'Child Care Injury and Death Prevention' by Vanessa Infante

You constantly hear how the children of today are going to be tomorrow's leaders, new inventors, or even the ones to find a cure to a disease, but how can all these children become who they are meant to be when they themselves have endured unspeakable pain. Their dreams fade father into the distance, as their injuries both psychologically and physically advance.

Not only are dreams developed in the early years of a child, but so are cognitive, social, and language abilities. These are also the times that children are taken to child care homes, or a daycare. This is where some of their abilities are being developed, without the parents of the child being present. That is why their safety (physically and psychologically) are very necessary when children are taken to any day care.

Most daycares are led by certified care takers, either it being their personal home or a building in where they have the institution. In most of the homes in current day you have products that seem useful and multi purposeful, but they also seem harmless when they can cause a lot of danger in the hands of a child. Glass cleaner is very present in a home, and especially used when a lot of children are around. Saying so, children are very curious and grab anything within reach, not knowing what the product or object is. If they drink it, they can be put into a lot of danger. Danger that can be prevented by simple tasks. One can be putting the toxic products in shelves to high for any child or baby to reach. Another simple action that can be done, is while cleaning you can have the children busy doing an activity away from the said chemicals.

These are simple solutions but there can also be further steps taken by the caretaker in order to ensure that these chemical encounters by toddlers are prevented or if contact is made with them that the caretaker knows what to do in case of an emergency. At least having the simple basic knowledge of knowing what the International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC), which is the knowledge of safety and health information on chemical products, at the basic use (employees, agriculture and other workplaces). Apart from knowing how to prevent, daycare employees should know what to do in instances that cannot be prevented, or accidents. They should be able to know who to call immediately in case of an emergency. Either it be poison control or a chemical control unit. Even though the accident may be minor to the child it may be a lot more serious then anticipated, and can cause more legal impositions, due to the fact of the little knowledge on what to do in case of an accident with chemicals. All day cares should be able to know as well which products are hazardous to not only themselves but the children they are taking care of. As well as remembering that they might not think that it is harmful to any child, when in reality the chemicals can be very dangerous to the child, and can further affect them for the rest of their lives.

As stated earlier children's cognitive, social, and language abilities are developed in their primary stages of life. That is why it is essential for day care programs to have a safe and learning environments, to keep not just their minds safe, and not exposed to concepts they should not be exposed to.

One aspect that surfaced is the use of language in a person's personal home, as well as the use of language in the day care place. A home might speak differently than the day care place. That is why the day care leaders should make sure that they are respecting the wants for their child, since the parents are not around most of the day, and the parents have a particular way that they want their child to be raised. To prevent any conflicts the institution should know what exactly what the parents want, and they should make sure to follow their wants as well. To further expand on this idea of the way the daycare employee speaks around the child, they should also watch or censor the way they act. To remember that actions do speak louder than words. To recognize that their actions are being seen by the children and they can very well copy them, and they can be taken to their homes and be seen by their parents/guardians. There are many more entities that can be mentioned but the final one is the things they show on the television. Televisions are used to pass the time, as well as to entertain kids when they are becoming too much to handle. There are shows or even music that should not be used around growing kids. They can influence their actions, words, and thoughts. The day care might not realize their impacts and might think one small thing as nothing when in fact it can shape the way the child develops psychologically. Traumatic thoughts can surface later in the child's life, and might not be evident as they are as a child.

Chemical and psychological aspects can lead to either accidental or self inflicted injuries within the daycare system. There needs to be a basis of knowledge for both of them, as well as precautions taken from both the parents and daycare programs. Death is not wanted in any family, that is why we as a society should be aware of keeping a strong foundation for our future. The children. They are who we should take care of most, and not neglect their safety as much as we do today. Having a good day care can lessen lawsuits, injuries, death and can secure a better future. A better education, better mentality, and lead them to being the unparalleled adults and young adults they are meant to be.