Tag Archives: Safety and Injury Prevention

First Year of Life Poses Highest Risk for Child Abuse

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11/24/2015

The risk of serious physical abuse is highest among infants under the age of 1, a new study shows.

Researchers looked at nearly 15,000 children younger than 16 who were treated for severe injuries at hospitals in England and Wales between 2004 and 2013. Of those injuries, 92 percent were accidental, 2.5 percent were the result of fights and 5 percent were caused by abuse.

Among children with abuse-related injuries, 98 percent were younger than 5, and 76 percent were less than a year old. Abuse-related injuries were more severe and more likely to involve the head/brain than accidental injuries.

Abused children were also three times more likely to die of their injuries than other children in the study, 7.6 percent vs. 2.6 percent.

Boys accounted for 59 percent of abuse victims and 89 percent of those treated for injuries caused by fights or accidents, according to the study published online Nov. 23 in the Emergency Medicine Journal.

While young children accounted for the vast majority of abuse victims in this study, it doesn’t meant that older children don’t suffer abuse, noted the researchers led by Dr. Ffion Davies, an emergency medicine consultant from University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in England.

“It may simply be that the more robust physique of an older child means that major trauma is more difficult to inflict,” the researchers suggested.

Source: HealthDay News

Available at: http://consumer.healthday.com/public-health-information-30/domestic-violence-news-207/infants-under-1-at-highest-risk-for-physical-abuse-study-705494.html

Culture of Safety

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11/2015

In programs, all managers, staff, and families embrace the belief that children have the right to be safe by creating a culture of safety. They provide “an environment that encourages people to speak up about safety concerns, makes it safe to talk about mistakes and errors, and encourages learning from these events.” Children are safer when managers, staff, and families work together to improve the strategies they use in homes, centers, and the community so children don’t get hurt. Explore the resources below to learn more about creating a culture of safety.

Source: National Center on Health and Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/safety-injury-prevention/culture-of-safety.html

Hazard Mapping Instructions for Grantees

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8/2015

Hazard mapping is a process that Head Start programs can use after an injury occurs. It helps to: 1) identify location(s) for high risk of injury; 2) pinpoint systems and services that need to be strengthened; 3) develop a corrective action plan; and 4) incorporate safety and injury prevention into ongoing monitoring activities. Hazard mapping is employed effectively in emergency preparedness planning related to natural disasters. It also is used to isolate locations of disease outbreaks and determine where prevention efforts are most needed.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, National Center on Health

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/safety-injury-prevention/safe-healthy-environments

Culture of Safety

Posted on by

8/2015

In programs, all managers, staff, and families embrace the belief that children have the right to be safe by creating a culture of safety. They provide “an environment that encourages people to speak up about safety concerns, makes it safe to talk about mistakes and errors, and encourages learning from these events.” Children are safer when managers, staff, and families work together to improve the strategies they use in homes, centers, and the community so children don’t get hurt. Explore the resources below to learn more about creating a culture of safety.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, National Center on Health

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/safety-injury-prevention/culture-of-safety.html

Welcome to OHS Health Talks

Posted on by

7/2015

A Health Talk is a pre-recorded video or podcast that allows health managers to explore deeper into specific health topics.The Health Talks include two series:

  • Health Chats: Listen, as new tools and strategies are discussed to improve health outcomes for children.
  • Ask the Experts: Get answers to frequently asked questions from pediatricians, dentists, psychologists, and other health professionals.

Health Talks offer an easy way to learn more about some of the health issues that concern the early childhood community. Health professionals, technical assistance providers, and other early childhood health and safety staff share information on a variety of topics. The topics are chosen based on questions and suggestions submitted from the field. Send your suggestions for the next Ask the Expert or Health Chat presentations to nchinfo@aap.org.

What is a Health Chat

  • Digging Deeper into Safety and Injury Prevention Data
  • Using Stepping Stones and Compliance with Care to Support Infants and Toddlers
  • Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect

Ask the Expert

  • What is Ask the Expert
  • Head Lice
  • Head Start and the Medical Home
  • Nurturing Health and Wellness in Early Childhood: Nurturing the Brain, the Environment, and the Nurturer

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, National Center on Health

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/health-services-management/program-planning/health-talks.html