Wellness Blog

Make Our Home and Environment Safe for Our Children

1. Each year, many people succumb to accidents, and almost a third of these are children under 18 years of age.

2. Accidents are also an important cause of serious injuries and disabilities.

3. Fortunately, most accidents and injuries are preventable.

4. By taking simple precautions, parents can make their home and environment safe for their child

Infants and Toddlers

Fall Prevention

1. Parents of children who live in high-rise buildings should take all possible precautions to prevent falls. Never compromise safety for aesthetics.

2. Always supervise small children, especially if windows are open.

3. Avoid placing furniture, on which children may climb, near windows or on balconies.

4. Prefer using window grills rather than fixed grills. Remember that windows are an important route of escape in the event of a fire.

5. Discourage or prohibit children from playing on roofs and balconies, especially those that are not adequately fenced.

6. Encourage the use of ground-level safe play areas, such as public parks and playgrounds.

7. Prevent falls from beds by keeping railings on infant beds.

Prevention of Aspriration and Choking

1. Infants cannot chew hard foods well and are at risk for aspirating them i.e. food can go down into the windpipe and choke the child.

2. Foods like nuts should be given only in a crushed form to infants under 3 years.

3. Never leave small objects like beads, coin batteries, or toys with small removable parts near infants.

Prevention of Burn Injury

1. During baths, the temperature of the water should be checked to make sure it is not too hot.

2. During meals, keep infants away from hot foods and drinks.

3. Never carry a baby while drinking hot drinks.

4. Children should not be allowed to play in the kitchen area.

5. Electric irons should always be out of reach of infants.

6. Supervised use of firecrackers is strongly recommended.

Prevention of Poisoning

1. Medicines and household products should be always outreach of children, especially those that come with attractive packs or colored solutions with sweet odors.

2. Never use bottles that usually contain edibles e.g. soft drink or milk bottles to store other chemicals e.g. phenyl or massage oils or kerosene.

Traffic and Road Safety

1. Use of seat belts and car seats for infants at times.

2. Never let a child play near a street. They may dart into the traffic without thinking.

3. Children should be permitted to cross streets only after teaching them the basics of traffic safety.

4. Ensuring safety while traveling is just as important as at home. For example, parents can invest in custom t shirts for their children that feature bright colors or reflective elements, making them more visible to drivers.

Prevention of Electrial Shock and Burns

1.Electrical sockets should be taped or sealed or plugged

Prevention of Drowning

1. Parents are advised to never leave infants in the bathtub or near buckets without constant adult supervision.

2. Young children should never swim unsupervised even with floats or guards.

Prevention of Animal Bites

1. Pet lovers should be stressed the importance of immunizing their pets.

2. Children should be taught not to tease or have contact with stray animals.

3. Children should be taught how to approach and handle pet animals Even though the principal and school staff oversee keeping kids safe at school, it's also your job as a parent to teach your children how to stay safe.

Road and Traffic Safety

1. With young children, parents should walk on the pavement facing oncoming traffic.

2. A parent should walk how to cross the road: To look right, look left and again right before crossing the road.

3. Children do not have an adequate judgment of distances and speeds.

4. Use Seat belts at all times.

5. Approved bicycle helmets if available should be worn on every bike ride.

Water Safety

1. Children 5 years of age and older should be taught to swim and, at the same time, taught appropriate rules for water play.

2. Children must never be allowed to swim alone.

Sports Safety

1. Children participating in sports programs need to appreciate the importance of physical conditioning as well as safety equipment for that sport. E.g. helmets or leg guard in cricket

Adolescents

Road and Traffic Safety

1. Use of seat belts at times.

2. Discuss the role of alcohol in motor vehicle accidents.

3. Helmets should be worn on every two-wheeler ride.

Water Safety

1. Discuss diving injuries and accidents caused by swimming.

Sports Safety

1. Sports injuries are common in adolescents and children Discuss with your children about the importance of physical training

High-Risk Behaviour

Injury prevention in adolescents should include a broader discussion of healthy lifestyle issues including alcohol or other drug use.

For All Ages

1. Sexual abuse can occur at all ages and in both boys and girls.

2. Infants and young children must never be left unsupervised.

3. Age-appropriate education in older children is important to prevent abuse.

4. Children should be taught about Good touch and Bad touch.

Mobile Safety

1. Parental controls allow you to determine what sites and apps your child can access with their smartphone, tablet or laptop.

2. They also let you set limits on how long a child can spend on their device and even allow you to monitor exactly how they're using it.

Internet Safety - Basic guidelines for parental supervision

1. Spend time online together to teach your kids appropriate online behavior.

2. Keep the computer in a common area where you can watch and monitor its use, not in individual bedrooms. Monitor any time spent on smartphones or tablets.

3. Bookmark kids' favorite sites for easy access.

4. Check your credit card and phone bills for unfamiliar account charges.

5. Find out what, if any, online protection is offered by your child's school, after-school center, friends' homes, or any place where kids could use a computer without your supervision.

Digital Recess

1. Make sure that your children take plenty of breaks in order to get physical activity and time away from screens.

2. Set alarms similar to those they would encounter at school and encourage them to get up, get some fresh air, go for a walk or bike ride, or have a snack so that they are not sedentary for the entire day.