From the time your child is born, he will grow and develop quickly.  Your baby will learn to roll, crawl, walk and climb. Each new ability helps your child learn about his body and explore his world.

From birth to age 5, children are at risk of becoming seriously injured in a fall as physical skills develop before understanding of risks. In Winnipeg, falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalization in children under 9 years of age. Common injuries include head injury, concussion or broken bones. How and where a fall happens depends on the child’s age.

Your child’s age determines what puts her at risk of falling:

  • The most common reason that newborn babies fall is when they are accidentally dropped by a parent or caregiver. See Preventing Falls in Newborns, for more information.
  • In the first year, falls tend to happen around the home.  Babies commonly fall from adult beds, change tables, sofas, cribs, high chairs, counter tops or down the stairs.
  • As your toddler grows, becomes increasingly curious and can run, climb and explore, there is a higher chance of falling from a height.
  • As children grow from being a toddler to a preschooler, playgrounds become great places to play and be active. For this age group playground injuries are a leading cause of injury that sends young children to emergency departments.
 
Print Friendly, PDF & Email