Media Release 10 December 2009

Give Your Children Safety For Christmas:
Is Your Home Kidsafe?

With 60% of all child injuries in Victoria taking place in the home, Kidsafe is urging Victorian parents to give their children safety for Christmas by conducting a safety audit and removing dangers from their homes or holiday homes.

Kidsafe Victoria's figures indicate that every year in Victoria more than 6,000 children aged 0-14 years are hospitalised due to falls, 628 due to poisoning, 617 due to cutting or piercing, 282 from scalds and burns, and 106 due to choking or strangulation. In addition,34 children are killed and more than 55,000 visit hospital emergency departments each year.

Christmas is a period where there is a lot of action around the home with people coming and going, parties gathering around swimming pools and increased driveway traffic; all of this can detract parents from the vital constant supervision small babies and toddlers need.

Dr Mark Stokes, President of Kidsafe Victoria said the most common danger items found in the home were play equipment, poisons, stairs, kitchen dangers, blind cords, window and cabinet glass and doors. Also high on the priority list during holidays were driveways, backyard swimming pools and spas which ultimately feature in the deaths or serious injury to children each Christmas.

"Parents need to be determined to reduce the potential for injury rates which result in 140,000 Australian children visiting hospitals every year following an injury in and outside their home."

The Kidsafe Christmas Safety Hit List includes:

Stairs
Barriers to prevent children falling down stairs and ensuring balustrades are spaced closely enough so children cannot fall straight through.

Kitchens
Ensure children have no access to sharp objects, poisons, detergents, plastic bags and stove tops.

Blind cords
Blinds with looped cords can strangle a child; ensure there are no loops hanging down and that cots and prams are not placed near curtain cords.

Window glass

Most houses built before 1985 do not have safety glass and could cause serious or fatal injuries if a child impacted the glass; therefore Kidsafe recommends installing safety glass for Christmas.

Doors
Children playing near or through doors can have their fingers amputated if the door closes upon them. Gaps between the door and jamb, particularly on the hinge side can suffer serious crushing or even amputation; purchase and install door jambs as a Christmas gift idea.

Pool Gates and Fencing

Check the gate is working correctly, closing and locking. Ensure the fence is in good order with no objects stored against it that allows children to climb over it.

Outside Play Equipment

All play equipment should have appropriate soft fall under it to prevent serious injuries such as head and brain trauma, and serious injuries to major organs and limbs.

Dr Stokes said that all of these dangers could be easily and inexpensively rectified but they were the tip of the iceberg as far as dangers in the home were concerned.

Media Enquiries:
Dr Mark Stokes, President Kidsafe Victoria Mobile: 0408 038 267
Ron Smith Corporate Media Communications Kidsafe Victoria Mobile: 0417 329 201