Preventing falls for babies and toddlers

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• Put physical safeguards in place, including removing or adjusting furniture that might contribute to falls and using barriers so that your child can't get to stairs and balconies on his own.
• From when he's a toddler, teach your child what he is not allowed to climb on. If your child loves climbing, provide lots of safe opportunities with trips to the playground.
• Keep a close eye on your child and other young children when they are trying out new physical and developmental skills such as pulling up to a standing position, climbing and jumping. This is the time when children are much more likely to have an accident.

Falls are one of the most common injuries around the house. They're a risk even from the time when babies are little and can't control their movements. As babies and children become more and more mobile, falls and bumps become more likely. But they aren't inevitable.Below are some ideas for reducing the likelihood and severity of any falls. But the most useful thing you can do is keep an eye on the new skills your child is learning, and the new places he can reach and get to – then, adjust your environment to take account of new dangers.

For information on preventing falls for older children, see playground safety and safety for bikes and other wheeled toys.

Tips for preventing falls at home

• Always keep a hand on your baby or use a harness if he is on a surface such as a change table or bed - you might not even know your baby can roll over until he rolls off the bed or another piece of furniture.
• Check that all furniture is sturdy enough that it can't be pulled over or topple over on a child. You may have to brace the furniture or attach it to the wall so that your child can't pull it on top of himself. As a last resort, move the furniture to a part of the house your child doesn't use, or put a barrier in place so he can't climb on it.
• Secure bookcases and cupboards to the wall so your child can't pull them over. Put the things your child wants to reach on the lowest levels so he is less tempted to try climbing up the furniture.
• Move, put away, or lock up anything like ladders and climbing frames that might be unsafe for a child to climb, or that can be used to get to unsafe places.
• Stop your child from standing up while you're bathing him – the bath is a very slippery place and even adults can fall in the bath quite easily.
• Put away toys at the end of the day so that your child (and adults) can go to the toilet at night without tripping over them.
• Wipe up spills on the floor as soon as possible. You could slip on them while carrying your baby, or a small child could slip and fall over.
• Rugs and floor coverings can slide around on the floor if a child runs over them. Lay anti-skid mats under your rugs and floor coverings, or roll them away.
• Once your baby can crawl around by himself it will be hard to keep him away from stairs. Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs, and keep these in place until your child is very good at walking up and down the stairs on his own. If you're carrying the baby, open the gate rather than stepping over it: gates are very easy to catch your foot on, and stepping over the gate sets a bad example for other children who may try to copy you.
• Move furniture with sharp corners – coffee tables, chairs, TV units – out of hallways and away from doorways and other areas where children run about. If furniture can't be moved, pad its corners with foam or commercial corner protectors (ask at a hardware shop).
• Install safety guards across the entry to any balconies, and always supervise small children on balconies.
• Look for balcony guardrails without horizontal bars or footholds a child could use to climb on. Narrow vertical bars or flat solid walls are best.
• Lock windows or shield them with screens so small children can’t climb or fall out. It pays to move chairs and pot plants away from them too – kids love to climb up so they can look out.
• If you have your own backyard play equipment, put it up in an area where the ground is relatively soft – over grass, for example – rather than near cement paths or patios.

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