Handling Common Baby Accidents at Home
When you finally bring home your newborn, all sorts of things may run through your mind such as, how do I keep them safe, what happens if they get hurt, and what do I do if it is a serious injury? Have no fear, all parents have those thoughts as keeping your baby safe is your priority. The first step to prevent accidents from happening is being proactive. By baby-proofing your home, you can take these steps to prevent any serious accidents from happening. However, if an accident does happen, below we will discuss the ways to address the issue and when to seek help.
Wobbly Baby’s Fall
As babies grow, they are prone to falling as they are trying to gain strength in their legs. Balance is not on their side as they go through this development stage. Your baby will fall and all you can do is try to baby-proof the areas that can cause them to fall. To try to minimize falling for your little one, taking the steps below will help with this:
- Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
- Never leave your baby alone on high surfaces like changing tables or beds.
- Use a non-slip mat in the bathtub and areas like kitchen floors if they're wet.
The Immediate Response
After a fall, you want to ensure you check your baby thoroughly. Make sure to look for visible injuries, such as bleeding or swelling.
Keep Calm
Your baby will react to your response therefore, your reaction will set the tone of the situation. If you're calm, your baby is more likely to be reassured.
Check for Neurological Symptoms
Not all falls will show signs right away. You want to make sure you monitor your baby if they fall. If your baby seems dazed, excessively sleepy, or begins to vomit, seek medical help immediately.
Apply Ice
As with adults, for minor bumps and bruises, you can apply ice. You can take an ice pack, wrap it in a cloth, and gently press to the injured area to reduce swelling.
Baby’s Like to Touch Everything
As your little one starts walking, there is a possibility that they will get burned. To prevent your baby from getting burned you want to ensure you are using stove guards, keeping hot drinks and pots out of reach, and ensuring your water heater is set to a safe temperature.
Responding to a Burn
If your baby does get burned, you want to immediately rinse the burned area with cool water for at least 10 minutes. Make sure to only use cool water and do not apply ice as it can damage the skin further.
Cover the Burn
With less serious burns, you can loosely wrap the area with a clean, non-fluffy cloth. However, if the burn is severe (blistering, covering a large area, or deep), you need to go to the ER immediately.
Mitigating Cuts and Scrapes
Your little one will begin to explore and as they grow, they will bump into things, fall, and touch things they shouldn’t. This can lead to cuts and scrapes. It is important that as your little one explores your home, you keep sharp objects out of reach or put them away in cabinets with baby-proof locks. Additionally, cover sharp corners with corner bumpers.
Response to Cuts and Scrapes
If your baby does get a cut or a scrape, it is extremely important to rinse the cut with clean water to remove any dirt or debris. Then you should apply a mild baby-safe antiseptic.
If your baby is bleeding, applying a little pressure to stop the bleeding will help to reduce it. Once the bleeding has slowed down, apply a bandage to protect the wound.
Monitor Cuts and Scrapes
It is imperative that you clean your baby’s wound and change the bandage frequently. This also allows you to ensure that the wound has not become infected. If you are concerned that the wound is infected and it is showing symptoms such as severe redness or puss, reach out to your healthcare provider.
Preventing Electrical Shock
As mentioned above, your baby is going to want to be curious and touch all types of items. Some of these items are electrical outlets or electrical cords. Both of these things can cause serious injury if your baby gets shocked.
It is imperative that when you are baby-proofing your home that you cover electrical outlets. Additionally, you need to hide loose cords or tie them up so your little one cannot get to them.
Managing Electrical Shock
If your baby does happen to get shocked, you want to ensure you immediately turn off the power source to prevent further injury. It is important that you do not touch the electrical source if your baby is still in contact with it. You want to use a non-conductive object to separate them from the source.
Check for Breathing
After you have managed the situation. You want to check to see if your baby is breathing. If your baby is unresponsive, begin CPR and call for emergency medical help immediately. Electrical shocks can have serious internal effects, so take your baby to a healthcare provider, even if they initially seem fine
Drowning Prevention
Your little one might love to play in water, but your baby being left alone while water is around can cause serious harm such as drowning. To ensure you take all steps to prevent this, you want to make sure that your baby is never left unattended in the bathtub, even for one movement. Also, installing a toilet lock can help to prevent your baby from falling in head first and getting stuck.
Responding to Ingestion of Water
First and foremost, quickly and efficiently remove your baby from the water. You want to check for breathing and if your baby is not breathing, begin CPR and call for emergency assistance immediately.
Mitigating Injury to Your Baby
It is important as a new parent that you understand accidents will happen and that is part of your little one's development. Being prepared is the most important step to mitigating an accident. Childproofing your home and staying vigilant is crucial. However, if an accident does occur, stay calm and take the informed actions discussed above. Make sure your first aid kit is well-stocked, familiarize yourself with infant first aid techniques, and keep emergency contact numbers within easy reach.
