Nothing is more tragic and heart rending than a healthy child dying due to some sort of accident or mishap e.g. the child may consume some adult medicines (poisoning), drown, choke on some object etc. When such a tragedy occurs, on hindsight, parents realise that the tragedy was preventable if only they had been more careful. Many “ifs” and “buts” torture their mind. That the child died due to their “negligence” is the nagging feeling of self-guilt that continues to haunt them throughout their lives. Children, particularly below 3 years, have little sense of danger or self-preservation and thus are wholly dependent on adult supervision for their safety. But sadly, preventable accidents continue to happen.
I remember a small infant who slipped from her mother’s hug, hit his head on the floor (the fall was no more than 3 feet), and subsequently died in spite of our best efforts. This, of course, is a freak accident, for which one cannot blame the mother, but then the most important question is, will the mother reconcile to the fact that it was just an accident and not due to her mistake? She will always keep on blaming herself that if only she had held the child more tightly, this mishap would not have happened.
For all such parents who had the immense misfortune of their child having met such an untimely and tragic accidental death, it is important to know that medical science doesn’t put blame at their doorsteps. Such mishaps are something destined by fate and one should not question the wisdom or the unfathomable ways of the ALMIGHTY.
Remember that such mishaps can happen to anyone. Retrospectively, it is always easy to be wiser and to realise the mistake, but can anyone foresee or predict it? The answer is an emphatic no. By being careful, you just reduce the chances of a mishap occurring, you cannot eliminate it completely. So parents should strive to cut down the risk percentage for mishaps by taking adequate, precautionary measures.
Another case that comes to my mind is that of a 24-day-old baby, who was prescribed Triaminic drops by their family doctor for common cold and nose block. The mother in the early hours of the morning, when the baby was crying too much, gave him more than the normal dose. The baby was brought to our hospital in a very serious state. It was touch and go for him for 2 days.
Fortunately he survived, but the mother developed a phobia for medicines. So after a month or so when she brought the child to me with the complaint of fever, I told her to give the baby 10 drops of paracetamol s.o.s. The next day the mother again visited my chamber saying that paracetamol is not working in bringing the fever down and whole night the child had high fever. On close questioning it was found out that the mother had given only 2 drops, because of her earlier very unpleasant experience! No wonder, fever was not coming down!
Here are the guidelines for prevention of accidents. They are by no means exhaustive. The purpose is “a wake up call” for the parents. I firmly believe that the best guideline is common sense of the parents, who should have a nose for trouble and a sense of anticipation. Like for example, if they see a 2 year child moving towards the table, at the edge of which is a cup of hot tea, immediate danger signals should flash through their mind that the child may accidentally pull the tablecloth and thus pour the hot cup of tea on itself.
I hope parents will go through these guidelines and judge for themselves, firstly how much they know and, secondly how much they follow practically in their day to day life in ensuring the safety of their child. If they reach to the conclusion that they are careless, wake up!
Obviously parents cannot act as a 24-hour bodyguard to their child. Excessive concerns about safety and sticking to “accident prevention” guidelines in a copybook style and religiously following them will make the parents paranoid. The child’s freedom and natural instincts will be stifled and if you surround the child with all types of don’ts, the child is no better than a caged animal. In spite of all the precautions, accidents cannot be prevented completely.
You can only reduce the chances of a mishap happening, but cannot eliminate it completely. Fate or destiny always has a role to play. So don’t go to excessive lengths regarding accident prevention bordering on irrationality or obsession. Just take simple, sensible precautions, without stifling the child.