Falls
Falls are the most common type of accident in the home, accounting for 44% of all childhood injuries. About 10 children in the UK die each year as a result of falling from balconies, windows and stairs.
For babies, the biggest danger is rolling off the edge of a table, bed or sofa. Toddlers quickly learn how to climb and explore and it's very easy for them to fall off a piece of furniture, down stairs or out of a window or balcony.
from here.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Accidents-to-children-in-the-home/Pages/How-to-prevent-accidents.aspx
The guidelines should be strict, no children under 12 should be left on their own, i think its a ludicrous ruling that people can interpret anyway they like in this country.
3 children in a flat had so many ways they could have been harmed. Just crawling or climbing out of travel cot and smash head hard on the tile floor could result in death....
No its NEVER right to leave kids, and its time the ministers made it illegal to do so.
Accidents happen to the best loved and cared for children.
The snip posted illustrates just one instance. The little girl may have died in the space of 20 seconds. Think of the implications of that, and what sort of legislation would be required to address it.
For example, when putting refuse out ... or a washing ... must the children be taken as well? If not, is the parent or responsible person to be considered negligent in law?
Loop cord deaths 'under-reported'Muireann was hanged by the blind cord on 5 February last year
The parents of a toddler who died after being strangled by a window blind cord have said there could be many more similar deaths going unreported.
Angus and Katie McLaughlin want to hear from anyone who has suffered a similar incident involving blinds.
Their campaign comes after their two-year-old daughter Muireann was accidently hanged at their home in Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, last year.
The couple are calling for a ban on looped blind cords.
A fatal accident inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Muireann's death found there was a widespread lack of awareness about the dangers posed by the cords. In his findings following the inquiry, Sheriff David Mackie called for a ban on the style of window blind and a publicity campaign to inform consumers of the risks.
Muireann died on 5 February, 2008, after climbing onto a toy box to wave goodbye to her grandmother from an upstairs window.
Muireann's parents want a ban on blind cords to prevent other deaths
She tripped and banged her head on the ledge, causing her neck to become tangled in the cord.
Evidence from the inquiry suggested she may have died in as little as 20 seconds.Mr McLaughlin said it was almost impossible to know exactly how many people had died as a result of being hanged by the cords because of the way such deaths were recorded.
Current figures suggest that between one and two children die a year in the UK after being caught in the cord
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12800371
