Injury Prevention for Children Ages One to Two

Introduction

Quick Quiz
What is the leading killer of children and adolescents in the United States?

A. Injuries
B. Cancer
C. Diabetes
D. AIDS

The answer is A. Injuries account for more than 6,000 deaths each year in children younger than 14 years of age. And deaths are only the tragic tip of a very large iceberg. Nearly 120,000 children are permanently disabled as a result of injuries, and more than 14 million sustain injuries that are serious enough to require medical attention.

We used to refer to injuries as "accidents." When we think of accidents, we think of events that are unpredictable and therefore, not preventable. However, we are recognizing more and more that we can predict injuries based on the presence of certain risk factors and that we can prevent injuries by trying to change these risk factors.

There are many risk factors for injury during the early childhood years, particularly among children one to two years of age. At this age, children are walking and learning to run, climb and jump, and they are exploring everything. This article will discuss measures parents can take to prevent the most common injuries among this age group.


Motor Vehicle Safety

Quick Quiz
True or False. A two-year-old child should always be in a car seat when riding in a motor vehicle.

True. In fact, all 50 states have laws requiring that young children must be in a proper restraint device while riding in motor vehicles. A proper restraint device depends on the age of the child. Those children one to two years of age should be in a toddler car seat designed for children weighing 20 to 40 pounds. Convertible seats are also available that can be used facing backward for infants under 20 pounds and one year of age, and then converted to the forward-facing position for toddlers. The seat should be anchored firmly to the car, and the car seat's straps should fit snugly over the child's shoulders.

The back seat is the safest place in the car. Infants and young children should always ride in the back seat, especially if the car has a passenger-side air bag. A car seat should never be placed in the front seat of a car with a passenger-side air bag.

And it's important to set a good example for children from a very young age by always buckling up-AND insisting that all passengers in the car also use seat belts.


Drowning

Quick Quiz
When is it safe to leave a young toddler alone in a swimming pool?

A. If the child has had swimming lessons.
B. If you will be gone less than a minute.
C. If the child is wearing a flotation device.
D. It is never safe to leave a young child unattended in a swimming pool.

The answer is D. It is never safe to leave young children alone near any body of water such as a swimming pool, a lake, or even the bathtub-even if you will be gone for only a short amount of time. Young children can drown in even very shallow water and this can happen quickly. Swimming lessons and flotation devices never take the place of adult supervision.

Backyard swimming pools and spas represent the greatest risk for drowning in children one and two years of age. Six hundred of the 1,400 children who drown each year are infants and toddlers. In addition to close adult supervision, proper fencing around the pool can help reduce the risk of drowning. Fences should be at least 48 inches high and spacing between slats should not exceed four inches. The gate should be self-closing and self-latching. No part of the house should serve as one side of the barrier to the pool. Other measures such as pool covers, door alarms, and pool alarms, can be used in addition to pool fencing, but by themselves, are not effective barriers to drowning. And remember that your neighbor's pool, if it is unfenced, represents a drowning hazard for your child.

Suggested training for all parents, not just those with backyard pools, is knowledge of basic CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).


Poisonings

Quick Quiz
True or False. You should always give your child Syrup of Ipecac if she ingests something poisonous.

False. Syrup of Ipecac causes vomiting and can make some poisonings worse. Have Syrup of Ipecac on hand, but use it only if instructed to do so. If your child puts something poisonous in her mouth, call your Poison Control Center immediately and they will give you instructions about what's best to do.

Toddlers one to two years of age are at particular risk for poisoning because they are mobile, curious, and will eat or drink anything they find around the house. Some strategies to reduce this risk include:

Having the phone number of your local Poison Control Center readily available.
Having child-resistant caps on all medications.
Storing medications-including items like toothpaste, mouthwash, and vitamins-in a locked cabinet or one that is out of reach.
Keeping poisons in the original containers with original labels. Do not transfer poisons to other containers such as plastic soft drink bottles.
Putting locks or safety latches on cabinets where cleaners and other potentially dangerous household items are stored.

Choking

Quick Quiz
Which of the following represent choking hazards for a one- to two-year-old child?

A. Watch batteries
B. Hot dogs
C. Peanuts
D. Deflated balloons
E. All of the above

The answer is E. These items are among the most common choking hazards for young toddlers. In children, food and nonfood items are responsible for approximately equal numbers of deaths from choking. About half of the 700 childhood deaths each year as a result of choking occur in children less than five years old. Young children cannot judge how well to chew hard, chunky foods, and do not remember to eat more slowly when eating these foods. Children at this age are also very curious and put toys and other objects in their mouths as a way of exploring. All of these characteristics place young toddlers at high risk for choking.

Some choking prevention guidelines for parents include being familiar with foods that are choking hazards to young children and then not offering these foods to children until they are four or five years old. Mealtimes should be supervised. Children should sit at the table while eating, rather than running or playing with food in their mouths. When choosing toys, parents should avoid toys with small parts and should not allow children to play with plastic shopping or dry-cleaning bags. Childproofing the house should include crawling around on your hands and knees and removing small household items such as paper clips, pen caps, and small pieces of hardware. Finally, parents and others who care for children should know the emergency procedures to follow for a choking child. Parents can receive instruction in these procedures, as well as basic CPR, by contacting their local chapter of the American Red Cross. In addition, local hospitals often provide classes in CPR and first aid that are open to the public.


Burns

Quick Quiz
True or False. To reduce the risk of scald burns, you should reduce the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

True. Scald burns occur as a result of contact with hot liquid or steam. Water-scald injuries occur most frequently in the bathtub or shower. Average home water heaters are typically set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, a third-degree burn would occur in an adult in two to five seconds. Children burn in less than half this time. Setting the hot water temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit increases the time to a third-degree burn to 30 seconds or more. This simple change protects not only your child from burns, but all members of your household as well.

Kitchen burns
Burns also commonly occur in the kitchen. Imagine these scenarios. A one-year-old child learning how to walk in the kitchen grabs at a hot oven door to steady himself. Or you reach to pick up your toddler with a cup of coffee in your hand and spill the hot liquid on your child. To avoid such scenarios, you should either not have your child in the kitchen while you are cooking, or have her in her highchair or playpen. Try to cook using the back burners of your stove so pots are not within reach. When using the front burners, handles of pots should be turned away from the edge of the stove. Cups and dishes of hot liquids should also be kept away from the edges of tables and counters. Children should not be held while carrying hot liquids.

If your child sustains a burn, you should put cold water on the burned area immediately and then call your child's doctor.


Falls

Quick Quiz
True or False. Walkers are safe for your child to use if your house doesn't have stairs.

False. Children in walkers can still tip over, fall, and sustain a serious injury. AND children do not learn to walk faster with walkers. Do not use baby walkers.

Most of toddlers' falls result in no injury or very minor injuries. However, children who sustain serious falls can suffer broken bones or even brain damage. To prevent major falls in young children, install gates at the top and bottom of all stairways. Install window guards or screens that can't be pushed out on all windows above the first floor. Don't place your child's crib or bed under or near a window that he could potentially open and fall out of. If the top rail of your child's crib only reaches as high as his chest, it's time to transition to a toddler bed that is close to the ground.

Although falls are a part of learning to walk, you can make this process safer by removing furniture with all sharp edges in the rooms where your child walks, or you can temporarily cover these edges with cloth padding or soft rubber guards.


Conclusion

The toddler years can be a very exciting time. Children are learning to walk, run, climb, and explore their surroundings. However, these new skills also place a child at risk for injury. You can help prevent injuries in your young child by understanding the relationship of your child's development to the risk for injury, and taking simple measures to reduce these risks.


Created by Healthology