Child Safety Week 2007

"Safer children, healthier lives. Pass it on" is the theme for this year's Child Safety Week, which runs from Monday 18th to Sunday 24th June.

The event aims to raise awareness of child accident prevention and give parents, carers, children and young people the knowledge and skills they need to prevent serious injuries. Nationally nearly 300 children and young people are admitted to hospital every day because of accidents and, tragically, every week four children die.

Across Hastings and Rother, displays will be in clinics and all Children's Centres from Monday and parents will have the chance to win pampering products by completing a crossword at one of the venues.

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In preparation for the week, workers looked at Accident & Emergency data for children under five from the Conquest Hospital, with some surprising results. They found that reasons for attending included beads and raisins up noses, foil, earrings and crisps in ears and the accidental swallowing of coins, tablets and medicine.

Helen Wolstenholme, Health Promotion Co-ordinator for Children's Centres,

said: "This information from the Conquest is interesting, as it shows the most unlikely things such as crisps and foil can end up causing all sorts of problems for very young children. The accidental swallowing of tablets and medicines is a real cause for concern as these can cause significant illness.

''However, it's important to stress that this week isn't about wrapping children in cotton wool or stopping them from doing things, it's about taking steps to prevent avoidable accidents.

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"In Hastings and Rother we already hold home safety sessions, which all first time parents are invited to attend. These are run in partnership with East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and provide advice on a whole range of home safety issues. But if anyone has specific questions or would like further information around child safety, they're welcome to contact their health visitor or Children's Centre."