XN000022-1982-11-10 — Page 23

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1982

ACCIDENTS MAY OCCUR IN THE HOME, ON THE ROAD OR IN ONE'S WORKING PLACE, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE NO SIMPLE OR SINGLE CURE FOR THEM, SHE POINTED OUT.

THEY COULD BE CAUSED BY PERSONAL AND MECHANICAL FAILURES, ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS, INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE, INSUFFICIENT SKILLS, IMPROPER ATTITUDES AND BAD HABITS.

+HOWEVER, MOST ACCIDENTS ARE AVOIDABLE, SHE SAID, AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THE AVOIDANCE OF ACCIDENT IS SAFETY EDUCATION. +

+THE FOCAL POINT FOR EDUCATION ON HOME ACCIDENTS IS TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF RISKS IN THE HOME AND TO DEVELOP SAFE BEHAVIOUR IN THE FACE OF THESE RISKS, + DR LEUNG SAID.

THE COMMON TYPES OF HOME ACCIDENTS ARE FALLS, BURNS, POISONING, DROWNING AND SUFFOCATION.

SHE POINTED OUT THAT AS THE FIRST STEP, PARENTS MUST ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THAT THEIR CHILDREN UNDERSTAND AND LEARN ABOUT THE DANGERS THAT SURROUND THEM.

SHE SAID, +FORTUNATELY, THERE IS A PATTERN OF SAFETY THAT FOLLOWS THE STAGES OF GROWING UP THROUGH WHICH EVERY CHILD PASSES, E.G., THE HELPLESS AGE NEEDS COMPLETE PROTECTION; THE CURIOUS TODDLER MUST BE CLOSELY SUPERVISED; AND THE INDEPENDENT PRE-SCHOOL EXPERIMENTER REQUIRES DISCIPLINE AND EXPLANATION ABOUT THE DANGERS.+

SHE WENT ON TO SAY THAT AS A CHILD GROWS UP, TRAINING BECOMES THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE PATTERN OF SAFETY, E.G.,SAFE CROSSINGS, SWIMMING, FIRST AID, CANOEING AND BICYCLE TRAINING.

+SAFETY BECOMES MORE AND MORE A MATTER OF EDUCATION, ENGENDERING IN EVERY CHILD THE DESIRE AND THE ABILITY TO SHIELD HIMSELF FROM POTENTIAL DANGERS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND TO ACQUIRE JUDGEMENT FROM THE EXAMPLE SET BY ADULTS.+

DR LEUNG ADDED THAT THERE IS ANOTHER VULNERABLE GROUP IN OUR HOMES - THE ELDERLY PEOPLE.

+AS THE COMMONEST CAUSE OF INJURY IS FALLS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS GOOD LIGHTING, AND THAT HANDRAILS ARE INSTALLED WHERE NECESSARY, E.G., IN THE BATHROOM AND LAVATORY. KEEP AWAY MATS OR CHILDREN'S TOYS OVER WHICH AN OLD PERSON MIGHT TRIP,+ SHE SAID.

IN CONCLUDING, DR LEUNG ADVISED THAT PARENTS, SCHOOLS AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY MUST CO-OPERATE TO MAKE NOT ONLY THE HOME, BUT ALSO THE SCHOOL, THE COMMUNITY, THE FACTORY AND THE ROAD, SAFE PLACES FOR ALL.

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