Keeping the Post-Diaper Crowd Safe From Injury
Have you ever tried to open a cabinet with a child safety lock on it? Then you probably know about the inconvenience and expense that parents are willing to endure to protect their infants and toddlers against accidental injuries.
New parents cover electrical outlets, pad sharp corners of coffee tables, lock up closets with toxic cleaning agents and gate off parts of their homes to keep children out of harm’s way.
When the children are a little older and more independent, many parents let their guard down. The latches and locks are removed from the cabinets, the detergents and cleaning agents go back under the sink, the gates come down. Unfortunately, that’s when accidents can begin. The message that many parents learn too late: Baby proofing isn’t just for babies.
Injuries are the leading killer of children in the United States. More children die each year of traffic injuries, falls, burns, drownings, choking, unintentional shootings and poisonings than from all diseases combined. With those statistics in mind, here are some things you can do in and around your home to reduce the risk of an injury to your children:
* Burn injuries are common once children are old enough to turn knobs and faucets themselves and tall enough to reach danger. You can reduce the risk of scald burns by turning down the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees, and installing anti-scald devices on faucets throughout the house. To prevent cooking burns, use only the back burners on your stove when heating foods and--if you have an oven with upper and lower compartments--use the upper one for baking or broiling. When it’s time to serve the foods, keep hot dishes far back on the counter, and always warn your children that the pot or pan is hot.
* Guns are another cause of serious injury and death after the toddler years. Most children are extremely curious about guns. They usually do not understand how easily they can go off or the real consequences of shooting one. Don’t fool yourself, either, into believing you can protect your child by hiding a gun or moving it to a high shelf. Kids quickly learn how to reach high places by moving a chair or climbing on a piece of furniture, and “safe” hiding places are frequently discovered. The only way to protect children is to keep unloaded guns and ammunition in separate, securely locked locations.
* Dangers lurk outside your home as well. Swimming pools pose a risk to children of any age, even if they know how to swim. Children should never be allowed in or around a pool unless a strong adult swimmer is present to supervise their activities. No matter how safe it seems to leave them alone briefly--for example, to answer the phone or grab something to eat in the kitchen--children should never be left unwatched. In no time, a child can dive into shallow water, fall on a slippery deck or get trapped under pool toys. (At public pools or the beach, don’t relinquish your responsibility for watching children to the lifeguards; they cannot possibly watch every child all the time.)
* Children should not be allowed to jump on top of one another or play roughly in the water. A child who is forced underwater may panic and, in at attempt to come up for air, pull other children under. If children want to “get physical,” make them get out of the water and away from the pool to do it.
* Car safety remains critical as children grow up. A simple rule to start with: Never put your car in motion--even in your own driveway--until all children are properly restrained in the back seat. When a child is around 4 years of age, the car seat can be replaced with a booster seat (most booster seats are recommended for children weighing at least 40 pounds). The booster seat elevates the child, allowing the car’s seat belt to be positioned safely, and should be used on every ride until the child is about 8.
Even when your car is parked, don’t take your child’s safety for granted. The primary rule to follow: Never leave children alone in a car. Aside from the obvious--though remote--danger of abduction, interior temperatures can quickly reach dangerously high levels during warm weather. Even with the windows open a crack, it’s a dangerous place for children, who become overheated more easily than adults.
* Once children learn to ride a bike or cross the street by themselves, cars present a new kind of danger. Children should be taught to cross the street only at corners or designated crosswalks, to strictly obey traffic signals and to look in all directions from which traffic could be coming.
Setting a good example is one of the best ways to ensure that your instructions are followed. Teach children how to ride bikes safely, and don’t allow your child to ride without a bicycle helmet. (The Department of Transportation provides excellent information on bicycle safety at its Web site at https://www.dot.gov. Look for the bicycle safety category.)
These simple precautions, consistently applied, can significantly reduce your child’s risk of a serious injury or death. Another benefit of taking these protective measures: You may actually be able to stop worrying about them a bit.
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Dr. Jonathan Fielding is the director of public health and the health officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Dr. Valerie Ulene is a board-certified specialist in preventive medicine practicing in Los Angeles. Send questions by e-mail to ourhealth@dhs.co.la.ca.us. Their column appears the second and fourth Mondays of the month.
