Each year thousands of under-5s are admitted to hospital following accidents. Lots of these accidents are preventable.
Baby and toddler safety – how to protect your baby or toddler from some of the commonest accidents that affect young children.
Avoid overheating in babies under 1 – how to avoid overheating in babies: key guidance and safety tips.
Most accidents can be prevented by taking a few simple steps. For further information on managing child safety go to Children Accident Prevention Trust
Safety advice : nursing/ breastfeeding pillows
- Only use nursing pillows for nursing or feeding a baby
- Never use nursing pillows for infant sleep or lounging. They pose a risk of SIDs and affect posture
- Do not place nursing pillows anywhere a baby sleeps
- Never leave babies unattended in nursing pillows on beds, sofas or other elevated surfaces
- If the baby falls asleep while feeding, or if you start to feel like you might fall asleep, transfer the baby to a clear safe sleep space
NHS bathing guidance update
The NHS has updated guidance on bathing babies and children for parents, carers and health professionals, following reports of deaths from Child Death Overview Panels.
- Always keep young children within arm’s reach in the bath. Always keep children under constant adult supervision in the bath. If you need to leave the bathroom, take the child with you. In our survey, 59% of parents of children under 5 admitted to leaving the child unattended in the bath at least once in the past month – and for most, this was down to them forgetting something, such as a towel.
- Never leave your child under the supervision of child siblings in the bath. If you need to leave the bathroom, take the child with you. We found that 2 in 5 parents (41%) think it’s safe to leave a baby in the bath with an older sibling, as long as it’s not for too long.
- Drowning can happen quickly and silently – in a matter of minutes. You won’t hear that something is wrong. Parents often don’t realise that drowning happens quickly and silently. In our survey, 55% of parents believe they would hear thrashing and a lot of noise if their child was struggling in the bath.
