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Health Department launches new resource to help reduce injuries among young children

June 17, 2015

The Regional Municipality of Durham – Durham Region Health Department is launching a new resource and public awareness campaign entitled ā€œKeeping Kids Safeā€ to highlight the topic of injury prevention among children from birth to four-years old. This awareness campaign will include advertising and social media components, running in June and July across Durham Region.

Research has shown that injuries are the leading cause of trips to the hospital for young children and falls are the top reason for these visits. ā€œParents want their children to be safe and grow up happy and healthy,ā€ explained Lynn Ryan, a public health nurse with the Health Department. ā€œBabies and young children from birth to four-years old are more likely to be injured in the home than any other age group because they grow and learn new skills quickly, and enjoy exploring their surroundings.

ā€œSupervision is the best way to prevent child injuries,ā€ added Ms. Ryan. ā€œIn addition to supervision, parents can also make small changes to their home to keep their children safe. Examples of some ideas to improve home safety include using safety gates on stairs, lowering the temperature of the hot water tank and keeping poisonous items out of reach or locked away. Our new resource offers parents tips on how they can make their home safer and also includes a child home safety checklist that can help you keep track of safety concerns.ā€

For more information on preventing child injuries, or to obtain a free copy of the ā€œKeeping Kids Safeā€ resource, please call Durham Health Connection Line at 905-666-6241 or 1-800-841-2729. 

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