Childhood Injuries

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The most common reason for deaths in infants between 1 month and 1 year of age is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Next to it is accidental injury due to falls from furniture, stairs or playground equipment and other places. Falls can cause serious injury and even turn fatal in young children less than four years old. The risk of falls of course increase with increased mobility in the child. Babies less than 5 months old have limited mobility and fall or suffer injuries, mostly, due to caretaker’s neglect or fault or the environment. Here are some tips to prevent falls and accidental injury in kids:

• Never allow the young sibling to carry the child around or he/she may let the baby fall accidentally.
• Keep the floor clear of obstacles so that caretaker does not lose balance because of toys lying around while carrying the child.
• If a young child persists and cries to take the baby into his or her lap, then make him sit in the middle of the bed and make him or her sit cross-legged. Then, place the baby safely into the child’s lap. Do not leave them alone even for a second and be constant there to supervise them.
• Babies normally start rolling over at the age of 4 or 5 months and may roll over the furniture at this age. They may roll for the first time suddenly and fall down.
• When the baby is on a high piece of furniture such as the changing table, examining table in a doctor's office, sofa or bed, do not turn your back or even your neck even for an instant. If you must move, there must be pillows or barriers around the baby to prevent her from falling down.
• Make sure that the crib sides are raised and firmly secured.
• Install child gates at the top and bottom of stairways.
• Never place any furniture near windows.
• Install operable window guards on all windows.
• Do not let the child use an infant walker, unsupervised by an adult.
  

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