Almost all accidents are avoidable through proper precautions. Carelessness has a direct relationship with accidents, while a careful attitude is inversely related to mishaps.
To begin with, when your child starts walking you must take immediate steps to child proof your home. Follows these simple instructions to make your nest safe for your young one.
'Child-Proofing' - Useful Tips
* Seal low placed electric points.
* Keep glass beads, coins, and pills out of reach.
* Plastic bags lying around the house are a known hazard and can cause suffocation if the child pulls the bag over his/her head.
* Keep children away while drinking hot beverages; most childhood burns occur due to spilling of hot tea or coffee.
* Keep containers of insecticides and floor cleaners in safe custody. Mark them with a red X, for easy identification.
* Remove sharp edged furniture.
* Place a soft mattress on the floor.
* Cover water tank to prevent drowning.
* Always keep the main door locked, and hang a chime from it. If your little Einstein somehow, manages to open the door, the chime will keep you informed. We are sure, you don't want a rerun of 'Baby's Day Out', with your child as the protagonist.
* Keep the first-aid kit and doctor's telephone number ready.
Later on when your child starts going out of the house also teach him/her the road safety rules, especially how to cross the road. Before giving your child a bicycle/motorbike give him a lesson on road sense, rules and responsibility. 'Speed Thrills but Kills', is a sticker we would like to popularise.
Keeping to the left is the first basic law of our land. Always coming to a dead stop when joining a main road can prevent many accidents. Make sure your adolescent daredevil two-wheeler rider always puts on a helmet before riding a bike. Most deaths can be prevented if two-wheeler riders have their heads protected.
Most middle-class households now own a car. Wearing seat belt has saved many a life during automobile accidents. Unfortunately seat belts in most Indian cars are unsuitable for small children. So don't let your small child sit in the front seat of the car. Parents should lead by example. They must always fasten their own seat belts.
Never let your child put his/her hand or head out of the window. This is a sure recipe for disaster.
Accidental burns due to spilling of hot water, tea, coffee, oil and other liquids can be prevented by placing stove, gas range or heater on a platform out of children's reach. Firecrackers on Diwali are a common source of burn injuries. Parents should guide the child buy right type of fireworks and should only allow them to light them under close supervision. Fireworks should always he purchased from licensed dealer. Always read the instructions for use before lighting an unfamiliar firecracker. Never bend over the firecracker - light it from the side and move away quickly once it is lit. Closefitting cotton clothes should be worn while lighting the firecrackers. Pour plenty of water in case of burn. Do not smear ointment, ghee, butter or other oily substances. Consult a doctor if burn are serious.
There is a long list of the type of accidents. Right from simple falls to drowning, from electric shocks at home to lighting strikes outdoors. From accidental poisoning to suffocation to insect bites, the list is really unending. But we all still manage to survive and propagate. Some by sheer luck, some by an attitude of prudence and carefulness.
Accident Proneness. Some children (for that matter even some adults) are more prone than others to get involved in all sorts of accidents. This awkwardness could be due to mishaps during birth, which causes minimal brain damage at the time of delivery and leads to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at a later age. Neurological disorganization in hyperactive children can cause coordination problems. The inability to curb motor drives, along with the inability to interpret the sensory messages from the environment can cause theses children to bang into doors, spill milk, fall down the stairs, get cut and bruised frequently.
Mind you! These children are not stupid. Some defect in the association pathways of their brains may be responsible for their accident proneness. It can be corrected with nervous system stimulation using the crawling/creeping technique that encourages the formation of connections in the midbrain. Vestibular stimulation (spinning about in a circle) helps certain children overcome their awkwardness.
