Getting around: fragile baby cargo
South African infant and child injury and death statistics, as a result of road accidents, are amongst the highest in the world.
* Always use a car seat. It needs to be the right size for your baby and have a safety approval.
* If travelling long distances, stop every two hours for a break and to freshen the air inside the car.
* Try not to drive more than five hours without stopping for the night.
* Try to prevent the inside of the car getting too hot and make sure your baby gets plenty of feeds and his/her usual kicking and playtime.
* Do not leave him/her alone inside the car.
What to do if your baby is unwell
Get help from a doctor or health care professional quickly if your baby shows any of the following signs:
* Breathes quickly or grunts
* Feels too hot or cold
* Finds it hard to breathe
* Is unusually floppy or pale, even with no signs of weakness
* Has a bad cough or wheezes
* Vomits (not regurgitates) more than once
* Has an unusual cry for one hour or more
* Has more than two runny, smelly motions (poos)
* Cries, grizzles and pulls or rubs at the ear
* Has vomiting combined with diarrhoea
* Has a "runny ear" (This can be serious)
* Is difficult to wake up
* Has fewer wet nappies than usual.
* Refuses two normal feeds
* Dehydration is very serious
* Has a convulsion or fit
Remember
It's best to be cautious. If you are ever unsure about whether your baby is sick or not, it is far better to be safe than sorry.
Take him to your doctor, hospital or health care professional. Sickness is hardly ever caused by teething.
Ask your doctor when your baby should get better. If this doesn't happen, see the doctor again.
Temperature
Being either too hot or too cold can be dangerous for young babies.
An even room temperature of about 18 degrees Celsius is recommended by the Foundation for the study of Infant Deaths (FSID).
Don't wrap him too tightly as he/she can become overheated, especially if he has a rise in temperature associated with even a mild infection.
Tight wrappings also prevent him from kicking off their blankets to cool down.
The season of the year, ventilation and the room heating clearly are important factors, as are personal clothing and bed clothes.
It is safer to use several layers of small, light blankets than one folded large blanket, as they can be adjusted more easily.
Babies often only need one more layer of clothes than adults.
To check whether your baby is warm enough or too warm, place the palm of your hand on his tummy or on the back of his neck. If the skin feels hot and moist, remove a layer of blankets.
If he seems unwell or has a rise in temperature, contact your doctor.
Important numbers
Raising a child almost always means coping with an occasional emergency. In any serious emergency, you should contact your doctor or hospital immediately.
Because time is often very precious in an emergency it necessary to have the correct numbers written down somewhere where you can find it immediately. - Infacare