Monday, November 24, 2008

Helping your child through her accident-prone years – 1

Accidents in the home are the most common cause of injury or even death of a healthy child. As a parent, you need to take necessary safety precautions.

Young children are naturally impulsive and have very short memories. They seldom learn from one bad experience. Neither do they heed your warnings the first time. Children, therefore, need repeated instructions and guidance rather than over-protection and restriction.

The first two years of a child’s life are often referred to as accident-prone years. Bringing your child through his period is a very challenging task.

Make your Home Baby-Safe

Because children spend most of their first few years at home, that’s where the majority of accidents occur. You need to go through your house, one room at a time. Think of possible hazards and make it as baby-safe as possible. As different ages bring different dangers, you also need to be aware of hazards specific to each stage.

For the very young baby, accidents are less likely to occur. However, a parent still needs to be aware of certain dangers. For example, and older brother or sister may vent his jealousy on the baby. Or a well-intentioned cuddle may carry the risk of suffocation. So older siblings should never be left alone with babies. If not correctly chosen, equipment and toys can also be a source of extreme danger to a young baby. All cribs, cots, baby chairs, etc., should meet recognized safely standards (that is, they must have no sharp edges or projections, and they must be strong or stable to prevent falls.)

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