Another way to prevent health emergencies is to keep young
children away from poisonous materials which may look like food
or drinks they love. Poisonings were another prominent source of
emergency department visits with nearly 1,800 logged for children
under age five.
“Keep things in their original containers out of the reach of children,” Janes stressed. “Windex can look like blue Kool-Aid. The
Comet detergent in powder form looks close to parmesan cheese.
Gasoline is the same color as apple juice. Parents just need to keep
those things in the back of their minds.”
One area where parents may be ill-prepared and surprised is the
newest research on sleeping environment and position for their
newborn baby.
The most tragically common fatality for infants is suffocation.
It accounts for nearly 75 percent of deaths in children under 1.
And, more often than not, it’s a situation which could have been
easily avoided.
It wasn’t long ago that parents were taught that babies should
be kept on their stomachs during sleep in case they vomit during
the night. Laying a baby on the stomach can actually increase the
chance of choking. Now, more research has shown that the body
has natural safety mechanisms in place to prevent choking if the
baby were to regurgitate.
“We try to reach everyone possible, but there is always more to
do. Sadly, every month in our community, one to three babies
continue to die due to an unsafe sleeping environment and/or
position. Every single month. It’s tragic.”
For new parents, constant vigilance for child safety can be a daunting task. Please talk to your child’s physician and seek out education
for any parenting concerns you might have. Waiting to find out the
answers could make a world of difference to you or a loved one.
For more information on injury prevention as well as Safe Kids Louisville meetings and events, visit www.kosairchildrenshospital.com/
safekids or contact the Office of Child Advocacy at (502) 629-7335.
“This is the one nobody wants to talk about because what you do
with your infant is an intimate decision,” Janes said.
One of the focal points of Janes’ teaching is the simple “ABCDs” of
babies (and new parents) sleeping safely. In short, babies should
sleep Alone on their Back in an empty Crib and parents can prevent
Drops by holding the baby only when they are awake and alert.
Unfortunately, parents often want to sleep with their infant and
that is extremely dangerous. All of the research says that the best
place for a baby to sleep is in a crib, bassinet or play yard for naps
and at night.
“Babies need to be alone on their back in a crib with no pillow, no
blan ket, no bumper pads, nothing. Grandparents often have the
hardest time with that because they were taught a different way,”
said Janes, who teaches safe baby classes for Kosair Children’s
Hospital, Norton Healthcare facilities and other agencies.
VITAL SIGNS Volume 10 • Issue 2
5