Infants are injury-prone right from the day they are born and it gets worse as soon as they learn to move, crawl and walk. They get so curious about their environment so they tend to pull, grab, touch and eat anything and everything as long as it is within their reach. As a parent it is important that you pay attention to them, getting everything that could hurt them away from them. Remove everything that could injure or hurt your little one. In this article, we have stated examples of some common childhood emergencies, including how they’re most likely to happen, and tips for how to avoid them.
For children around 0-1-year-old, the leading cause of death is drowning, unintentional injury and airway obstruction. This kills about 12,000 children every year.
If you don’t make it a big deal, it will usually end before school age. Try the following strategies to help you deal with your child’s picky eating behaviour in a positive way. Don’t force a meal or a snack on your child, likewise, don’t bribe your child to eat certain foods or clean his or her plate. This might ignite a struggle over food. Also, your child may experience anxiety or become less sensitive to his or her own hunger. Serve small portions to avoid overwhelming your child, giving them the chance to independently ask for more. Serve meals and snacks at the same time daily. If he or she chooses not to eat a meal, a regular snack time will be an opportunity to eat nutritious foods, but you will have to be careful because allowing your child to fill up on juice, milk, and snacks will reduce their appetite for meals Be patient with new foods. Encourage your child by talking about a food’s colour, shape, aroma and texture — not whether it tastes good. Serve new foods along with your child’s favourite foods. Keep serving your child healthy choices until they become familiar and preferred. Be a good role model. Try the new foods yourself so you can describe their taste, texture and smell to your child. Make it fun!!! Serve veggies with a favourite sauce or side dish. Cutting cookies into different shapes and sizes will make your child anticipate meals. Serve a variety of brightly coloured fruits. Let your child assist you while grocery shopping for fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods. Don’t buy anything you don’t want your child to eat. At home, encourage your child to help you rinse the veggies and set the table. Minimize distractions by putting off the television and any other gadget during meals. This would her him or her focus on eating. Note that, television ads can encourage your child to love sugary, less nutritious foods.
Burns Poisoning Drowning Falls Choking Strangulation Suffocation Nose injuries Cuts and scratches Eye injuries Bites Car injuries
Accidents involving improperly installed car seats. Kids of all ages who are not strapped into their seats correctly are five times more likely to be injured or killed in an accident. Suffocation under pillows, stuffed animals or blankets. Keep the cot clear of toys and consider using an infant sleeping bag instead of blankets to keep your baby warm when sleeping. Falls from changing tables and infant seats. Never leave a baby unattended on a changing table, and don’t allow your baby to sit in a baby seat on an elevated surface. Pinched limbs and fingers. Always trim and cut their nails. Scalds from the hot bathwater. Lower the temperature on your geyser thermostat to prevent this from happening and always take care to check the water temperature. Sunburns. Keep your child well covered in clothes and sunscreen when you’re outdoors.
Falls – from high chairs, ride-on toys, strollers, and while learning to walk – are perhaps the single most common cause of injury among small children, resulting in cuts, scratches, sprains and fractures. Choking on toys and other small objects like coins, bottle tops, deflated balloons, marbles, batteries and grapes. Batteries, in particular, can be very dangerous, especially if swallowed, so ensure that these are kept well out of your little one’s reach. Items stuck in ears or nostrils, including peas, pebbles and bits of styrofoam. Don’t try to remove them yourself – you’re likely to push them in even further. Go straight to a doctor instead. Electrical burns from wall sockets and exposed wiring. Cuts from sharp edges and corners on furniture, walls, toys and broken objects. Strangulation by strings, necklaces, electrical cords, ribbons, drawstrings on clothes, and window blinds. Keep these well out of your little one’s reach. Burns and scalds from hot beverages, steaming pots, heaters, fireplaces and stoves. Suffocation from plastic bags pulled overheads.
