungry.
* If the mother of the child is tired, ill or pregnant.
* If your child is hyperactive.
* When there is excitement in the home.
* If you and your partner are not getting on well or if you are arguing.
* If your child has no-where safe to play.
* If the equipment or toys you buy your child don't comply with U.K. safety standards.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT:
As soon as your child becomes mobile you must protect him/ her from potentially objects in the home.
Cooker guard
Mesh fireguard
Bed safety rail
Wooden stair gate
Adjustable mesh stair gate
Protective table corner, security drawer latch and socket covers
General home safety tips:
* Buy all medicines in childproof bottles and keep out of reach from young children.
* Never put a poison in a container which previously held anything harmless like lemonade or squash.
* Store all drugs and chemicals as far away from food as possible.
* Don't leave aerosol cans lying around.
* Always keep a fire guard in front of the fire.
* Make sure flexes off electrical appliances are kept out of reach from young children.
* Fit safety socket covers to all power points.
* Cover hot radiators and pipes with towels or seal them off with pieces of furniture.
* Screen and bar all upper storey windows.
* Keep pins, needles, matches, lighters sharp knifes and scissors out of reach from your child in a locked or childproof drawer.
'Inside the home most accidents occur in the living/ dining area followed by the kitchen'.
I think this is because the living room doesn't seem very dangerous so parents often don't have as many safety prevention devices in the living room as the kitchen because hazards in the kitchen are much more noticeable than in the living room.
POISONING
Every year more than 10,000 small children are referred to hospital because they have/ are thought to have swallowed a poisonous substance.
Most of these accidents occur in the home.
I think this is because most of the chemicals children swallow are left within child's reach inside the home or decanted into other containers such as a lemonade bottle.
Some examples of household chemicals are:
Anti freeze
Bleach
White spirit
Paint stripper
Disinfectant
Weed killer
Oven cleaner
Drain cleaner
Brush cleaner
Lavatory cleaner
Methylated spirit
These should all be kept safe out of reach out of sight-
Children will stomach anything.
All hazardous chemicals should hold one of the following warning labels:
A substance which is not a serious health risk but may cause some ill health if inhaled or consumed.
Some substances will irritate the skin and eyes on contact.
A substance which causes a serious health risk if swallowed and in some cases when inhaled or on contact with the skin.
A substance which can cause painful burns and destroys living tissue.
How to prevent poisoning:
> Keep harmful product's out of child's reach and sight.
> Never call medicine 'candy'.
> Buy medicine and household chemicals in childproof packages.
> Always replace safety caps after use.
> Never leave a child alone near alcohol.
> Keep these telephone numbers by your phone:
* DOCTOR
* POISON CONTROL CENTER
* HOSPITAL
> Keep products in their original containers.
> Read labels with care.
> Do not take medicine in front of small children. Children tend to copy adult behaviour.
If a child is suspected of swallowing any household chemical you should remain calm and do the following:
* Gently give a drink of milk or water to the child this will dilute the poison.
* Do not make the child sick.
* Telephone your doctor, he will tell you whether the child needs to go to hospital.
* If you cant contact the doctor, take the child quickly to hospital if necessary.
* If possible take the product you think has been swallowed.
Don't rely on memory.
* Try to act calmly and avoid upsetting the child.
Evaluation and conclusion
I think most accidents happen when the child starts to crawl.
My research and surveys on accidents that occur to different age groups proved this prediction right as I found out that children between the age of one and two are most affected by accidents because of the infant mobility rate increasing at this age.
I predict that the playground is a danger area for young children.
My research and surveys on playgrounds proved this research partly wrong as I said I predict that they are dangerous when they are actually dangerous when people misuse the equipment or the equipment is dangerous which isn't very often.
I predict that the majority of accidents which occur to babies are caused by bad supervision or care .
My research and surveys strongly suggested that this prediction is correct as most of the tips to prevent accidents happening to this age groups are things like supervise children at all times.
I think that parents teach their children about what will hurt them from an early age.
My survey proved this prediction right as all the people I asked said that they taught their children about what can hurt them from an early age.
I think that most houses have a stair gate and a fireguard if they are parents of young children.
Through my research and surveys I came to the conclusion that more than 50% of the people I asked which had 1 or more children under the age of 5 didn't have a stair gate on their stairs. But said instead kept a close eye on their children.
I think that drowning is more common against boys than girls .
My research proved that this prediction was correct as boys like to endure more physical activities than girls. Boys like to enjoy the adventures activities where girls would much sooner stay in their bedroom playing quiet games. Over time this has been a argument if boys are more adventures than boys. But through my eyes I think obviously a few girls would like to be adventures but the higher percentage of boys would rather become involved in this type of activity. Even though 13% of drowning with young children occur in the home. I think this simply is most of the reason why a higher percentage than boys than girls drown.
I think that children's toys and baby equipment can be potentially dangerous
My research and surveys proved this point right but all though the parents of the children that get harmed blame the accident on the company that made the toy when often it is the parents fault for doing things such as giving them toys that are unsuitable for their age group.
I think that the majority of accidents which occur to 0-3 year olds occur in the home.
Through my research and surveys there are many facts that strongly suggest that the majority of accidents occur in the home to 0-3 year olds. I think this is because there are many more unrecognisable hazards in the home.
Throughout my research study I have learnt many new things that I didn't know before such as :
* Between the age of one and two the infant mobility rate increases rapidly.
* There are 40, 000 injuries to children on average each year.
* 13% of all children drowning happens in the home.
* Three children die as a result of a home accident every week.
* Inside the home most accidents happen in the living/ dining area.
* 78% of drowning incidents in the U.K. occur to boys.
* Every year 10, 000 small children are referred to hospital because they are thought to have swallowed household chemicals.
The information sources I used to complete my research study are:
* The internet.
* Leaflets.
* Books.
* A Safety video.
I feel that the most useful information I collected was off the R.O.S.P.A site and in the book 'The new baby care book' by Dr Miriam Stoppard.
I also feel that the most useless out of these information sources was the safety video as it was home safety for 0-5 year olds and most of the information was irrelevant.
I carried out my research by collecting different information sources and finding relevant information when I had found some I wrote it out in my own words, I also took quotations from various sources and commented on them.
Whilst doing my coursework I have learnt how to draw up graphs on the computer using Microsoft Excel and how to do hypothesis.
Other skills that I used in my research study are typing on the computer, collecting and presenting information, producing a introduction, research, evaluation and conclusion.
I think that most of my project has gone quite well except I could have put more detail into my work, I also think that collecting and presenting the information was the most difficult task throughout my research study as you have to be careful how you put things into your own words and you have to make sure that you actually put it into your own words not just copy it all.
The piece of work which I am most pleased with is my research as I didn't think I would be able to collect as much information as I have done.
If I were to do my project again I would put more detail in my work and include more surveys and graphs.
Bibliography
To complete my research study I used the following sources:
Leaflets:
Danger! Deadly sweets! by the Health Education Council.
Play it safe by the Health Education Authority.
Are your children safe in the kitchen? By the DTI.
Food safety and your baby by food link.
Keep them safe by Think! Safety! First!
Handle safety by the child accident prevention trust.
Safety in the home by Tameside and Glossop NHS trust.
Reduce the risk of cot death by the department of health.
Handle with care by the NSPCC.
Your babies safety at home and at play by mother care advice.
The internet:
The ROSPA site.
The DTI site.
The TIPP site.
The Canadian toy safety site.
Books:
The new baby care book by Dr Miriam Stoppard.
Child care and development by Pamela A Minnett.
Index
Accidents..............................................Page 4-7, 24-43
Safety for children under 1 year of age............Page 24
Safety for children between the ages of 1 and 2...Page 25 + 26
Safety for children between the ages of 2 and 3...Page 26-27
General accident prevention...........................Page 27 + 28
Playground safety ......................................Page 29-30
Bad care and supervision..............................Page 31-32
Stair gates and fireguards..............................Page 33
Drowning.................................................Page 34+35
Toys and baby equipment..............................Page 36+37
Home safety..............................................Page 38-41
Poisoning.................................................Page 42+43