The warning was given earlier this week by Katrina Phillips, chief executive of the Child Accident Prevention Trust, at the start of Child Safety Week, which runs until 27 June. The week's theme is the accidental poisoning of children under the age of five. According to the Trust, each year in the UK around 25,000 children under five are rushed to A&E departments with fears that they have swallowed harmful substances.
Ms Phillips said, 'For toddlers, bottles and packs of colourful pills are a devil's sweetshop. Just five paracetamol can put a toddler at risk of liver damage. And just a few mouthfuls of toilet cleaner will cause internal bleeding.'
She called on parents and carers to ensure that all medicines and household chemicals are either locked away or kept well out of sight and reach of children. Ms Phillips also warned them not to be lulled into a false sense of security by relying on child-resistant containers and tops on medicine bottles and household chemicals because 'child-resistant containers are not child-proof'.
Ms Phillips also highlighted the need for parents and carers to undertake simple checks around the home and outdoor spaces to ensure children can explore without danger.
She said, 'We encourage children to explore and take risks, because it is a natural part of growing up. However, the fact remains that over the next 12 months around 250 children will be killed in accidents.'
