CARELESS PARENTS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 117, 12 February 1944, Page 8

CARELESS PARENTS

Accidents Among Children

Every year in New Zealand some babies and children under five years of age lost their lives or were badly injured because parents had taken chances with their safety, says the “Plunket News" in its new quarterly issue. Falls, burns and scalds, smothering and choking were the greatest causes of these accidents and deaths. Jn spite of the amount of teaching done by the Plunket nurses and the ease with which parents could avail themselves of this teaching, there were unfortunately some mothers who drifted along in a haphazard way and did not bother to accept the help of the nurses in the general care of their children. Ignorance of the main principles of handling a baby or young child caused the already careless 'and irresponsible mother to make many mistakes for which she andther children must suffer. Many of the lives so lost could have been saved" if the parents had observed the simple rules of safety first in the home. It was realized that accidents happened even in the. well-regulated home, but generally speaking their prevention was just a matter of common sense and care. There was no need to be forever anxious in case an accident should occur. If parents were watchful, sensible and careful, there would be no need to be anxious. Safety-first measures helped to increase the margin of safety.