As a parent you always want to protect your child from any danger. But, the fact of the matter is, many things can be dangerous to kids that we often overlook. Childhood injuries can be a scary thing to go through, and the most common injuries vary by age group. But the good news is, plenty of them are preventable…
Childhood Injuries: Common Types For Different Ages
Age 0-1
For newborns to one year olds, the most common childhood injuries are hard to categorize. At such a young age, many issues that would only result in injury for older kids, cause serious and life-threatening problems for infants. Suffocation is extremely prevalent. One way to prevent suffocation is to make sure their crib is clear, their faces stay unobstructed, and you cannot fall asleep while holding them. The risk for suffocation is extremely high if you fall asleep while holding your baby. For example, you doze off with baby on your chest on the couch. As you sleep the inch closer and closer to the cushions, and the rest is dreadful history. It is extremely important to not fall asleep while holding your baby.
Ages 1-5
Once children hit the toddler age, they begin to walk and explore. They want to see things, touch things, and even more so, taste things. But they also do not know how dangerous many objects can be. Therefore, they can get into many unsafe situations in a matter of minutes. This can lead to injuries such as poisoning, drowning, and choking. Those little wandering babies can grab onto cabinets, eat things off the floor, and touch anything. This is why it’s extremely important to toddler-proof cabinets, stairs, outlets, and the like.
Ages 6-12
During these ages, more injuries stem from being active. For example, bike injuries are common throughout this time. In addition, playground injuries and swimming pool drowning incidents are as well. As they get older and closer to their pre-teen years, their injuries will fall closer to those categories. The tough part is you can only do so much. Make sure your child knows how to swim, how to be safe on the playground, and to make safe choices.
Ages 13-19
By far the biggest danger during this age gap comes from being behind the wheel. During teenage years, kids learn to drive, get their permit and then their full provisional license. Of all drivers, teens are most likely to become involved in car accidents. In addition to these accidents, sports like basketball and football are also common causes of injuries. Not to mention, alcohol and drugs also become familiar to them. They get curious, they go to parties, and the potential of overdose of alcohol poisoning presents itself.
Ultimately, the best thing you can do as a parent is to be open with your child about the consequences for their actions. As they get older, the choices your children make begin to have an effect. Talk to your kids from the time they can understand, teach them to swim, encourage them to ask questions. There’s only so much you can do to protect your children when they begin to walk and get out there in the world. That’s where your teachings come in. We wish you luck, Mom and Dad!