While it would be fantastic to live a life where you could care for your own children all the time, most people do not have this luxury. Most individuals get the standard maternity and paternity leave from work and then they have to go back in order to make a living in order to put food on the table and keep a roof over their family's head. When you are unable to provide care for your child around the clock, you entrust your child well-being and health to a daycare. Unfortunately, this trust can sometimes be violated.
While it is true that there are exceptional daycares out there, there are a few exceptions. Here are a few things that you need to be aware of.
Common Injuries That Occur in Daycares
As a parent, you want to be able to notice signs of daycare mistreatment and abuse. However, in order to do this, you need to first be familiar with some of the most common injuries that may occur at daycares and what the signs are.
Playground Injuries—Statistics show that more than 200,000 children suffer injuries on playgrounds annually, and it is not uncommon for daycares to have a playground on their premises. Many playground injuries can be serious, resulting in concussions, bone fractures and sometimes even internal injuries. Sadly, most of these injuries are 100 percent preventable if there is adequate adult supervision.
Loose or Falling Items—Children are always curious about anything and everything that they can get their hands on, so it is important that daycares take care with loose items that are on shelves, tables, desks, and chairs. Cluttered spaces and tall bookshelves are particularly dangerous since items can fall and cause bruises, head injuries and broken bones for little ones.
Bottle Warmer Burns—Babies and young toddlers that need to be fed from a bottle will need to have their bottles warmed. Some daycares may do this on the stovetop, while others will use a bottle warmer. With bottle warmers, children could get close enough to the warmer to pull on the cord and tip it over, which can result in a serious burn or a head injury. In some cases, children may reach for the bottle and suffer a serious burn that way.
Safety Tips with Daycares
To help prevent daycare abuse, your best bet is to ensure that you are selecting a top-notch daycare facility. To do this, you will want to visit a few daycare facilities and inspect the premises before deciding on the one that you will send your child to. You will also want to ensure that the facility is accredited by the proper authorities and has the appropriate licenses.
If your child is injured while at daycare, consider speaking with a personal injury lawyer to discuss your options.