Baby safety
Go for an Infant CPR and/or First aid course
For info about Friends and Family CPR courses
Contact ER 24 on 0861084124 OR
Survival CPR on 082 896 1820 / www.survivalcpr.co.za
(Consider sending your caregiver for a course as well if the baby is going to stay with her at home when you go back to work)
PUT the Emergency Ambulance number:
ER 24: 084124 (Mediclinic hospitals)
on your phone and caregivers phone
Safety tips around babies
If you use powder put on your hands slightly turned away from the baby and then on the baby’s skin (to prevent baby from inhaling powder)
Babies should not be left unattended around pets
Babies should not be left on high surfaces
Don’t leave them unattended next to, in or near water. Drowning can happen so easily. Even in buckets or small ponds.
Bath Temperature: not too hot or too cold. Hot bath water can cause burn injuries. Always run cold water in the bath then add warm water. Set your geyser on lower temp. Sometimes toddlers decide to climb in the bath when you not watching, burn injuries!! Don’t walk around with hot things like coffee. You can trip and spill over baby
Don’t leave small babies unattended with other toddler children.
Keep dangerous substances, chemicals, medication, cleaning agents, lotions, sprays, soaps etc out of reach or locked away. Watch children especially when visiting other people like grandparents. Sometimes things like medication are left next to the bed or in bathroom cupboards.
Garage doors, car doors, electric gates can cause serious injuries…
Keep away from adults that smoke!
Don’t leave them unattended in a pram in public places. They can be snatched away
What does it mean to child proof a home?
Plugs points covered
Cords lying around that can be pulled
Cupboard handles tied, child can empty the cupboards
Keep them away from the stove area especially while cooking as things splash
Long table clothes can be pulled down and hot or dangerous liquids can spills over them
Keep away from little toys that that can be swallowed or put in the nose or ears
Keep away from sharp objects
Keep away from things they could bang and break like glass. Use plastic BPA free dishes for children
Parents wearing earrings be careful because baby can accidentally grab it and rip it off ears. Rather wear smaller studs than rings.
Beware that everything goes in the mouth: dirt, insects, and food from the floor
Don’t allow them to eat from strange people
Keep them away from paint, toxins, and dangerous fumes. Lock it away
NB NB Swimming pool covers on at all times and locked gates around the pool. Then visiting people with a pool DON'T leave child unattended for a single moment.
Watch for sharp cupboard or table corners. Buy safety covers for corners when they start crawling or walking. Also safety clips on toilet seats
Foods to avoid: Nuts and MARSHMELLOWS can cause severe choking. Foods that they can’t chew like hard sweets, fizzy cool drinks, fruits with pips can cause choking.
Immunization
The aim of immunization is to prevent disease. It protects the community as well as individuals. The Sister who works with your pediatrician will advice you of the immunisation schedule for your child. Your child will be given the 1st immunisation before going home and will get a Road to Health card. PLEASE KEEP IMMUNISATIONS UP TO DATE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. Otherwise your child could be at risk for serious disease.
Note
Your baby can be fed immediately before & after immunisation.
Children should be given a Tetanus immunisation.
Measles is a dangerous disease with many complications
Immunise at 9months followed by the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) immunisation, done privately at 15 months, or the measles immunisation at 18 months.
Optional MMR immunisation is done at 15months.
Possible reactions
Children rarely have a reaction after immunisation.
They normally have a short cry, a long sleep and are fine by the next morning .Give them Paracetamol as prescribed by Doctor if still miserable.
There can be a measles–like reaction 7-10 days after the measles immunisation. The reaction is mild and will pass –it is not infectious.
Contra indications for immunisation
A baby with a history of convulsions will not be immunised against whooping cough.
A baby with eczema on the immunisation site or a bad rash will not be given the BCG vaccine.
Wait for all signs and symptoms of high temperature, diarrhea or vomiting to clear before immunising.
A child on long –term medication must have written permission from the doctor to be immunised.
An upper respiratory tract infection is not a contradiction on its own. Allow the doctor or sister to make the decision whether to immunise.
Vaccines Quotes
Vaccines don't cause autism. Vaccines, instead, prevent disease. Vaccines have wiped out a score of formerly deadly childhood diseases. Vaccine scepticism has helped to bring some of those diseases back from near extinction.
~ Alex Pareene