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Helping Your Child Be Healthy and Fit - Safety first, Drug freeSafety FirstBe aware of ways to prevent accidents and be able to identify how accidents are caused. Teach your children to pick up toys off the floor and stairs. When cooking, try to use the back burners, making sure that pot handles and spoons are turned toward the back of the stove. Use safety latches on cabinets that contain cleaning fluids or knives and other dangerous utensils. Cover electrical outlets with plastic devices made for this purpose. And always be sure to keep an eye out for your children!Identify safety rules and practices to prevent accidents at home, at school, and during recreational activities. Look for playground and swimming pool rules that give safety precautions, and explain them to your children. Make sure your child wears safety equipment for specific activities: a helmet when riding a bike and knee and elbow pads when roller skating, roller blading, or skate boarding. Have your child practice hand signals while bike riding. For the car, make a "Buckle Your Seat Belt" sign and place it where children can see it. Be aware of peer pressure. Observe your children in social situations, and listen closely when they talk with you about things that happen at school or on the playground. Get to know the parents of your children's friends and try to attend as many functions in which your child is involved as you can. Teach your children how to protect themselves. Have them practice saying "No." Tell them not to talk to strangers, to always walk with a friend, and to avoid isolated areas such as woods or vacant lots. If your child is followed by a car, he or she should run away to a friend or neighbor's house. Teach your children to be alert and to scream if someone grabs them. Keep the lines of communication open, so that your children will tell you if someone touches them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable. Work with your school and neighborhood to have the police brief your children about safety precautions and start a "safe home" program where neighbors display a sign in the window to show children that if they are in danger they can go to that house. Response to EmergenciesRecognize and lean appropriate responses to emergency situations, such as fires, lightning, tornadoes, and earthquakes. Teach your children the proper uses of fire and fire safety. Plan a home fire escape with your children and practice it often. Also, show children what to do if their clothes catch fire (STOP where you are, DROP to the ground, and ROLL to put out the flames). Make sure your children know how to dial the emergency number 911. Post it and other emergency numbers near the telephone where they will be easily seen. In the event of a tornado, teach. your children that the safest place to go is the basement or interior room or hallway on the bottom floor of the house. In an earthquake, teach children to get under a desk or table, and stay away from windows If your children are outside during a storm and there is lightning, teach them not to stand under or near a tree. Trees tend to attract lightning, because they are so tallFirst AidThe best rule of thumb is, "When in doubt, call the doctor." Know the symptoms that require a doctor's care: intense pain, high fever, excessive bleeding, unconsciousness, difficulty breathing. Emphasize to your children that the best way to care for a minor cut or scrape is to wash it with soap and water and cover with a bandage if the cut is bleeding or will be exposed to dirt. If possible, take a first aid course from the American Red Cross, your local YM/YWCA, rescue squad, or other organization to learn the procedures in life-threatening situations, such as choking or poisoning. Some doctors have free pamphlets or video tapes on first aid and what to do in case of emergency.And They Licked the Platter CleanIf your child won't try vegetables, mix finely grated raw carrots with peanut butter and use as a spread for crackers, bread, apple slices, or bananas.Puree an egg or egg substitute with cooked or defrosted frozen vegetables and grated cheese. Cook the mixture the same as you would scramble eggs. Serve vegetables as a first course on a colorful, child-oriented plate and then serve the meat or fish as the second course to be eaten after the vegetables are finished. Make edible art. Use the plate as the background and have each child add applesauce for clouds, shredded lettuce for grass, celery sticks for a stem, carrot rounds for flowers, orange slices for leaves, raisins for rocks, and any other edible ingredients for natural scenes. Most toddlers need to eat more often than older children. Give them favorite, high energy foods and quick and convenient snacks such as slices of fruit and raw vegetables, whole grain breads, crackers, and cereals, or chunks of cheese. Encourage your children to enjoy and learn about a variety of foods. All foods can fit into a healthy diet over time. Introduce new foods to preschoolers. They are more willing to try them and will enjoy practicing their skills with fork and spoon. Growing Up Drug FreeFrom the time your child is born, there are things you can do to help your child grow up drug, alcohol, and tobacco free. Here are some guidelines.Take precautions with medicines and harmful household products. Respect your child's feelings. Use effective communication skills; avoid statements that blame, sarcastic remarks, or put downs. Be certain that rules for behavior are fair and consistent. Set aside time to be with your child. Guide your child's activities. Know where your child is at all times and get to know your child's friends. Set the example for your child. Have drug, alcohol, and tobacco free parties and activities in your home. Learn about the school's drug policy. Ask for help if you need it. For more information, you might want to contact
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Abuse
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