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Over 0.5 million children attend hospitals
each year, following accidents in the home. Many more children are
injured, but may be treated at home or by their GP. For this reason
it is paramount that all parents and those entrusted to look after
children must be fully aware of the potential dangers facing a child
whilst at home.
In 2003 in the UK 120 children under the age of 15 died as a result of injury or poisoning, within the home.
Accidental injury is recognised as the
largest single cause of death for children in the UK.
Falls account for the largest non-fatal injuries to children in
the UK. Most are as a result of slips, trips or falls.
Scalds are more common than burns, with the
most common factor being a scald from a hot drink.
House fires cause the most fatal home accidents, with 75 children being killed in house fires in the UK in 2003 and a further 2077 being injured in the same year.
In children over 5 years, poisoning accounts
for the vast majority of hospital attendances.
There are potential hazards in every room of the house, with the
Lounge / Living room / Dining room being the places where most accidents
occur. This may be as a direct result of the amount of time
the children spend there, with the next most common rooms being
the kitchen bedroom and the stairs
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