As babies gain movement (rolling, crawling, walking) they explore their world — a wonderful but risky phase. The good news: most injuries in young children are preventable with simple measures.
This content is educational. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
Falls
- Never leave a baby alone on a high surface (changing table, bed, sofa) — not even for a second.
- Put safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
- Fit window locks/restrictors; don't place climbable furniture by windows.
- Baby walkers aren't recommended — risky for both falls and development.
Drowning
- Never leave a baby alone in the bath, even for a moment; even a few centimetres of water is a risk.
- Block access to buckets, basins and pools.
Choking
- Don't give small, hard or round foods (whole grapes, nuts, hard sweets).
- Keep small toy parts and batteries (especially button batteries) out of reach.
- Don't leave a baby unsupervised while eating.
Poisoning
- Keep medicines, cleaning products and cosmetics locked and high up.
- Store them in original packaging; never in food containers.
Burns
- Keep hot drinks/pan handles out of reach.
- Check bath water yourself first (cold first, then hot).
- Use socket covers and cable tidies.
Car seat
- Use an age/weight-appropriate car seat on every trip, even short ones.
- Keep babies rear-facing for as long as possible.
- The safest place is the back seat; secure the seat per the manufacturer's instructions.
General principle
Scan your home from the baby's point of view by "getting down to their level": anything they can reach can go in the mouth or topple onto them. Reassess safety as development advances.