Child Safety

Injury Prevention can happen anywhere and all the time, learn how you can help.

About

Did you know that more children die each year in Canada from injuries than from all diseases combined? This is why we at BC Children's Hospital are interested not only in treating injuries, but in preventing them.

Many injuries don't just happen; they are not "accidents." Most injuries are predictable and preventable. Injury prevention experts believe that up to 90% of all injuries can be prevented!

Quiz

Safe Start has put together these questions to test your child health and safety knowledge. For fun, jot down the number you answer correctly. Just click on the slide to advance to the next one. Ready? Start here!

When you're enjoying the many activities Springtime has to offer, keep these safety tips for children in mind.

Safety Tips

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these safety tips

Playground Safety

Before heading out to the playground this spring, read Before heading about playground safety from Parachute (our national injury prevention organization).

Trampolines

We see hundreds of kids every year in our emergency departments with injuries from indoor and outdoor trampolines. Of course we want to encourage physical activity and being outdoors, but we also want parents and caregivers to err on the side of caution, and take as many precautions as possible to limit preventable injuries related to trampoline use.

The most common injuries regarding outdoor trampolines involve jumping or falling off the trampoline, often as a result of double being double bounced by someone. 80% of injuries in kids on trampolines occur when two or more children are on the trampoline at the same time.

Helmet Use

Whether you are cycling, skating, skiing or boarding, everyone should be wearing a helmet.

Our friends at Preventable have launched thier Have a Word with Yourself Campaign to reach Canadian youth about the improtance of helmet safety. Read more about it here: Calling all youth

Too Hot for Tots!

Burns are a leading cause of injury for children under the age of five. To help prevent childhood burn injuries, we have produced the Too Hot for Tots! program, with resources, for parents and for organizations who work with families of young children. This program has been moved to the BC Professional Fire Fighters Association Burn Fund website.

Resources

Give your child a safe start (video)

This program helps parents and caregivers learn how to prevent injuries and keep children safe. Click here to view. Produced in 2011, parents and caregivers will learn about preventing falls, burns and scalds, poisoning, choking, also safety in the car, product safety, water safety and safe sleeping. The video can be viewed in "play all" mode or viewed by injury prevention topic.

Give your child a safe start (booklet)

24 pages. This booklet,written in plain language, and using
images from the Give Your Child a Safe Start
video, help reinforce safety messages found
in the video, described above.

Home safety checklist

Not sure how to make your home safe and injury free for your child? Safe Start's Home Safety Checklist can help. The checklist is also available in:

Fireplace safety

Stay warm and safe with Safe Start's Fireplace Safety Tips (updated March 2011)

Fireplace safety tips also available in:

Injury prevention organizations and resouces

Active and Safe Choose your activity, be informed, prevent injury, stay active and safe.

BC Drug and Poison Information Centre For drug and poison prevention tips and 24 hour toll-free advice.

BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit This research program based at Children's works with communities across BC to implement injury data collection and control strategies.

Brain Trust Canada A progressive community rehabilitation agency dedicated to maximizing independence, capitalizing on natural support systems and being a leader in injury prevention initiatives.

Canada Safety Council Canada’s voice and resource for safety.

Caring for Kids An excellent resource for parents on childhood injury prevention, sun safety, health, and disease prevention. Developed by the Canadian Pediatric Society.

The Community Against Preventable Injuries A province-wide, multi-partner organization designed to raise awareness, transform attitudes, and ultimately change behaviours.

Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT) is an online site of modules for professionals, parents, coaches and caregivers to recognize, diagnose, treat, and manage concussion at all ages and stages.

Parachute A national, charitable organization, formed in July 2012, which unites the former organizations of Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada into one strong leader in injury prevention.

St. John’s Ambulance this site offers information on first aid training and safety.

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Provincial Health Services Authority