A commentary by a clinical associate professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria.
In Canada, most infant and childhood deaths are preventable. Our infant mortality is four per thousand live births. Sounds good? No, NO, NO!
Thirty countries are better than us. Iceland is the best with only one death per thousand live births. What can we learn from them?
After the first year of life most childhood deaths are due to what we call “accidents.” But most accidents are preventable. They happen because parents and our “society” doesn’t prevent them.
However, things are better than they used to be. Before modern vaccines, most infant and childhood deaths were due to illnesses that are now vaccine preventable.
So vaccinate your children and if you are pregnant, vaccinate yourself! Your child start its life with the immunity it gets from you.
Here are some things to consider before becoming pregnant and for after the joyous event:
1. If you can, live far away from traffic and industrial air pollution (and hopefully forest fires). All air pollution is hazardous to your health and to the health of your unborn child.
2. Do your prenatal preparation – Take folic acid. Stop smoking or drinking alcohol. Clean up your diet (go Mediterranean?). Exercise. Control your weight. Update your vaccinations. Part of your immunity is transferred to your unborn child and lasts for several months after birth. For virtual care, check the telehealth website Koble.
3. Deliver vaginally. Infants start “training” their immune systems as they pass through their mother’s vagina and acquire good bugs from their mum.
4. Breast feed for as long as is culturally acceptable and practically possible. Breast milk transfers “immunity.”
5. Get your child fully vaccinated! Vaccination stimulates immunity.
6. No smoking! No vaping!
7. Use appropriately sized child carriers and car seats. Don’t drive distracted (or drunk!).
8. Childproof the house and surroundings. Search Google or YouTube for “childproof your house”. Accident proof your child: helmets, road and bike safety, swimming lessons. Check the 91原创 website Parachute for information on injury prevention.
9. Check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
10. Read food labels. Reduce or eliminate processed, canned or manufactured foods and beverages that have added salt, sugar and non-nutrients. So called “ultra processed foods” are recognized as a major cause of obesity plus death from cancer, cardiovascular disease and dementia later in life. Minimize or eliminate red meat. Get your children involved in meal preparation. Make meals a fun family time.
11. Teach your child to brush and floss their teeth. Any concerns? Take them to a dentist or a dental hygienist.
12. Maximize their physical play, especially out in Nature. Check them for ticks. Let them play in the dirt (maybe even eat it?).
13. Cover them up. Use sunscreen and sunglasses. Sunburns in childhood may cause skin cancers later in life.
14. Maximize their social activity.
15. Maximize their experiences and education. Read to them. A child who can read and has a book is never bored.
16. Minimize their screen time, especially before bedtime. Ban social media?
17. Avoid loud noises and the use of headphones (unless you can control the volume).
18. Regulate bedtime and optimize sleeping environment.
19. Educate yourself about common conditions such as: fever, diarrhea, coughing, sore ears, rashes and runny noses. Buy a thermometer.
20. Learn infant and child appropriate CPR and the Heimlich manoeuvre. Take a Red Cross course. Start by searching YouTube for infant choking and CPR.
21. In an emergency call 911.
22. For general advice call 811 or check the Health Link BC website.
23. For poison control call 1-800-567-8911 or 1-604-682-5050
24. For virtual care try one of the many telehealth websites.
25. Two excellent online resources are: KidsHealth – https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/a-to-z and the American Academy of Pediatrics – https://www.healthychildren.org/
26. Children learn their habits, both good and bad, from examples they see. So set an incredibly good example!
27. Finally, help teach the next generation of family doctors. Consider volunteering your child: [email protected].
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