Data published by the Cooperative Extension of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) captures how the leading cause of disability or death among young children are injuries. How they become hurt varies depending on a child’s age. Many of their injuries are completely preventable.
The USDA’s data shows that most children’s accidents occur because the kids involved were inadequately supervised by their adult caregivers. Those same statistics show that school-aged kids are at a particularly high risk of being struck by a car while crossing the street. Preschoolers are particularly susceptible to drowning. Toddlers are vulnerable to being poisoned.
Playgrounds are particularly dangerous for children. Many kids get injured at them because they wander beyond the safe area where they should play. The surfaces that surround these areas also often aren’t as soft as they should be to adequately cushion a child’s fall. Children also get hurt at playgrounds because they’re allowed to use equipment that’s not age-appropriate for them.
Children often drown because they’re left unattended in or around pools or bodies of water. Many caregivers do this because they don’t think that they can drown in such shallow water or in the short time that it will take them to complete a certain task. Children are attracted to bodies of water that have toys left in them. They can easily drown in just a few inches of water.
Many parents think that their child is safe indoors, but that’s not necessarily the case. There are many potentially deadly hazards inside as well.
Children tend to want to open up cabinets. They may encounter cleaning products and medications in your bathroom or kitchen when they do so. Kids also have the potential of choking on small objects or being cut by breakable ones if left unattended. Sharp-edged or unanchored furniture can injure them. Staircases or open balconies can also be dangerous if a child gains access to them.
We as parents can teach our kids the difference between right and wrong. We can’t expect them to know what’s the best option every time though. If your son or daughter’s caregiver’s negligence resulted in them getting hurt, then a child injury attorney in Waco can advise you of your right to recover the costs for any injury-related expenses that you’ve amassed here in Texas.