Protecting Children’s Health & Safety

1. Protecting Children’s Health & Safety Chapter 21 Page 532

2. Every day infants and children face risks of illness, injury and even death • Sometimes we can control these risks and at other times we cannot

3. Protecting Children from Disease & Illness • Disease and illness may cause pain, life-long physical health problems and self esteem damage

4. Nutrition, Rest, Cleanliness, & Physical Activity • Basic health care is important • Helps children grow and develop • Provides energy • When ill, tend to recover quicker if healthy to begin with • Adults must model good health practices also

5. Medical & Dental Care • Well-child checkups • Check for growth and development • Protect them from certain diseases • Answer parents questions • Have regular visits • 1,2,3,6,9,12,18,24,36 month checkups

6. Dental care by pediatric or family dentists • First birthday and repeated at 6 months intervals • Repair damaged teeth • Teach them how to care for their teeth • Dentists recommend sealants • Plastic coatings that protect chewing surfaces

7. If teeth are irregular may refer to an orthodontist • Straight teeth allow people to chew properly and clean teeth easily • Dental hygiene should begin at birth • Wipe baby’s gums with water damp gauze

8. Brush teeth twice daily • Brush without toothpaste until 2 years of age • Brush in a circular motion on both inside and outside surfaces • Rinse mouth after eating • Floss adjacent teeth • Avoid offering bottles in bed

9. Give milk and juice only at mealtimes • Children can’t brush by themselves until 5 years old • Adults should practice good dental hygiene • Wash toothbrushes once a week in dishwasher

10. Immunizations • Immunity is the body’s defense against disease • General immunities -defenses include skin, fever and inflammation • Specific immunity – defends against a particular disease • Body must develop or receive specific antibodies

11. Natural acquired immunities – are developed after direct contact with infection or by receiving antibodies from the mother during pregnancy or breast feeding • Long lasting

12. Natural exposure to some diseases is dangerous or deadly • Can’t risk exposure • Artificially acquired immunity – immunities formed as a reaction to antibodies or an antigen received through medical care; also called acquired immunities

13. Antigens – substances made in a lab and transferred to people in the form of an injection (shot) to help their bodies form antibodies against a disease • Made from bacteria, viruses, or toxins • Not as strong as the diseases • (vaccinations)

14. Active immunity – immunity in which a person’s own body must produce antibodies to a disease • Takes several days or weeks to be effective • Lasts years to a life time

15. Passive immunity --- immunity in which a person obtains antibodies formed by another person’s body • Mothers pass antibodies to unborn babies across placenta • Breast fed newborns • Through transfusions

16. Prevents some serious diseases • Tetanus, diptheria, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, measles, rubella (German measles), mumps and chicken pox • Infants begin receiving shots at birth

17. Immunization Records • Doctors and health unit record all immunizations • Parents keep a record also • See chart on page 539 figure 21.3

18. Medical Attention During Illness • Need special medical attention when ill • Chart 21-4 lists some major symptoms in which adults should consult doctor

19. Questions a Doctor Might Ask • What are all the child’s symptoms? • When did you first notice these? • Has child been exposed to contagious disease? • Have you treated the child’s illness in any way?

20. Do you know whether the child is allergic to any medication? • What is the name and phone number of your pharmacy?

21. Adults Responsibilities • Write down information for doctor • Ask questions about mediation? • When to expect improvement? • What changes would merit another call or office visit? • **repeat instructions to be sure to understand them

22. Childhood Diseases • Most are contagious • Immunizations help prevent diseases • Disease may have negative effects and may even cause death • See page 542 – 543 Figure 21.5

23. Allergies • ¼ of all children may have allergies • Allergy – is a condition that results when a child’s immune system is very sensitive to an allergen and reacts negatively when it comes into contact with it • See page 544 chart 21-6

24. Common symptoms of allergies: • Frequent “colds” & ear infections • Chronic congestion • Headaches • Frequent nosebleeds • Dark circles under eyes • Wheezing • Skin rashes • Frequent upsets to stomach • irritability

25. Allergies may be life threatening but more often just make them feel bad • Treated by removing or limiting contact with the substance • Use drugs (antihistamines, decongestants and bronchodilators) • Desensitization therapy – receive injections for some allergens

26. Accident Prevention • Claim lives of more children than any other major killer disease of childhood • Equipment and toys that aren’t safe • Children depend on adults to keep them safe

27. How Accidents Happen • Two major threats to child’s safety • 1) home hazards • 2) lack of constant and adequate supervision

28. Create a Safe Environment • Children cannot make sound safety judgments • May not understand why they must be careful

29. Supervising Children • Accidents happen more often when adults do not supervise children carefully • Talking on phone, watching television, working on the computer

30. Anticipating Possible Hazards • Creating a risk-free environment is impossible • Adults to look for possible hazards • See chare 21-8 for accidents

31. Helping Children Meet Goals in a Safe Way • Safe environment to explore • Small risks teach them to cope with possible dangers

32. Childproofing the Environment • Move unsafe objects out of a child’s reach • Prevent dangerous situations by childproofing the environment • Childproofing should start before baby is born • Even hire a professional childproofing service

33. Childproof • Childproof inside and outside of home and vehicle • Stay at least one step ahead of child’s development • Move the way children do and where children move • Check child’s belongings and toys • Choose pets carefully • Stay up to date on latest safety and product info

34. Some babies extra curious and explore everything • No home is safe

35. Prevent Poisonings • Poisoning of children under five account for more than half of all accidental poisonings in the home each year • Adults need to learn which products are dangerous • Store household products high above floor level

36. Poisonous products must be kept in original container • Do not keep products that are lethal • 1 t of wintergreen contains 6 grams of salicylates = 20 adult aspirin –which would kill a child

37. Medication • Flush old medications • Replace childproof caps carefully • Lock medication in cabinet • Never give a child medication in dark • Never refer to medication as candy

38. Do not give medication in baby bottle or juice glasses • Do not take medication in front of children • When carrying medication, store a limited amount in a childproof container

39. Standing Water Safety • Young children aren’t clumsy but top heavy due to body proportions • Lose their balance and may fall and can’t get up • Can drown in one inch of water

40. Firearm Safety • Guns kill more than 10 children everyday • They discover loaded firearms • Guns are not toys • Childproof guns

41. Childproof Guns • Take ammunition out of firearms • Lock firearms out of reach • Store ammo in locked container apart from guns • Keep keys in a separate area from household keys • Locking gun-cleaning supplies up, they are poisonous

42. Outdoor Safety • Rocks, broken glass, ruts, holes, bumps, nails • Prevent falls from decks using safety netting • Removes doors and trunk lids from old refrigerators, freezers, stoves, cars

43. Plant Safety • Outdoor plants present a special safety problem • Many have poisonous parts or are poisonous • May harm digestive tract, like eating ground glass

44. One leaf can kill a child • Pesticides and fertilizers need to be kept up • If poisoned call poison control

45. Safe Play Areas • Yards with enclosed fences • Gates that lock

46. Traffic Safety • Children must know that traffic can be unsafe • Traffic skills depend on perceptual judgments of space, speed, direction and distance

47. Vehicle Safety • Car accidents are leading cause of death for infants and children • Restraint systems include car seats, seat belts and other devices • Certified child safety seats – restraint systems for infants and young children that have been tested and approved by federal agencies

48. Never hold a child in a moving vehicle • Loose objects flying a crash • Impossible for an adult to hold

49. Car Seats • Infant only seats • Rear-facing and recline at 45 degree angle • Convertible seats • Bigger and heavier • Semi-reclining under 30 to 35 lbs • Face forward for heavier children • Forward-facing seats • Older children • See page 556 figure 21-13 for examples

50. Regular Seat Belts don’t protect children weighing less than 89 lbs: • Young children can slip through a regular seat belt • Regular seat belts can ride up child’s abdomen • Standard shoulder harness can move across their face and neck