THE DEATH of a child is a parent’s worst nightmare, yet every year it becomes a tragic reality for hundreds of people.

A day at the seaside turned to disaster last month when 10-year-old Wayne Adams from Whitehaven drowned after trying to save his 11-year-old brother Jason when they got into trouble in the sea.

Three year-old Dearham toddler Michael Keenan Hadley lost his life in July last year when he accidently fell into a garden fish pond at the house of family friends, and in the same month 15-year-old Chris Castle, from Harelaw, near Canonbie, drowned at Penton bridge - a local beauty sport popular with swimmers, which spans the River Liddel between Longtown and Canonbie.

Around 350 children will die in accidents and a further two million will be rushed to A&E departments in the UK over the next 12 months, according to latest figures from The Child Accident Prevention Trust.

Falls, burns and scalds are among the most serious domestic accidents.

At least one child under five is admitted to hospital with scalds caused by bath water on a daily basis, and eight children under five drown in garden ponds every year.

Andrea Manson, health and safety auditor with Cumbria County Council’s social services health and safety unit, said: “You can’t wrap children in cotton wool, but you can make sure they are safe by being aware of the risks.

“The most simple, common sense precautions are often the ones that will save a child life.”

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

KAREN Blanchette, spokeswoman for The Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents (RoSPA), says: “We know that 80 per cent of drownings in garden ponds happen in other people’s gardens, where the child is unfamiliar with the immediate environment.

“Children are usually attracted to water as they see it as a great adventure and they can easily squeeze through broken panels in fences or gaps in hedges to neighbouring ponds or pools.

“Children can drown in two inches of water, so it’s essential to keep an eye on them at all times because they have no way of assessing any risks themselves.”

Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death among the under 16s, according to RoSPA.

“Water might look safe but it can be dangerous, and even if you swim well in a warm, indoor pool, it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to swim in cold, outdoor water which saps your stamina and strength.”

A spokesperson for RoSPA said supervising youngsters is essential.

“If you are taking young children to a beach or outdoor pool, then you must be prepared to be lifeguard for the day.

“Children can drown very quickly and silently without any screaming or splashing around.”

• Make sure that there are no broken panels or gaps in fences and hedges
• Fill the garden pond with cement, concrete or turn it into a sand pit until the child is old enough to understand the dangers of water
• If you have a paddling pool and the door or phone goes, always make sure that you get the children out of the pool and take them with you. Never leave them unsupervised.
• Always empty the paddling pool at the end of every day and turn it upside down.
• Make sure that buckets, pots or wheelbarrows that could fill up with water are emptied or overturned
• Keep sheds locked and secure because they are usually full of garden tools and chemicals.
• Make sure the plants in your garden are family-friendly - some can be poisonous if eaten.
• Keep washing lines above children’s head height

THE LIVING ROOM

ANDREA Manson of Cumbria County Council said: “There are all sorts of dangers indoors to be aware of.

“Plastic socket covers in electrical sockets will prevent children sticking pens and pencils into them, and use a fire guard to stop children falling into the fireplace.”

• Always have a working smoke alarm that is regularly tested
• Keep all matches and lighters out of sight of children at all times
• Fit fireguards over grates and around gas fires

Make sure that toys, especially near stairs, are safely put away every evening since trips, slips and falls are the biggest cause of domestic accidents. Try to get the children to pick up as they go along

Trim blind and curtain cords to a length well out of children’s reach - young children have been hanged after getting caught up in very long cords

“Under-fives are most at risk from scalding and around 35,000 children under four are taken to hospital every year as a result of scalds.”

• Use a kettle with a coiled lead rather than a short lead
• If you are cooking, make sure pan handles aren’t sticking out - they should face the cooker
• Always make sure that sharp knives and scissors are safely put away out of reach
• Lock bleach and chemicals away in a secure cupboard
• Never, ever decant chemicals into old bottles because children can become confused and think that it is something to drink

• Fit a stair gate on all stairs, top and bottom
• Lock away pills or medication in a secure medicine cabinet
• Many mouthwashes contain alcohol - children will often imitate their parents by drinking it so do ensure that it is kept well out of reach
• Never leave a child unsupervised in a bath seat and always follow the manufacturers instructions
• Don’t place any furniture under windowsills as the child could clamber onto them and open the window
• Fit locks on every window
• Invest in a bath plug which changes colour according to water temperature

CHILD SAFETY - THE FACTS

• Every day 6,500 children aged 14 years and under end up in A&E
• Every year around 25,000 under-fives are rushed to hospital because it is thought they’ve swallowed something harmful
  
• In 2002, around 33,000 children under five were rushed to hospital after falling down a flight of stairs
• The majority of accidents to children aged five and under happen in the home
• Boys over nine months are around twice as likely to suffer accidents
• Children from economically deprived backgrounds are much more likely to die as a result of an accident than those in more wealthy families