Children And Falls: A Common Duo
The moment in which the child begins to crawl and take the first steps: it is then that the danger begins to present itself. The combination of babies and falls is an issue that, sooner or later, all parents face.
During the first years of life, the little ones are very restless. For this reason, children and falls are a very common combination. It is very important to take care of the baby promptly, but even more so is to prevent a possible accident.
From birth to age three, the child goes through various stages of learning. His skills and abilities must be encouraged and, at the same time, precautions must be taken to protect him to the extreme. This attitude could be the difference between a healthy child and one perpetually exposed to the risk of injury.
Never alone
Of course, most of the responsibility lies with the parents. It is necessary to organize, be aware of the risks and take the appropriate measures to prevent possible accidents.
As we will see, you should never leave your child alone, even if there are places that are more dangerous than others. This is the case, for example, of those that for them are placed at a certain height, such as the bed, the table or the cradle without bars, in the middle of the cars, on the swings, etc.
A simple distraction or a moment of inattention is enough for an accident to occur. Maybe we don’t evaluate the consequences well enough, or we have too much faith in our decisions. Anything can happen, but everything can be avoided.
Children and falls: a frequent combination
The common combination represented by children and falls can be avoided: it is just a matter of organizing and adopting appropriate habits. An indispensable countermeasure is to place doors at the foot and top of the stairs, and handrails along the sides.
These doors must not be foldable or have openings greater than five centimeters to prevent the baby’s head from getting stuck in them. Also, it is better that the stairs are not slippery. It is also useful that, when using them, the child gradually learns to support himself on the handrail, always under the supervision of an adult.
Beware of walkers
Walkers can cause injuries, the severity of which can range from a pinch to major falls. In addition, they present the risk of allowing movement to dangerous places. Porches, terraces, courtyards or elevated areas must remain out of the reach of children.
Curiosity, especially when they start crawling and walking, can lead the little ones to unsuspected and dangerous places. They like to explore, dance, climb – these are all activities that carry some risk of falling or injury. In addition, it is recommended that they always wear non-slip shoes or socks.
Adventurous spirit, yes, but with caution
In order not to stifle their adventurous spirit more than necessary, precautions should be taken as soon as the baby starts crawling or walking. Therefore, we will lock all doors leading to dangerous areas. If the use of high chairs or tables is really necessary, we will not lose sight of the child or forget to fasten the seat belts.
As for windows, it is prudent to install protections and keep them closed when the child is nearby. Items of furniture that can be used for climbing must be stored in a safe place until it is bigger. In the baby’s room it is preferable that the furniture is anchored to the floor.
Out of the reach of children!
The little explorer, of course, will want to venture around every corner of the house. On your way, you may come across appliances or kitchen utensils, especially sharp and pointed objects.
He may also discover home cleaning products, which pose a potential danger. Just like medicines, all of these liquids or powders must remain out of the reach of children.
Pots and irons: stay away!
Likewise, the baby must be kept at a safe distance from different areas of the kitchen. This is the least safe place for the curious child to roam. The least that can happen to him are falls, cuts or burns.
On the other hand, getting in or out of the bathtub can also present a fall hazard. Without careful supervision, it is very easy for the baby to slip. This kind of bumps, due to the different elements present in the bathroom, can be really dangerous.
In these cases, modern electronic baby monitoring devices are of great help. It will be a real relief to know that you can always keep your attention on your little one, whether he is waking up from sleep or playing.
Finally, keep in mind that neither curiosity nor his adventurous spirit should be harmed, in these early stages of their life. It is important to take all necessary precautions to prevent the combination of children and falls causing injury.
