NURSING CARE OF A DEVELOPING INFANT | 1

University of Northern Philippines

Vigan City
Graduate School
Master of Arts in Nursing

Rogelio T. Saupan, RN Prof. Marciana De Vera, EdD, RN
MAN-1 Instructor

SIGMUND FREUD AND THE PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY
Infantile (ORAL) stage
The oral stage in psychology is the term used by
Sigmund Freud to describe the child's development during
the first eighteen months of life, in which an infant's
pleasure centers are in the mouth.
This is the infant's first relationship with its mother;
it is a nutritive one. Sucking and eating, however, compose
the earliest memories for infants in every society. This
stage holds special importance because some, especially
those in tribal societies commonly found in the Southwest
Pacific and Africa, consider the stomach to be the seat of
emotions.

Oral stage drives
A newborn is governed only by its drives. Only the
id is present at this stage, so the infant seeks immediate
gratification, achieved through its mouth feeding, crying,
and oral exploration of the world using the mouth and the
tongue.

Result of oral stage disturbance
According to Freud, disturbance of the oral stage
may result in a permanent fixation on the oral channel for
gratification. Orally-fixated people often seek gratification
through smoking, thumb-sucking, nail-biting and chewing
objects like pens and pencils.
Temperament of both the mother/caregiver and the
child will have an effect here. The impact of temperament is
perhaps better reflected in Paul Kline & R. Storeys 1977
slant on the oral personality, in which they proposed 2 oral
types: oral optimistic (a variation on oral receptive) and oral
pessimistic (a variation on oral aggressive).

Oral stage fixations
1. Oral receptive (optimistic) personality - brought
on by too much nursing
Oral receptive people are often cheerful,
unrealistically optimistic and very self-centred yet
cant bear the disapproval of others. Through the
defence mechanism of sublimation, they may show
an interest in languages, be a compulsive talker
and be good at ventriloquism. The language used
to describe overly-dependent people may reflect
their oralitye.g.leech. Very gullible people may be
called suckers.
Oral optimistic was characterised as
having dependency, liking, fluency, sociability,
liking of novelty and relaxation were clustered
together as traits.
2. Oral aggresive (pessimistic) personality -
brought on by not enough nursing and/or by early
weaning
Oral aggressive people are often perceived
as greedy and acquisitive, envious, pessimistic,
cynical, sarcastic, scornful and contemptuous.
Oral pessimistic was characterised as
having independence, verbal aggression, envy,
coldness and hostility, malice, ambition and
impatience clustered together as traits.
There is nothing like enough substantive evidence to
postulate cause-and-effect.

Nursing implications:
1. Provide oral stimulation through feeding & use of
pacifiers.
2. Do not discourage thumb-sucking at this point.
3. For newborns and infants up to age 6 months,
breastfeeding provides more oral stimulation than bottle
feeding, so it is encouraged.
4. Be attentive of the infant's needs.
5. Delaying gratification can be useful to develop ego.










NURSING CARE OF A DEVELOPING INFANT | 2


MULTIDIMENSIONAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT IN INFANTS
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

One to Two Months of Age
The infant will do such things as react to a sheet
being put over his or her face and show recognition
to mother or other familiar and favorite caregivers
Seems to recognize your voice and quiets if crying
Increases or decreases sucking behavior in
response to sound

Three to Four Months of Age
Smile when you appear
Quiet or smile when spoken to
Seem to recognize your voice
Cry differently for different needs
Reaches for familiar people.
Identifying self in mirror.
Plays by pulling something over face (peek-a-boo).
Plays while propped with toys for 10-15 minutes.

Five to Six Months of Age
Smiles at self in mirror.
Discriminates strangers from familiar people.
Works for toy out of reach.
Reaches for self in mirror.
Use his or her voice to express pleasure and
displeasure
Move his or her eyes in the direction of sounds
Respond to changes in the tone of your voice
Notice that some toys make sounds
Pay attention to music

Seven to Nine Months of Age
Clings to familiar people and hides face.
Plays with or reaches for self or object in mirror by
12 months.
Cooperates with adult in games.
Bites and chews toys.
Turns and looks in direction of sounds
Listens when spoken to

Highlight: Stranger Anxiety
Stranger anxiety builds gradually. As early as 4 months,
infants can already discriminate caregivers from strangers.
They begin to prefer caregivers and become wary when
strangers approach. But at 7-8 moths, it occurs more often
and is clearly displayed. This is because they are already
more aware with their environment, people around them
and the relationships they have with them. At 1 year of age,
infant develops more and better physical and cognitive
skills. They may run to their parents and grab hold of them
or demand to be carried/picked up.
Signs: sudden quietness while looking fearfully to the
strangerbecome emotional, cry loudly, and fuss
Nursing implications
Teach the parent to:
Hold children when introducing them to others
Teach family, friends and strangers to approach the
baby slowly and let child warm himself up.
Speaking calmly and slowly may help
Try to introduce more new people to the child
Take them to public places where they could
interact with a lot of people e.g. groceries, parks
Be patient and do not rush child to learn his
socialization skills since doing so may make him
more sensitive to new people.
Respect child's fear. Ignoring or dismissing will only
make the feeling worse
Don't label the child, such as shy or fearful or call
him ridiculous or childish
Worry about the child's feelings, not the strangers
feelings
Strange terror is a more intense form of stranger
anxiety. A child may be very agitated with one stranger and
may avoid all strangers. Behaviors suggesting such
include:
Hiding when unfamiliar persons are present,
even if the person is not trying to interact with
the child
Facial expressions of worry expected in an
older child
Being extremely upset in the presence of a
stranger
Loud screaming or back arching when
approached or being comforted by a stranger
Long periods of extreme stillness and wariness
in front of a stranger.
Nursing implications: Tell parents/caregivers that if this
interferes with child's normal daily life, consult a pediatrician
or a professional.

Highlight: Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety happens as the infant's sense
of individuality is gradually developing. As a newborn, a
child has no sense of himself as an individual. He thinks
that the caregiver and himself are one. Over time, as the
baby grows physically and develops mentally (cognitively),

NURSING CARE OF A DEVELOPING INFANT | 3

s/he will begin to realize he is separate from the caregiver
and that you can leave him/her alone.
Nursing implications: Teach parents to resist the urge to
sneak away unnoticed by the baby which is not helpful in
the development of the child's ability to cope. Instead, say
goodbye and go while he's watching.

Ten to Twelve Months of Age
Recognizes familiar people from a distance of 20
feet.
Beginning to demand independence.
Demands personal attention.
Mouthing toys and items less.
Understand simple instructions and begins to
respond to requests (e.g. "Come here" or "Want
more?")
Respond to "no"

LANGUAGE & SPEECH DEVELOPMENT


Birth to 3 Months
small, cooing (dovelike) sounds by the end of the
first month
2-month-old child differentiates a cry [distinguish a
cry that means hungry from one that means wet
diaper]; ability to make throaty, gurgling, or cooing
sounds also increases at this time.
3-month-old child will squeal with pleasure
4-6 Months
4 months infants are very talkative, cooing,
babbling, and gurgling when spoken to; chuckle
and laugh out loud
5 months an infant says some simple vowel
sounds (for example, goo-goo and gah-gah). A
child may also vocalize dis/pleasure by making
these sounds.
6 months infants learn the art of imitating;
babbling sounds are more speech-like with many
different sounds, including p, b and m.

7 Months to 1 Year
7 months they can imitate vowel sounds well (for
example, oh-oh, ah-ah, and oo-oo).
9 months an infant usually speaks a first word:
da-da or ba-ba; babbling has both long and
short groups of sounds such as "tataupupbibibibi."
10 months an infant masters another word such
as bye-bye or no; usually, the baby uses speech or
non-crying sounds to get and keep attention as well
as gestures to communicate (waving, holding arms
to be picked up).
12 months infants can generally say two words
besides ma-ma and da-da; they use those two
words with meaning, although sounds may not be
clear.

Nursing Implications
Remind/ teach the mother to:
Check the child's ability to hear, and pay attention
to ear problems and infections, especially when
they keep occurring.Hearing impairment may be
associated with language and/or speech disorders.
Reinforce the baby's communication attempts by
looking at him or her, speaking, and imitating his or
her vocalizations.
Repeat his or her laughter and facial expressions.
Teach the baby to imitate actions, such as
peekaboo, clapping, blowing kisses, pat-a-cake,
itsy bitsy spider, and waving bye-bye. These
games teach turn taking that is needed for
conversation.
Talk while doing things, such as dressing, bathing,
and feeding (e.g., "Mommy is washing Sam's hair";
"Sam is eating carrots"; "Oh, these carrots are
good!").
Talk about where s/he is going, what s/he will do
once you get there, and who and what s/he'll see
(e.g., "Sam is going to Grandma's house. Grandma
has a dog. Sam will pet the dog.").
Teach animal sounds (e.g., "A cow says 'moo'").
Communicate with the child in the language s/he is
most comfortable using.


PLAY DEVELOPMENT

Birth to 3 months - all hands and mouth
Gross Motor Development
During the first few months of life, the babys body
begin to loosen up from a tightly flexed posture to a more
open and relaxed tone. He will begin to stretch his arms
and legs out more, and develop the beginnings of head
control. Leg strength will increase and baby will be able to
briefly bear his weight while standing.
Enjoy some face to face tummy time together on
the floor to strengthen babys neck.

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Lay your baby underneath a play gym to give those
swinging arms and kicking legs something to
connect with. Sit next to the baby to cheer him on.
Babies are soothed by gentle rocking movements,
whether in the arms or snuggled quietly in an infant
seat.
Encourage baby to reach and roll by placing a
favorite toy nearby (begins at 3 months).

Fine Motor Development
The babys hands will gradually change from a
tight-fisted tone to more open and relaxed palms that are
ready to grab everything nearby. Baby will begin to
purposefully reach toward objects and will learn to suck on
his/her fingers.
From fingers to toys, babies love to taste
everything they can get their hands on. Encourage
the baby to explore objects with all his senses.
Practice babys reaching skills by gently shaking a
toy within her reach. Be ready to offer more handy
toys as baby drops each one.
Keep the grasp.

Visual Development
At birth babies can see clearly around 10 to 12
inches (about the distance from your breast to your face).
Babys vision is perhaps his most perceptive sense at this
early age. Over these first few months your baby will begin
to focus on you, then follow moving objects as they pass
before him.
Dark and light contrasting colors are the best way
to stimulate babys visual senses. Surround baby
with these during his quiet alert time.
Be sure to stay close to the infant baby as you
interact. Around 12 inches is the perfect distance
away to engage his eyes.
Practice babys visual tracking skills by slowly
moving a toy, or your own smiling face, back and
forth before her eyes.
Movement will easily catch the babys eye. Engage
babys attention with gentle hand and finger
movements when beginning to interact.

Socio-Cognitive Development
In these early months baby will begin to smile
spontaneously, then smile responsively to your attention.
The baby will begin to show interest in his surroundings and
learn to interact with objects and people.
Babies will learn cause and effect.
Baby will learn to manipulate objects around him.
Hold baby near a mobile or other hanging toy and
let him learn to move the pieces around.
Bath time can be a fun way to interact with the
infant and encourage social smiles and giggles.
While you wash, be sure to laugh, sing, talk, rub
and tickle your baby to promote responsiveness.

Hearing & Language Development
Over these first months, the infant begins to react
to sounds by startling and then eventually moving the eyes
toward noises. The babys cries will become his first
language and take on various meanings. Smiling will turn to
laughter and baby will begin to coo and goo.
Babies are intrigued when they create sounds on
their own. Show baby the various sounds his toys
can make and he will thrill as he experiences the
sounds on his own.
Soothing music has a calming effect on the baby.
Quietly sing or hum along with a musical toy during
play.
A caregivers voice is comforting to baby. As you
go about your day, stay connected by talking to
your baby to let him know you are near.
Sounds will make babys playtime more fun. Hand
and foot rattles are a great way to thrill baby as she
kicks his legs and waves his arms.

4-6 Months - Reaching & Rolling
Around the age of four months, the development of
binocular vision (the eyes learning to work together on
depth perception) makes reaching and grasping possible.
Mom may have to put away her dangly earrings for the next
several months, and parents who wear glasses must be on
the alert for babies who grab and fling these intriguing
objects to the floor. Give baby interesting things to hold and
explore with his hands at this age: lightweight rattles that
are easy to grasp, a plastic or rubber ring to hold with both
hands, toys that make noise when you squeak or shake
them, small plush animals or dolls. Rattles that attach to
babies ankles add excitement to kicking. Four-month-old
children need a playpen or a sheet spread on the floor so
they have an opportunity to exercise their new skill of rolling
over. Rolling over is so intriguing it may serve as a toy for
the entire month.
Five-month-old infants are ready for a variety of
objects to handle, such as plastic rings, blocks, squeeze
toys, clothespins, rattles, and plastic keys. All these should
be small enough an infant can lift them with one hand, yet
big enough the baby cannotpossibly swallow them.
A 6-month-old child can sit steadily enough to be
ready for bathtub toys such as rubber ducks or plastic boats.
Because they are starting to teethe, infants enjoy a teething
ring to chew on at this time.


NURSING CARE OF A DEVELOPING INFANT | 5

Gross Motor Development
During these months baby will gain more upper
body strength and balance so he can progress toward
sitting. Babys interest in his surroundings will prompt him to
roll to the side and eventually all the way over. Tummy time
will be more fun for baby as he begins to push up and
eventually starts to scoot forward.
Babies begin to purposefully wave their arms and
kick their feet. Give baby some play time in a
bouncer seat so he can learn how his movements
make him bounce. Be sure to keep your attention
on the baby during this activity.
Baby will begin to respond to playful interaction by
waving his arms and legs. Foot and wrist rattles will
reward his antics with interesting sounds. Clap and
cheer baby on and he will respond with more
excitement.
Encourage your baby to reach and roll over by
placing a favorite toy next to him just out of reach.
Have some more floor time with baby as he learns
to push himself up on his elbows. This newly
acquired position gives baby a better view of his
surroundings.
Baby will soon begin to tummy-crawl. Place some
toys just out of reach to spur baby forward.

Fine Motor Development
Babys accuracy steadily improves through these
months until he can reach out and grab toys precisely. The
baby will transfer objects back and forth between hands
and play with toys in a more purposeful way. Babys
sensitive fingers will learn to explore different textures and
smaller objects.
Curious babys little fingers will be intrigued by
movable toy parts, gadgets and varying textures.
Show the fun features on each new toy.
Baby begins to reach out for anything and
everything placed within his reach. Keep babys
hands busy by engaging him with a toy whenever
on the move together in a baby sling, stroller or car
seat.
A fun floor-time exercise is to dangle a favorite toy
in front of baby to practice his hand coordination
and aim.
Babys two-handed grabbing skills will mature into
a skillful one-handed reach. Challenge baby with
two toys at once so he goes for one with each hand.
Babies begin to explore various body parts. One of
the first is hands and fingers. Little finger puppets
make this even more fun, and your own fingers can
join baby in this playtime.
Transferring objects back and forth between hands
is an important coordination skill at this stage. Keep
babies hands busy with favorite toys to enhance
this learning.
Take time to read through activity books together.
These are great for practicing babys reaching skills.

Visual Development
Baby can now see clearly at a greater distance.
This will enhance his interaction with caregiver and his
surroundings. Baby develops better binocular vision which
makes his play with toys more accurate. Baby will try to
make frequent eye contact with the caregiver to connect
during playtime.
Babys visual tracking skills improve during this
stage. Moving mobiles are a great way to enhance
this skill. Watch as the baby follows the hanging
toys in a full circle.
Flashing colorful lights will draw babys attention.
These are even more fun when baby can activate
lights and music on his toys.
Mirror play is a fun way for baby to begin to explore
her own features as well as yours. Keep several
mirrored toys handy.

Socio-Cognitive Development
During these months babies will show more
decision-making during play. She will attempt to pick up two
toys at a time and take more time to study and understand
each toy. Baby will respond more to interaction and begin to
mimic facial gestures and moods. Baby will laugh more
responsively to stimulation.
As baby plays, he begins to exercise his decision-
making skills. As baby is engaged with one toy,
place another before him. Watch as he decides to
put aside one toy in favor of another, and back
again.
Show the baby the features of each new toy to help
him discover toys are not just for chewing on.
Baby will respond more socially to care giver's
antics. Take as much time as you can everyday for
interactive play to develop responsiveness and
communication skills.
Your baby will begin to communicate her need for
relief from teething pain. Keep plenty of teethable
toys on hand to soothe babys aching gums.

Hearing &Language Development
Babies will begin to use body language to express
their needs. Baby sounds become more varied as infant
explores his vocal abilities. You will see him respond more

NURSING CARE OF A DEVELOPING INFANT | 6

readily to voices, and turn more accurately toward
interesting sounds.
You can use sounds to engage your baby in play.
Toys that rattle, squeak, crinkle or beep will help
your baby focus in and locate objects by their
familiar sounds.
Help your baby learn cause and effect by showing
her how to make sounds with each toy.
Play find the toy with your baby by making some
familiar toy sounds out of babys sight. Keep
making noise to help your baby learn to focus on
and locate sounds.
Talk or sing to your baby as you move about your
day. This will help baby recognize and be
comforted by your familiar voice.
Babies love to sing along with their caregivers. The
more you interact verbally with baby, to more he
will learn to imitate your speech sounds.
Singing and music are perfect ways to delight your
baby while in the stroller or car seat

7-12 months - Baby on the Move
Sitting up without support gives babies a new
outlook on life. And once theyve mastered this skill, they
will eagerly move on towards crawling. Toys placed just out
of reach will motivate them to lunge forward and discover
ways to rock and scoot and move along the floor. As babys
fine motor skills improve, he can pick up smaller objects, so
be sure to provide small toys that fit comfortably in babys
hands. An assortment of these on the high chair tray will
keep baby occupied for a long time. This is also a great age
to introduce simple activity books, and as baby grows, so
should the complexity of these interactive books. As babies
approach one year, fill and dump container play will keep
them busy for hours. Object permanence is a concept that
will be learned at this age, so hiding games become lots of
fun. Babies will also show more interest in mirror play. And
dont forget to bring on the balls. Lightweight foam balls are
fun for rolling and gentle tossing with a caregiver. Some
babies will show readiness to stand and even begin walking.
Walker toys that baby can hold onto and push across the
room are perfect for this stage.
Because 7-month-old children can transfer toys,
they are interested in items such as blocks, rattles, or
plastic keys that are small enough to be used for this. As
their mobility increases, they begin to be more interested in
brightly colored balls or toys that previously rolled out of
reach.
Eight-month-old children are sensitive to
differences in texture. They enjoy having toys that have
different feels to them, such as velvet, fur, fuzzy, smooth, or
rough items.
The 9-month-old infant needs the experience of
creeping. This means time out of a crib or playpen so there
is room to maneuver. Many 9-month-olds begin to enjoy
toys that go inside one another, such as a nest of blocks or
rings of assorted sizes that fit on a center post. Some are
more interested in pots and pans that stack rather than toys.
By 10 months, infants are ready for peek-a-boo and
will spend a long time playing the game with their hands or
with a cloth over their head that they can reach and remove.
They can clap and are also ready to play patty-cake. These
games have a positive value, just as laughing out loud did
for the 3-month-old child. They make a baby feel like an
active part of the household. A family feeling begins to grow
as the babycan participate in active games.
At 11 months, children have learned to cruise or
walk along low tables by holding on. They often find this so
absorbing they spend little time doing anything else during
the month.
Twelve-month-old infants enjoy putting things in
and taking things out of containers. They like little boxes
that fit inside one another or dropping small blocks into a
cardboard box. As soon as they can walk, they will be
interested in pull toys. A lot of time may be spent listening
to someone saying nursery rhymes or listening to music.

Gross Motor Development
During these months, significant advances in motor
development take place. Babies progress from learning to
sit well to leaning forward into a crawling position. They will
learn to pull themselves up into a standing position to cruise
along furniture, and some go-getters will even begin
walking before age one.
As infant becomes an expert at sitting, make a play
circle together with your legs while you sit facing
each other during play. This is perfect for block play
and container play.
Entice a sitting baby to lean forward into a crawling
position by putting his favorite toys just beyond his
reach. Musical toys and rattles are great for this.
A crawling baby will love to play fetch as you roll
her favorite ball across the room.
Once baby is sitting comfortably, baths take on a
whole new meaning. Turn these wash times into a
splashing fun time as you help baby become
comfortable in the water.
Play treasure hunt with a crawling baby. Place his
favorite blocks around the room and encourage him
to gather them up.

Fine Motor Development
Babies begin to use their fingers more skillfully, and
will eventually master the thumb-and-finger pincer grasp on

NURSING CARE OF A DEVELOPING INFANT | 7

tiny objects. Picking up blocks and other small toys with one
hand will become second nature, and you will commonly
see a toy in each hand while baby looks around for a third.
Eventually baby will begin container play and spend hours
putting things in and dumping them out again.
At this age, babies are more easily entertained
during a long car ride with a few favorite toys to
keep their hands busy.
Colorful balls are a great tool for babys playtime to
work on his one-handed grasping and fill and dump
container play.
During bath time, add a few floating bath toys to the
water to keep babys reaching hands busy while
you wash off the days dirt.
Surround sitting baby with his favorite blocks or
other small objects so he can practice his reach
and grab.
The baby can begin to appreciate different touch
sensations with his fingers. Offer as many different
textures as you can.
Discovering babys toes and pulling them up to his
mouth is a fun exercise. Put some foot rattles onto
babys feet to encourage this discovery.
Activity books are a great outlet for babys curious
fingers and will get the child interested in books at
a young age.

Socio-Cognitive Development
Babys responsiveness to caregivers interactions
becomes more rewarding, and baby will frequently flirt with
whoever is looking his way. During these months baby will
begin to respond specifically to his own name. Waving and
clapping are fun skills that baby will pick up. Babys
inquisitive nature will prompt him to systematically explore
every interesting nook and cranny of his domain. Baby-
proofing becomes increasingly important.
Playing peek-a-boo is a perfect game to exercise
babys social responses. A large ball, toy doll, or
even your own hands to hide behind work great.
Babies begin to mimic your actions. Bath is a
perfect time to show the baby how to have a
splashing fun time.
Clapping hands is another way a baby will thrill to
imitate. Be sure to cheer her on.
Baby will be intrigued with the concepts of in and
out. Help the baby understand container play by
showing him how to play with a bucket and blocks.
Infants begin to pick and choose between toys.
While he is engaged with a toy in each hand, place
a third in front of her to exercise her decision-
making skills.
Waving bye-bye can be made even more fun and
social using colorful finger puppets.
Mirrors are a fun way to interact with your baby.
Explore your reflections together.

Hearing &Language Development
During these months babys cute little coos and
goos will mature into babbling with consonant sounds.
Baby will begin to talk her own language of jabbering as
she imitates the language patterns of those around her. A
few precocious talkers may even surprise you with their first
word before age one. Babys understanding of various
phrases will begin, such as No and Come see daddy.
Baby will continue to be intrigued by sounds that she can
create on her own during play.
Banging two wooden blocks together is a great way
for a baby to learn how to create sounds. Grab two
blocks and play along.
Sounds are a great way to draw a baby into
playtime. Dropping or shaking her wooden blocks
in a plastic bucket is sure to get her attention.
Banging, shaking, and blowing musical toy
instruments will become a favorite activity for the
baby. Get her started early and cheer on her talent.
Musical toys will continue to interest a baby. Hum
and sing along and s/he will try to mimic you and
join in with his own singing.

You might be concerned about the child's development if
child does not:
Show alarm or startle in response to loud noises.
Suck and swallow with ease.
Grasp with equal strength in both hands.
Make eye-to-eye contact when awake and being
held.
Quiet soon after being picked up.
Roll head from side to side when placed on
stomach.




CHILDPROOFING AND CHILD SAFETY FOR INFANTS

Suffocation and Choking
Avoid sleeping with an infant in the same bed
Infants should never be placed on top
of/surrounded with soft surfaces/materials like

NURSING CARE OF A DEVELOPING INFANT | 8

sofas, large soft toys,water beds as well pillows,
blankets, comforters
Keep toys away from a sleeping baby
Babies should sleep on their backs
Crib bars should not be more than 2 3/8 inches
apart to prevent infants from getting their heads
stuck in between
Keep crib from plastic sheets, large stuffed toys,
toys with small pieces, pillows
Do not dress baby with clothes with drawstrings
Keep toys with long strings/cords from infant's
reach to prevent strangulation
Do not attach pacifiers to ribbons and wear on
infants neck
Place the bed away from windows especially those
with coverings and pull cords
Avoid small (and hard) foods which could lodge on
the infants throat esp. when they are lying down,
e.g. raisins, candies, nuts, small pieces of hotdogs
Keep floors, beds, table and cabinet tops with
minute objects they could mouth, e.g. coins, rings,
nails, tacks among others

Injuries, Falls and Burns
Toys should not be too heavy enough to hurt if it
falls on the baby
Do not leave baby on chairs, beds or bouncy
upholsteries
Install baby gates especially on stairs
Always check baby's bathwater temperature before
putting the baby into bath, which should be 100F
(37C)Keep matches away from reach of infants
Never ignite lighters or matches in front of them
Do not leave cigarettes unattended, smoke or drink
hot beverages while holding an infant
Stoves and hot water taps should be proofed. They
are not always hot. Children can touch them once
safely and the next time receive a severe burn
Keep cords out of their way so they can't pull, trip
or chew
Cover wall outlets with safety caps
Keep appliances unplugged and the cords out of
the child's reach
Use corner and edge bumpers

Drowning
Never leave a child unsupervised in the bathtub. If
you must leave the room for a telephone call or to
answer the door, wrap the child in a towel and take
him or her with you. Don't leave a small child alone
with any container of liquid, including wading pools,
scrub buckets, and toilets.
The tub should be just enough to cover the baby's
legs at about 3 inches water
Use nonslip mats on bathrooms and toilets
Never take your eyes off the infant when near a
body of water

Poisoning
Keep all toxic items out of reach and locked in
cabinets
Remove piosonous plants in the home and garden,
e.g. philodendrons, poison ivies, etc.
Keep a contact number of a poison center or
nearby health facility

Access
Have trashcans with child-proof covers
Latch cabinets and other furnitures within child's
reach
Avoid using placemats and long draping
tableclothes

References:
Allen, K. E. & Marotz, I. (1989). Developmental profiles:
Birth to six. [Delmar Publishers Inc.]

Pillitteri, Adele. Maternal and Child Health Nursing: Care of
the Childbearing and Childrearing Family, Sixth Edition.
(2009) Lippicotts, Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/01.htm#sth
ash.dgiw60zi.dpuf

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/infant-and-toddler-
health/in-depth/language-development/art-20045163]

http://www.cdc.gov/