Someone once said that if they had to choose just one word to describe what it means to be a parent, they would choose the word "worry." As a parent, you constantly worry about the many dangers that your child could face out there in the big wide world, while at the same time worrying that you are stifling them and not allowing them to take risks. Interestingly, most of us let our guards down at home, the one place where children are supposed to be safe.
Did you know, however, that the home is where most accidents happen? Indeed, some 500,000 children younger than 4 sustain injuries at home each year. The vast majority of these happen in the lounge and living room. In many cases, this is because the children trip or fall over something and hurt their heads in the process. Head injuries can have very serious consequences. Although young children are still very flexible and have soft bones, the head is incredibly vulnerable. Indeed, the fontanelle doesn't close until a child is around a year and a half old, by which time they will be toddling and falling a lot. So how do you protect your child from head blows, particularly in the home?
1. Know the Risks
As adults, we often forget just how dangerous a home can be. At worst, when we bang into something, we hurt our toes, knees or thighs. However, for a child, and particularly a young child, this could mean hurting the head. Hence, spend some time looking at all the potential danger areas in your home, from the height of an average child.
2. Always Keep Your Eyes on Your Child
This goes without saying, but the reality is that children only need a few seconds to be able to get out of your sight. Your phone may ring or there may be a knock on your door and that could be all they need to get themselves in a situation where they could hurt themselves. For instance, every year, a number of children die by drowning in the family pool due to these types of situations.
3. Protect Corners with Your Hand
When your children walk past a sharp corner, particularly when they are still toddling, you should protect that corner with your hand. That way, if they do fall, and children seem to have a natural ability to fall against sharp corners and points, you will cushion the impact significantly. It is even better, however, to use edge and corner guards.
4. Use Edge and Corner Guards
Edge and corner guards are essential, particularly since you cannot be there always to put your hand on a sharp corner. These things will ensure that if children do fall over and hit their heads against a corner, a head injury will be prevented or at least be minimized . Do not, however, think that having a guard in place will leave them 100% safe. Rather, it will greatly reduce the chances of significant head injuries.
5. Don't Blame Yourself. If It Does Happen, a Kiss and a Hug Can Make It All Better
No matter how much you try to be always on guard, or how much you worry, you cannot stop your children from falling every time. They will fall over and, more than likely, they will hurt themselves at least a little bit. This is why a kiss and a hug are so incredibly important as well. So long as you have proper protection in place, at worst their pain will be related to the shock, not actual injury. Make sure you give your fallen little heroes plenty of love and cuddles, as all children know that kisses and hugs can make it better.
The world, unfortunately, is full of dangers. Your home is one of the biggest dangers of all, mainly because your children spend so much time there. Hence, what you need to do is make sure that your children are able to enjoy life, while reducing the risks to them as much as possible. Protecting them from head blows is the most important of all, as this can lead to such significant injuries, with lasting damage.
By using edge and corner guards, such as those made available by Bow Tiger, you will go a long way towards achieving that. If you have taken the time to see your house through the perception of a child, but with the knowledge of a grownup, you should have spotted the various edges and corners that could cause prove to be dangerous to your children. Simply cover these with the Bow Tiger guards, for instance, and your child will be a whole lot safer immediately. At the very least, you will know that if and when they do fall over and hurt themselves, the problem could be fixed by simple hugs and kisses, rather than a trip to the emergency room.
