Toddler safety/broken bones!
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I found this all interesting. As a mom to a 3 1/2 year old girl who has
already broken her arm twice (one wrist at age 13 months, one break just
above the elbow this past summer), I can testify that accidents happen when
you least expect it - and even if you're there. Kalie broke her wrist when
she was learning to walk - she let go of the couch she was teetering along,
and landed "wrong" on her wrist. The second break this past summer, she was
very tired and sort of slid off the end of her bed at nighttime -- she wasn't
even fooling around, just tired, and must have put her arm straight out to
break her fall, and broke it near the elbow. We were so concerned that she
had some sort of bone weakness or something frightening, but, as our doctor
puts it, she "just earned herself two good breaks". ("Devastated" just barely
covers how we felt!)
When I compare these two accidents to the number of times she's fallen,
tripped, run into things, etc. without damage, it calms me somewhat, but I
admit to being a little bit stifling "in the name of safety" myself. However,
what I'm attempting now is to give her MORE freedom to run and jump and play
and climb (OK, I'm always nearby, but I try to stifle my own gasps when she
does fall). My reasoning is that the more skills and strength she develops,
the less likely she is to be hurt. We're both enjoying this approach a lot
more!
Linda
From: "Kimber" <snibbor@...>
I will also say that most of the breaks in children (that I saw) were from
typical every day goofin' off or those all too common accidents that happen
to all. Climbing trees, trampoline falls, fingers shut in the car door,
and sports injuries. The few times a toddler was brought in with a broken
bone, the parents were just devastated because they felt so bad about not
'being there' to prevent the fall/injury.
<<<People stifle toddlers too much in the name of safety. >>>
I was guilty of that myself with my first. Much more relaxed with my second.
Actually, it was not too common for toddlers to come in with broken bones.
They are very resilient. Most of the little ones just had a bump on the
head....it seems like mine always had a bump/bruise from falling off of
something so I guess I wasn't too stifling. :)
Kimber
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
already broken her arm twice (one wrist at age 13 months, one break just
above the elbow this past summer), I can testify that accidents happen when
you least expect it - and even if you're there. Kalie broke her wrist when
she was learning to walk - she let go of the couch she was teetering along,
and landed "wrong" on her wrist. The second break this past summer, she was
very tired and sort of slid off the end of her bed at nighttime -- she wasn't
even fooling around, just tired, and must have put her arm straight out to
break her fall, and broke it near the elbow. We were so concerned that she
had some sort of bone weakness or something frightening, but, as our doctor
puts it, she "just earned herself two good breaks". ("Devastated" just barely
covers how we felt!)
When I compare these two accidents to the number of times she's fallen,
tripped, run into things, etc. without damage, it calms me somewhat, but I
admit to being a little bit stifling "in the name of safety" myself. However,
what I'm attempting now is to give her MORE freedom to run and jump and play
and climb (OK, I'm always nearby, but I try to stifle my own gasps when she
does fall). My reasoning is that the more skills and strength she develops,
the less likely she is to be hurt. We're both enjoying this approach a lot
more!
Linda
From: "Kimber" <snibbor@...>
I will also say that most of the breaks in children (that I saw) were from
typical every day goofin' off or those all too common accidents that happen
to all. Climbing trees, trampoline falls, fingers shut in the car door,
and sports injuries. The few times a toddler was brought in with a broken
bone, the parents were just devastated because they felt so bad about not
'being there' to prevent the fall/injury.
<<<People stifle toddlers too much in the name of safety. >>>
I was guilty of that myself with my first. Much more relaxed with my second.
Actually, it was not too common for toddlers to come in with broken bones.
They are very resilient. Most of the little ones just had a bump on the
head....it seems like mine always had a bump/bruise from falling off of
something so I guess I wasn't too stifling. :)
Kimber
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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In a message dated 10/24/02 12:05:55 PM, LsMe@... writes:
<< <<<People stifle toddlers too much in the name of safety. >>> >>
I think Kirby was about a year and a half old when Keith was holding his hand
and he was walking along on the little concrete parking bumpers in a parking
lot. Keith would "fly him" to the next one with two hands, and then hold one
hand while he balanced along there. Those are what, six inches high? three
inches wide on the top maybe?
A grandmotherly woman walked by, looked, and said to Keith: "He's too young
to do that."
Keith said he just looked at her, but should have said "But he IS doing that."
Sandra
<< <<<People stifle toddlers too much in the name of safety. >>> >>
I think Kirby was about a year and a half old when Keith was holding his hand
and he was walking along on the little concrete parking bumpers in a parking
lot. Keith would "fly him" to the next one with two hands, and then hold one
hand while he balanced along there. Those are what, six inches high? three
inches wide on the top maybe?
A grandmotherly woman walked by, looked, and said to Keith: "He's too young
to do that."
Keith said he just looked at her, but should have said "But he IS doing that."
Sandra