3 Important Steps Every Parent Should Take To Ensure Their Child’s Well-being
Being a parent can be overwhelming. You need to prepare yourself for every possible circumstance, good or bad. Easier said than done, isn’t it? It involves a lot of planning and effort. When you think you are done, you will remember that something has completely slipped your mind. As your baby grows into a toddler, and eventually into an adolescent, your job as a parent only doubles. Add to the equation a barrage of mind-boggling questions and the increasing scale of mischiefs they are up to.
However, most parents find a unique source of joy in all this. There is nothing more precious than their healthy, inquisitive eyes looking up to us. Being a good parent demands attention and care. Another aspect of being a parent is the nagging fear of harm and resultant protectiveness we feel towards our children. While one can fill pages on ways to protect your child, we have come up with three important ways you can be there for your child.
1. Make Your Home A Safe Haven
No place is entirely safe for children. From open sockets and sharp objects to attics and stairways, kids must be protected from accidents that they can meet within their own homes. Until your kid becomes mature and responsible enough to sense danger and stay away, it is your responsibility to keep them safe in the house. Keep doorways to the attic and the garage locked, install safety gates and window guards where they are required. Do not leave dangerous substances open and unattended. Keep an eye on your child at all times.
2. Keep Up With Their Immunization Schedule
Ensure that you stick to your immunization schedule religiously. While you might follow the mandatory vaccination schedule for infants, immunization should ideally continue as your kid grows. Immunity may wear off with time, and that is why a booster dose can help your child. Especially the DTP booster shot that protects your child from harmful diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Though the primary DTP vaccination is given to newborns, healthcare experts recommend that a child complete five doses of DTP vaccination before he/she reaches the age of six. DTP vaccines are either given as a stand-alone vaccine or as a part of a combined vaccine. DTP booster vaccinations are recommended at regular intervals throughout life.
A DTP booster dose should be given when your kid is 4-6 years of age. This is a crucial stage because, as preschoolers, children are entering their first big social stage and will be interacting with more people and kids than ever before. This puts them at the risk of encountering various infections and diseases from their peers (not all kids are up to date with their vaccinations). Another dose of DTP booster is advised for kids who are between 9-13 years of age. Adolescents are likely to socialize and participate in more physical activities. Therefore, they need an additional dose of immunity in their system to ward off diseases. This vaccination schedule is recommended by medical organizations such as the Indian Association of Pediatrics (IAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
For adults and teens who are in the immediate surroundings of the baby and have not received a booster shot with pertussis coverage, getting the reduced strength DTP booster shot is vital.
3. Make Room For Communication
Sometimes parents inadvertently put their children’s lives at risk by not openly communicating with them. Try as you may, you may not always be around to protect them. It is, therefore, better to equip them to protect themselves. Talk to them about the dangers of wandering off into the street alone, explain what is wrong with poking their fingers into an electric socket, and tell them why they need to stay away from strangers. Be realistic when you talk to them. Make it easy for them to approach and confide in you.
Don’t forget to heed the warning signs and listen to your child’s immunity alarm. #Don’tWaitVaccinate
Let us know if you have any further questions regarding the booster vaccines. Also, share your essential parenting hacks about child safety with us in the comments below.
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