Toddler safety

The most common place for young children to be injured is in their own home so it is very important to make things as safe as possible. Teaching them about danger is important, but it does not keep them safe as they do not understand danger. Keeping young children safe is an adult's responsibility. The most common causes of injuries among young children are falls, poisoning, burns, drowning and choking.

Understanding danger

Knowing what young children and toddlers can and cannot understand is an important part of keeping them safe.

- A young child tends to look only where she is going e.g. chasing a ball or running to a friend.
- A young child cannot judge whether something, such as a car, is moving, nor can she tell how fast it is moving.
- A toddler is too busy concentrating on running without falling over. She understands the word ‘no’ but she may not have learned to obey it yet.
- A young child cannot understand or follow instructions like ‘Do not run onto the street because you will get hit by a car'. A young child can understand ‘stop’ or ‘no’.

The following links have been selected by Lower Great Southern Communities for Children team. We have made every effort to select relevant sites that are informative and accurate. The material linked is to provide information only. This website and the information is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner therefore if you have any concerns see your GP, Practice Nurse or Child Health Nurse.

For information on a range of safety issues and how to protect your child from danger please click on the following links.

It is vital that all parents learn basic first aid. In the case of accident all parents and carers need to have some basic knowledge on how to save their own or another child's life while waiting for an ambulance.

Kidsafe WA - preventing childhood injuries

Kidsafe WA is dedicated to the prevention of childhood injuries in Western Australia. Their focus is on preventing deaths and reducing unintentional injuries to children aged under 15 years. The service is divided into the four main areas of: home safety, road safety, playground advisory service and school safety.

These are just some of the many fact sheets available on the Kidsafe web site that relate to your child's age.

Child car restraints: “Every Child, Every Trip!”

Transport related injury is the leading cause of death, and the third most frequent cause of hospitalisation for Western Australian children. A correctly fitted child car restraint can reduce the risk of death or serious injury in road crashes by up to 70%. Using a child car restraint is vital, however it is just as important to make sure the restraint is fitted correctly. Research has shown that as many as one in three restraints are fitted incorrectly, which can lead to an increased risk of injury, and of that injury being more serious.

(Kidsafe WA Fact Sheet, Child Car Restraints [online] available at http://Kidsafewa.com.au)

If you would like more information on restraints, including advice on which restraint to use for your child, go to
www.childcarrestraints.com.au or call the Child Restraint Information Line on 1300 780 713.

If you would like your restraint checked, or would like to arrange a fitting station for your community group or organisation, please contact the Regional Road Safety Officer, on 9892 1145 or roadwisegs@westnet.com.au

For More Information contact your:
- Local Community Child Health Nurse
- Local GP
- Visit your local Child Safety Demonstration House (in Albany located at 35 Mokare Road Spencer Park - Open Mondays & by appointment on Fridays Ph 0428 875 503)
- Kidsafe WA - Ph: (08) 9340 8509 www.kidsafewa.com.au