MAMA, I CAN’T FIND OUR CHILD!

Abstract

Introduction

Home is deemed as a safe environment and safety at home begin with sufficient knowledge on prevention, adequate supervision and educating the growing child on the potential of dangers. By this, common home related injuries may be prevented. In rare instances, there are cases of overrunning the child by the car while driving in and out of house premises. As the norm that prevention is always better than cure, highlighting on prevention of such domestic accidental injuries are paramount.

Case description

A 1 year 4 months old child was brought into the emergency department after the father allegedly reversed his car over his child accidentally at the house. 

Upon initial assessment the child’s GCS was E1V4M4, with stridor, intermittent apnea, paradoxical chest rise, bleeding from bilateral auditory canal with facial congestion and tires marks over the right side of the face. The child was intubated the child for airway protection and given fluid resuscitation adequately. 

Urgent CT scans shows the child sustained bilateral lung contusions, multiple ribs and sternal fracture, pneumocranium with no evidence of acute intracranial hemorrhage and required a multidisciplinary team approach for the management and stabilization of the child. He was managed conservatively and discharged well at 11th day hospitalization.  

Discussion

As the child growing and begins to be mobile, more risks are present. Hence, supervision and altering of the home environment and proper education of safety to the ever –growing child appears paramount to the prevention of accidents at home. Several methods can be performed to prevent car accidents within home compound such as ensuring the location and safety of the child, constant awareness of the child’s location and to secure the child within the car seat.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, prevention is better than cure is the greatest mantra for home safety. Injuries or accidents at home may trigger a cycle of guilt and anguish amongst parents if a preventable cause of injury was overlooked. Clearing hidden hazards and educating the growing child on dangers and implications, may be of utmost importance in home safety.