PLAY IT SAFE (#1)

Play it Safe

Children go through many development stages as they grow. It is important to keep in mind that safety policies change according to the age of children and must be modified as time passes. It is also important that safety responsibility is taught so that every parent will be updated on the do’s and don’ts of child safety. (Robertson, C. 2016, p.49). To assume that teaching child safety is an easy task is a misnomer. Most parents become so comfortable in their home environment they do not observe the potential danger zones. Robertson (2016) teaches that It is imperative for all parents to participate in modifying and monitoring their home environment, inside and outside, for safety assurance and quality.

Two-thirds of early childhood education programs were reported as unsafe in a study conducted in 300 centers throughout the United States. All types of child care have many safety hazards and an alarming number of infants and toddlers are in unsafe settings (NAEYC, 2010). Injury prevention strategies require actions including education and environmental modifications (Robertson, 2016).

Our own home territory could become a pitfall that may pose a risk for infants that creep and crawl. Parents need to consider safety devices as their children grow more rapidly into this stage. Safety gates will become a must and closed doors. Safety latches will need to be placed on cabinet doors and drawers. As infants become a more agile baby using their hands and fingers, all things grabbed and picked up will be placed in the mouth for exploration…a baby’s favorite way of exploring objects. (Robertson, C. 2016, p.51).

Hazardous situations or safety threats can be observed not only in our home but in caregiver’s homes and daycare establishments. It is important to discuss infant and child safety to all those involved in the rearing of your children. Dangerous situations can be avoided by attending to constant care and never allowing an infant out of your eyesight. Dangerous situations may also be avoided by educating ourselves of certain situations.

Most babies begin to crawl around 8 months or earlier. This means a crawling baby will begin pulling themselves up by hanging on to furniture, walls and other surfaces that can be used for leverage.  It is a fact that an infant can go from point A to point B in the blink of an eye. Parents should place themselves on the floor in a sitting position, or even try crawling, to be in the bird’s eye view an infant sees and observe the potential hazards that need to be addressed. (Childproofing checklist: Before your baby crawls, 2016)

There are many ways in which an infant can get hurt or fatally injured. Listed below are 5 common potentially child safety risks all parents and caregivers must be aware of.  

Falls:

·         Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury for all children, and children under the age of four are at the greatest risk for falls. Falls are the most common source of injury in the early childhood education setting, and 60 percent of the products used in fall zones for indoor equipment do not meet national standards (Robertson, 2016).

• Never leave your baby alone on a bed, infant seat or changing table. (Robertson, C. 2016, p.82). Even if you look away for just a second, an accident can and will happen. Be pro-active and place cushion, such as a swim noodle, on hard edges and sharp corners of your furniture. Or if possible, just omit the piece of furniture while your baby is busy developing and building their physical and cognitive skills. Most of all, anchor any piece of furniture an infant may use as leverage to sit or stand up, such as a DVD rack or bookcase. (Baby-safety, n.d.) Put up toddler gates on stairways or any split-level areas located within your home too.

Choking/suffocation:

·         Babies should sleep on a firm, flat mattresses to lessen the risk of entrapment or heavy covering. (Hooten, 2011). Parents, teachers, and other caregivers should avoid placing infants on beanbags, sheepskins, synthetic pillows, and foam pads, either alone or covered with a comforter. All stuffed animals or soft toys should be removed from the crib or sleeping area.

• Since baby’s place everything in their mouths, it is important to buy toys larger than two inches in diameter. A baby’s crib should be free of any plastics or pillows. And make sure the crib slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart from each other.  Daily, do a walk through and check the floors and reachable areas for small objects.  Pins, coins, lint, dog hair, paper, and buttons could all potentially be a choking hazard. Don’t feed your baby raw veggies, nuts, hard candy, popcorn, and other foods that are difficult to chew and swallow. (Robertson, C. 2016, p.82).  

Poisons:

• Since all babies discover a lot of their world through what goes into their mouths, it is important to keep locks on all cabinets and drawers that contain any toxic products. Move household cleaning agents, cosmetics, hand sanitizers, mothballs, dishwasher and washing machine pods and medicines out of reach or lock them up. Rid your home of toxic houseplants such as a philodendron and poinsettia, or remove them from any area the baby will be around.  When visitors come over hang out, make sure all purses and jackets are moved out of reach because most purses hold medicines, toiletries, and many other dangers. The most important thing to do is post the American Association of Poison Control Center national emergency hotline number near all phones. (800) 222-1222. (Childproofing checklist: Before your baby crawls, 2016)

Pets:

By far most family pets are dogs and cats. Children should never be left alone with a dog. Even the most loving dogs may bite if annoyed, frightened or hurt. Most dog bites to children are caused by the family dog (33%) or a dog known to the family. Most often the child was teasing, biting or grabbing the dog, often when the dog was sleeping or eating.  (The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, n.d.)

Toys:

• Your baby loves putting toys into his/her mouth. This could lead to a potential choke hazard or even a poison hazard. Toys should all be large and unbreakable. Soft and smooth toys that are bigger than your baby’s mouth is the best choice of toy to offer your baby. (Robertson, C. 2016, p.82). Each parent or caregiver must inspect an infant’s toys often to make sure nothing is breaking off or it is not coming apart inside the baby’s mouth. When using a toy chest to store toys between play, make sure there is no lid to fall on a baby’s head or hands.

Baths:

• Never ever leave a baby unattended in a bathtub or during a bath. It is imperative to always supervise a baby’s bath beginning with bath water temperature. (Robertson, C. 2016, p.82). Babies can drown very quickly. All it takes is a split second and a very small amount of water. Parents need to be aware that children can slip easily out of the bath seats or the suction cups can detach from the tub and the baby can tip over and become trapped underwater. (Bath Seats, n.d.) It is best to use a dishpan or infant tub with a non-skid bottom, while you are hands-on always, to assure your baby’s safety during bath time. (Home Safety for Infants and Toddlers: Nationwide Children's Hospital, n.d.)

The best way to keep your infants safe is with constant visual supervision. If you are having to leave your infants with a caregiver, it is important that you discuss your concerns about how your child will receive constant visual supervision by the caregiver themselves or staff. Your baby’s life is as important as yours. You would not throw yourself out of a plane without a parachute, so don’t expect your baby to begin their path to growth without their safety nets. Prepare, be constantly aware, and always pay attention.

References

Baby-safety. (n.d.). Retrieved from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/baby-safety#4

Bath Seats. (n.d.). Retrieved from Kidsindanger.org: http://www.kidsindanger.org/product-hazards/bath-seats/

Childproofing checklist: Before your baby crawls. (2016, September). Retrieved from Babyenter.com: https://www.babyenter.com/0_childproofing-checklist-before-your-baby-crawls_9446.bc

Home Safety for Infants and Toddlers: Nationwide Children's Hospital. (n.d.). Retrieved from Nationwide Children's Hospital: www.nationwidechildrens.org/home-safety-for-infants-and-toddlers

Hooten, A. (2011). Sleep: Sound and safe. Healthy Child Care, 14(1). Retrieved January 20, 2011, from www.healthychild.net /volume14.php

NAEYC (2010). A call for excellence in early childhood education. Retrieved September 30, 2010, from www.naeyc.org /policy/excellence

Robertson, C. (2016). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Children_and_Safety_with_Pets/

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