By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Bolgatanga, July 15, GNA – Madam Gloria Ayambire, a Paediatric Nurse Specialist at the Upper East Regional Hospital, has urged parents and caregivers to take proactive measures to prevent home accidents involving children as schools prepare to close for vacation.
Speaking during a health education session at the hospital’s Out-Patient Department on the prevention of home accidents, Madam Ayambire said the school vacation, coupled with the farming and rainy seasons, was likely to increase the risk of injuries and accidental poisoning among children, many of whom would be left at home without adequate supervision.
“The prevention of home accidents is very dear to us as a hospital because schools are close to vacation and, as busy as parents are, they usually leave children alone at home. This is the period when many home accidents occur,” she said.
Madam Ayambire explained that the farming season posed additional risks because many households stored weedicides and other agrochemicals within easy reach of children.
“Because it is the farming season and the rainy season, some people keep weedicides in their homes to control weeds. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads to accidental chemical ingestion by children,” she warned.
She advised parents and caregivers to immediately send children who accidentally ingested chemicals to the nearest health facility and to carry the chemical or its container along to facilitate prompt and appropriate treatment.
Madam Ayambire identified falls as one of the most common home accidents affecting children, attributing many of the incidents to slippery floors and unsafe sleeping arrangements.
“We encourage parents to ensure that the floor is clean and dry. As much as possible, let young children sleep on the ground rather than on higher beds where they can fall and injure themselves,” she advised.
She noted that some injuries, particularly head injuries resulting from falls, might not manifest immediately but could have long-term effects on children’s cognitive development and general health.
“Sometimes you may not notice the effects instantly, but as children grow, head injuries could affect their cognitive development and other aspects of their health,” she explained.
Madam Ayambire also urged parents to keep sharp objects, including knives, needles, nails and cutlasses, out of the reach of children to prevent avoidable injuries.
She further appealed to parents to monitor the type of movies their children watched, explaining that exposure to violent content could influence their behaviour.
“Children are naturally curious. What they see, they often want to practise. When they frequently watch war movies with scenes of shooting or stabbing, they may try to imitate those actions when they come across knives or other sharp objects,” she said.
Madam Ayambire urged parents to restrict children’s exposure to violent movies and create safer home environments to reduce preventable accidents.
“Let’s restrict the movies our children watch as much as possible and ensure that sharp objects and other hazardous materials are kept away from children,” she said.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Audrey Dekalu