A SAFETY campaign this week will aim to cut the number of Wirral children who are accidentally poisoned at home.

On average, one youngster under five is rushed into the Accident and Emergency (A & E) Department at Arrowe Park Hospital every day after eating or drinking a poisonous substance.

These figures mirror national statistics, which predict that one child in five aged under 16 will need medical attention for a preventable condition.

The problem will be highlighted this week, Child Safety Week, when Wirral health professionals will urge parents to be more safety conscious at work, home and in the garden.

Secure storage of everyday items like perfume, alcohol, disinfectant and cleaning fluid will be spotlighted by hospital staff and health visitors.

Road safety is another issue to be given high profile, particularly since the recent deaths of an eight year-old and four teenagers in traffic accidents in Neston.

The most vulnerable group is seen as 10 and 11-year-olds who are moving up into secondary education and beginning to gain independence. Many suffer head injuries after tumbles from bicycles.

Safety in the sun will also be highlighted .

Families who attend the A and E Department will be given safety guidelines by nurses from Wirral Hospital NHS Trust and health visitors from the Wirral and West Cheshire Community NHS Trust.

The joint initiative, under the banner 'Check In and Check Out', aims to alert parents to potential problems - particularly over the school Summer holidays.

Staff will operate an information stand on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week and plan to talk to both adults and children about what they perceive to be safety issues.

Primary children are also to be urged to enter a prize painting competition and entries will be displayed in the hospital and health clinics. Their views of safety and danger will be noted for research purposes.

Said Mary Render, one of six community health visitors involved with the campaign: "In our opinion, safety issues are not well addressed, particularly when children are moving up from primary to secondary school.

"They are given low priority until something goes tragically wrong. Road safety is an issue which has been highlighted by local residents. We are hoping to help parents become aware.

"We are also hoping to encourage relatives to be more safety conscious. Sometimes children can take tablets brought into the home by visitors who leave them in their handbags, for instance."

Another key organiser, Emergency Nurse Practitioner Chris Carrabine from Arrowe Park's A and E Department, pointed out: "Children will eat anything.

"Multi-vitamins can look like sweets. Bottles of bleach can look like lemonade, particularly if they are not stored in the correct bottle. We are trying to make parents aware of possible hazards."

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