YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH CARE: WATER SAFETY AND, SPORT AND SPORTING INJURIES
WATER SAFETY
Drowning is almost always preventable. Always supervise your toddler or young child around water. There is no such thing as ‘drownproofing’ a young child. By all means, take your child swimming with you to get him used to water — most children can begin swimming lessons at preschool or early school age — but do not will not!
Make sure you can see your child all the time when near water. Do not rely on supervision by other children, or on the use of safety devices such as floaties — they will not prevent your child from drowning. Check all the gates and fences around your pool. Make sure that they are child resistant.
SPORT AND SPORTING INJURIES
The foundations of our fitness and well-being are established during childhood. Athletic activity provides children with the opportunity to develop self-confidence and interpersonal skills. Involvement in athletic events also exposes children to physical and emotional risks. Parents and sporting coaches have a vital role to play in preventing and minimising any sort of trauma or injury. Children who are involved with a sport often focus all their attention on participation and enjoyment. Fear seems to disappear as the game progresses. A child will often unwittingly go beyond the limits of safety. It is the responsibility of adults to anticipate potential hazards and enforce the rules.
Sporting injuries seen most often in children are bruises, cuts and grazes, as well as fractures of limbs. Head injuries can occur in children, but these are fortunately rare. Simple measures such as the wearing of protective clothing are often the most important in the prevention and treatment of sporting injuries in children.
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