School to teach dangers for toddlers and their parents

By Samantha Mitchell,

Accidents are the main reason for children’s death. The threat for children under 5 is greatest when they start to walk. The “parent’s school” of the paediatric department of the Landeskliniken Salzburg attracts parent’s attention to dangers.

Water is a dangerous source for toddlers. If a child is unattended for a few seconds, this can lead to a disaster.

“Children are attracted by water and kids up to five years have no idea that this can be dangerous. Water is statistically the biggest danger source in the half year of summer and also at this age”, Wolfgang Sperl, paediatrist and chairperson of the paediatric hospital at the Landeskliniken Salzburg said.

This is why the danger of water is a current main topic in the parent’s school. The talk is less of the dangers of lakes and swimming pools but of private biotopes and swimming pools.

“Children can get problems in very shallow water as their circulation can break down in cold water and children collapse”, paediatric surgent Matthias Schaffert explained.