Child Safety:

Child Safety:

Beyond Injury: Preventing Common Causes of Infant Morality

National Statistics Office was indicated that infant mortality rates in the Philippines involve 35 deaths per 1,000 live births. Here are the lists of common causes of infants’ death during their first months of life:

Perinatal Conditions

This is the period around childbirth, especially the five months before and one month after birth. Most infant deaths result from the following:

·         Poor maternal health and nutrition

·         Insufficient care during pregnancy and delivery

·         Inadequate care for the newborn baby

·         Infections

·         Birth injury

·         Aspiration syndromes

·         Problems relating to premature births and congenital heart diseases

“It is crucial that the risk of infection on babies is prevented through a mother’s regular pre-natal checkups and good nutrition’s.”

Pneumonia

This can be prevented by keeping baby in an environment that is neither too cold nor hot, and by avoiding contact with people who have respiratory infections. “Prevent overcrowding in the house and have your baby immunized with the pneumococcal vaccine.

Stomach and Intestinal Inflammation

Characterized by inflammation of the stomach lining of the intestines, gastroenteritis carries other symptoms such as headache, nausea, virus and diarrhea. Diarrhea which disables absorption of nutrients and leads to dehydration is known to be a major cause of infant mortality worldwide. If a baby bottled-feed, make sure to do antiseptic preparation of milk and other feeding paraphernalia.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

This phenomenon of seemingly healthy infants’ unexplained deaths that is associated with sleep has puzzled doctors and researchers in previous years. The risk can be prevented by letting baby sleep in the lying on back position to avoid suffocation. Moreover, let baby sleep on a firm matters, not on a pillow or any soft surface.