What to Expect the Toddler Years (240 page)

Decals or other stickers. Should your toddler manage to remove a sticker (not a very difficult task) and mouth it, it becomes a choking risk. Vinyl stick-ons in design sets (such as Colorforms) can also be choked on.

Projectile parts. Toy bows and arrows, dart guns, and so on, are inappropriate for young children, as they put eyes at risk. Water pistols are okay, but stay away from the high-powered variety, which can do a lot of damage.

Also avoid:

Latex balloons. Because of their texture, latex balloons are tempting to chew on. A toddler can choke on a deflated balloon, fragments of one that’s popped, or a slowly deflating balloon left lying around. And once a toddler has inhaled a balloon, there may not be much anyone can do—even the Heimlich maneuver may not work. Not incidentally, fish and sea mammals are also at risk from balloons, which, after being let loose out-of-doors or dumped as trash, can end up in waterways. If you use latex balloons, closely supervise their use; don’t allow young children to blow them up, play with them unsupervised, or chew on them. Deflate and dispose of them carefully and promptly after the party’s over. Better still, use mylar balloons, or don’t use balloons at all.

Damaged toys. Check your toddler’s toys periodically for wear and tear—exposed stuffing bursting from the seam of a teddy bear, cracked plastic on a push toy, splinters on a wooden toy, or anything else that could make a once-safe plaything hazardous. Repair or discard those that are unsafe.

You’ve made your home as accident-proof as possible. You’ve trained yourself to be vigilant. You’ve taught—or tried to teach—your toddler to stay away from electrical outlets, hot stoves, and other hazards at home and away. Still, with a toddler on the loose, accidents are bound to happen once in a while. (One study showed that the typical toddler has three minor bumps or boo-boos a day.) And though you can’t avert them all, you can often improve the outcome by taking the appropriate measures when an accident occurs.

Because quick action is often critical, don’t wait until your child dunks a hand in your hot coffee or takes a swig of laundry detergent to look up what to do in an emergency. Become as familiar with the procedures for dealing with and treating common injuries as you are with those for bathing your child and taking a temperature. Review the approaches for dealing with less common injuries, as appropriate—the treatment for snake bites, for example, when you’re about to go on a camping trip.

Reinforce what you learn in this chapter by taking a course in child CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and basic first-aid techniques. (Courses are available at many community centers, hospitals, and the American Red Cross, and through fire departments and ambulance corps; check with your child’s doctor for information.) Keep your skills current and ready to use with periodic refresher courses (and possibly an AAP- or Red Cross–approved DVD). See that anyone else who cares for your toddler is also fully prepared to deal with emergencies.

To further prepare yourself for emergencies:

Discuss with your toddler’s doctor what the best course of action would be in case of a non-life-threatening injury as well as in a serious emergency: when to call the office, when to go to the emergency room (ER), and when to do both; when to call 911; and when to follow some other protocol. Remember, for minor injuries, the ER—with its long waits and priority given to life-threatening
illnesses—may not be the best place go. If there is a children’s hospital in the vicinity, the doctor may recommend heading there when an emergency appears serious, since children’s hospitals are generally better equipped to handle pediatric emergencies than are community hospitals.

Keep your first aid supplies (see page 678) in a childproof, easily manageable kit or box so it can be moved as a whole, as needed. Keep a cordless phone or cell phone easily accessible so that it can be used at the site of an accident in or around your home.

Have handy, near each telephone in your home:
Emergency phone numbers.
The numbers of the doctors your family uses, the Poison Control Center (800-222-1222), the hospital emergency room of your choice, your pharmacy, the Emergency Medical Service (911 in most areas), your workplace, your spouse’s workplace, as well as the number of a close relative, friend, or neighbor who can be called on in an emergency.
Personal information (updated regularly).
Your child’s age; weight; immunization record (including when the last tetanus shot was given); medications, allergies, and/or chronic illnesses, if any. In an emergency, these should be supplied to the EMS and/ or taken to the hospital or ER.
Location information.
Home address (include cross streets and landmarks, if necessary), apartment number, telephone number—for use by babysitters or other caregivers calling for emergency help (even a family member might need this in a moment of panic).
A pad and pen.
For taking instructions from the doctor or emergency medical service.

Be sure there’s a clearly distinguishable number on your house and a light that makes it visible after dark.

Know the quickest route to the ER or other emergency medical facility your child’s doctor recommends.

Keep some cash reserved in a safe place in case you need cab fare to get to the ER or doctor’s office in an emergency. (If you’re very anxious, it’s best if you don’t drive.) Let any sitter who stays with your child know where the stash is, too.