In your opinion, where are you and your children most likely to have an accident? On the highway at 130 km/h? In the heart of the ocean? At a picnic on an airstrip? Nope ! It is in your home that the chances of being the victim of an accident explode. Falls, burns, poisoning... There are many disasters that can occur within your home. How to prevent it?
Domestic accidents… 3 e cause of death in France[1]!
Your home is your haven of peace, the headquarters of your family. It is also the place where you should normally feel safe. Unfortunately, in France, 20,000 deaths are recorded each year due to domestic accidents. Children are the most represented victims. Curious and eager to explore their environment, our toddlers sometimes pay the price.
What are the dangers of the house?
A corner of the table that hits the eyebrow arch, a gas cooker whose flames lick your hand, the too-gloss parquet floor that makes grandma slip down the stairs or even dad who walks barefoot on a misplaced nail in the garden... Sources of home accidents are varied, and countless! Whether they occur indoors or outdoors, these everyday accidents cause more or less serious injuries every year.
Household accidents:beware of these three!
On the podium of household hazards, we find electrical outlets, stairs and doors! These three elements can be very dangerous. Children seem to be irretrievably attracted to electrical outlets. Install socket covers to protect them! Regarding the stairs, to prevent waterfalls, provide them with guardrails and gates to prevent access to the youngest. As for the doors, pay attention to their strength! A draft can cause them to flap very violently. A hand stuck in the recess of a closed door would be a tragedy. To avoid accidents, always keep them closed when ventilating your interior.
Domestic Accidents:Your Zone-by-Zone Attack Plan
If the luck factor often comes into play in domestic accidents, vigilance and a few precautions will not be too much to help you avoid the worst at home!
The bathroom
Comforting and cocooning, the bathroom is surely one of your favorite rooms. Don't be fooled by its reassuring appearance... The bathroom can wreak havoc! The main danger of water features is, as their name suggests, the presence of water. We know that water and electricity do not mix. Thus, in order to avoid electrocution, be sure to unplug your electrical appliances (razor, straightener, hair dryer, etc.) as soon as you no longer use them, and store them in a place inaccessible to children. The bathroom is also the favorite place for slides of all kinds! Equip your shower or bathtub with a non-slip bath mat, and lay an absorbent mat on the floor to avoid the risk of slipping on your tiles.
What to do in case of an accident : oops, fell in your bathroom and got a bruise? Do not panic ! All you need to do is apply a cold sterile compress to the affected area for a quarter of an hour to prevent swelling, then rub some arnica cream on your wound. In a few days, your "bruise" will be just a bad memory!
The living room
Here too lurk dangers that you should not underestimate! The coffee table and the angles of the furniture are the first. With their sharp corners, they can hurt children's heads if they bump into them. You will find small rubber tips on the market to slide over these corners to protect your children. The living room is also the room where your decorations, trinkets and other travel souvenirs are kept. Placed too low, the little ones could knock them over and hurt themselves with their shards, or swallow them if they are small parts. So place them high up to avoid any accidents!
What to do in case of an accident : ouch, your child hit their head on a corner of a shelf and a slight dripping of blood appeared? To overcome it, you must exert pressure on the wound and then clean it with lukewarm water. Dry the wound, then apply a bandage!
The kitchen
This is where home accidents are most common! To prepare good meals, you use gas, hotplates, an oven and many utensils, each one sharper than the next. These elements are terrible enemies for the less vigilant:your children! A burn and cuts quickly arrived. So be sure to always store your kitchen utensils in closed and high places, and to install safeties on your hobs and other household appliances. Do not hesitate to involve your children in the preparation of your dishes, under supervision, and take the opportunity to make them aware of the dangers of cooking.
What to do in case of an accident: while cooking, someone burned themselves on a still hot pot? The first thing to do is to stop the feeling of heat by passing the burned area under cold water for about fifteen minutes. Then apply an antiseptic.
The bedroom
To ensure everyone's safety, pay close attention to small toys that can very easily be swallowed. If a child's room is always a bit messy, it is however essential to teach the little ones to put their toys away regularly. Indeed, they could slip on objects left on the ground, fall and be injured. Also beware of the shelves on which your children would like to hang themselves to test their solidity... Strong fixings will solve the problem!
What to do in case of an accident : your child has fallen and is bleeding from the nose? Do not panic, because children are more likely than adults to bleed from the nose in the event of an impact. To stop the bleeding, sit your child on a chair, tilt his head forward and pinch the top of his nostrils for about ten minutes.
The laundry room
The laundry room is the room where household products are stored, as well as the washing machine. All your household products must be locked in an absolutely inaccessible cupboard. Up high, in a secret hiding place, thanks to a padlock attached to a cupboard door… All means are good to keep household products away from children. Poisoning with detergent, bleach or even descaler can be dramatic. So be especially vigilant and follow the adage "keep out of the reach of children".
What to do in case of an accident : Did your child's skin or eyes come into contact with household products? Rinse the affected areas thoroughly and check after an hour for pain. In case of complete ingestion or in doubt, call the emergency services immediately!
The garden
If you have a swimming pool, it is ESSENTIAL to install a security system:barrier, alarm, etc. And, of course, all swimming must take place under your increased supervision. In your garden, you may have a barbecue. Whether it's on for delicious grilling during the summer or off with its dry charcoal, make sure your kids don't get too close. It would be a shame if a burn or ash ingestion had to land you in the emergency room! The tools you use to maintain your garden must also be protected, and stored in a place that your offspring cannot access. Also always keep an eye on your cherubs when they are playing in the garden. Ingestion of plants can lead to severe poisoning.
What to do in case of an accident : bees, wasps, hornets… Many insects can sting you. If one of them has attacked you or your child, the first step will be to remove the venom from the insect with a venom pump or, failing that, a heat source (be careful not to not touch the skin directly!). Then, a disinfectant and a little lavender essential oil diluted in a neutral oil will do the rest!
BlueBeep, protect your children from the slightest danger
Did you know? There is an application to download on your smartphone dedicated to the protection of your children. The app connects to a small box that you attach to your child's clothes, stroller or car seat, and informs you with an alarm of the slightest danger! BlueBeep will allow you to serenely enjoy every moment with your family.
Good reflexes:these small gestures that can save
Who to call in case of a home accident?
First of all, it is essential to call the emergency services. The firefighters, by dialing 18, and the Samu, by dialing 15, will come very quickly to your home to carry out first aid and take the victim to the nearest hospital.
What sites or apps can help you?
In the event of ingestion of household products, snake bites, spider bites or insect bites, consult the website of the nearest poison control center to your home. To be sure to react in the right way while waiting for help, or to effectively ward off a burn, minor bleeding or contusion, the App that Saves:Red Cross will be your best ally. Interactive, this free app can also keep you busy as a family with safety quizzes!
What training exists to become a first aid expert?
Want to know how to deal with home accidents? To react or simply to succeed in calming a victim as well as possible, you can follow a training course. The Level 1 Prevention and Civic Relief (PSC1) training will teach you all the good reflexes to have in the event of an accident in life, to help your loved ones, or strangers! Provided by the fire brigade, the PSC1 training lasts 7 hours.
That's it, your home is now a little corner of paradise where life is good. Everyone must therefore be careful, put away risky objects and ensure that everyone lives in perfect harmony with their environment. If solutions and warranties allow you to deal with the accidents of life, prevention is better than cure!
[1]https://actu.fr/societe/20-000-morts-dans-accidents-domestiques-tous-ans-gestes-eviter_19899381.html#:~:text=According to%20une%20%C3%A9tude% 20of%20l,of%201%20%C3%A0%2014%20years.
