3 Cheers for the Early Years

Health Promotion

Injury Prevention

Information for Professionals | Health Promotion | Initiatives | Evaluation

The role of Injury Prevention in healthy child development:

Children must have safe environments to develop healthy bodies and minds. If they are unable to safely explore, their creativity and learning will suffer and they will be in great danger of injury as they do not have the skills to protect themselves.

Injuries are the leading cause of death and disability for children in Alberta. More children die each year from injuries than from all childhood diseases combined. Yet, 90% or all injuries are predictable and preventable – they are not “accidents.”

How can you support Injury Prevention in your work?

If you work with children:

Young children are curious explorers who always want to try new things and test their limits. It is how they learn. Their minds and bodies, however, cannot always keep up and they may get themselves into risky situations. Children age 6 and under need constant, active supervision.
Arrange your place (indoors and out) so children can freely and safely move and explore.
Anticipate the problems that can arise when children are in groups.
Use fun, creative strategies to share safety messages with centre staff, children and parents.
Know you agency’s safety policies. Make routine safety checks.
Remind children to slow down – indoors and out – speed is a big factor in childhood injury.

If you work with parents:

Look for ways to incorporate safety information into your current parenting programs.
Use diagrams of different rooms in the home to illustrate some safety concerns – lead a group discussion.
The nature of danger changes as a child develops – for example, once a child can start to grab things, she can put them in her mouth; a young toddler will be quite unsteady and falls down stairs become more of a danger; and as preschoolers move outdoors, injury on playground equipment becomes more common. Encourage parents to read the information on Preventing Injuries specific to the age of their child in their copy of Growing Miracles.
Help parents understand brain development – young children are ‘blueprinted’ to explore. They are incapable of consistently remembering safety rules – they do not yet have the brain development to be able to do that.

How can 3 Cheers and Calgary Health Region support you?

Resources:

Professional Services and Community Action:

Our Injury Prevention Specialists work with Calgary Health Region staff and community partners to:

Support awareness and knowledge of correct use of child occupant restraints, including booster seats.
To reduce childhood falls on playgrounds and at home.
Integrate injury prevention strategies into regional programs and services, focusing on public health nurses.
Develop culturally-sensitive vehicle safety seat education materials.
Promote booster seat use through a public education and policy advocacy campaign.
Pilot Volunteer Peer Educator role in child safety.
Implement and enhance tool for Public Health Nurses to focus anticipatory guidance to parents regarding childhood injury prevention.
Facilitate and support community development initiatives in South Calgary and Village Square areas through the 3 Cheers Community Development Project. An example of a community-based injury prevention strategy is a community-led pedestrian safety pilot project in a South Calgary community.