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MOST RESPONSIBLE PARENTS must think they know the basics of how to look after their children. In the past two days, however, they have been given some extra – and slightly terrifying – food for thought.
First came the warning in the Health Protection Surveillance’s Epi-Insight monthly bulletin that salmonella rates are high in infants. Scary enough, correct? Then listen to the contamination risks parents are told to watch out for:
1. Reptiles, snakes or amphibians are NOT suitable pets for children under the age of 5
2. Placing children in shopping trolleys with raw meat and poultry products is not safe practice (even if the meat is double bagged)
3. Parents and other adults must wash their hands thoroughly after touching food and before lifting the infant; this is a common way in which infection is transmitted.
4. Breastfeeding protects against enteric infections; mother’s milk is the safest food for young infants.
Washing hands might be a common-sense precaution, but shopping trolleys and pets – who knew?
Then comes the report in The Irish Times of comments made by Noel Brett, CEO of the Road Safety Authority, on a local radio station. He described the action – or inaction – of parents who don’t make their children wear seat belts in the car as “murderous”. He made the comment on Midlands 103′s Midlands Today show yesterday.
The dangers of not properly restraining passengers in vehicles are undeniable, so the strong words from Noel Brett are understandable.
However, do parents’ anxieties properly match the most common risks posed to their children? In the past week, we’ve had warnings from Nintendo about 3D games damaging the eyesight of children under the age of six and HealthDay News reporting that children are getting unnecessary tonsillectomies. Just today, the Irish Medical Times reversed what many parents might have assumed about infection risk in creches and reported that children who attend large creches as toddlers have fewer infections at primary school.
The barrage of information and warnings coming at parents seems to cause some confusion. A survey carried out by Christie Barnes, author of the Paranoid Parents Guide, last September found that these were the top five worries listed by parents (granted, parents in America, but still):
1. Kidnapping
2. School snipers
3. Terrorists
4. Dangerous strangers
5. Drugs
Then she established that the most common ways in which children statistically are injured or killed are as follows:
1. Car accidents
2. Homicide (usually committed by someone the child knows)
3. Abuse
4. Suicide
5. Drowning
It seems the RSA is correct to be worried about the seat belt issue. Ms Barnes herself describes it as a “life and death issue”. However, it is worth noting that on lesser issues, Science Daily also had a report about parental anxiety the same month that Ms Barnes published her survey. In it, they reported that Dr Lephuong Ong from Orion Health Services in Vancouver, Canada and university colleagues in Toronto concluded that “overprotective parents may impact heart anxiety in adults with congenital heart conditions”.
The medical researchers found that those adults suffering from congenital heart disease were more likely to worry unduly about their condition if their parents had been “overprotective” during their childhood and adolescence.
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I sincerely hope that the opportunity to brighten these children’s lives will not be spurned.
A little goodwill and imagination on the state’s part is all that’s required.
@Brendan O’Brien: they have oil rich neighbours/’brothers’ surely to help them with all that…
@Veil: Why not Ireland? It would be a great experience for all concerned, Irish as well as Palestinians.
How insular would you like us to be?
@Veil: There is no GAA in those countries, this is been paid for by GAA people and not the state.
But you continue your Palestinian hatred.
Do you have any problems with the Billions the state pays for Ukrainians fleeing war ?
@Brendan O’Brien: if integration was occurring it would be wise decision, until then, I’m afraid I would rather be insular.
@Veil: It’s just a visit: what does ‘integration’ have to with it? Do you ‘integrate’ when you’re on holiday?
@Elliot Alderson: rules are their for a reason; for everyone, and not a select few, to follow…other countries do not bend and break rules for anyone or anything, why should Ireland be an outlier? No hatred, only logic.
@Brendan O’Brien: I most certainly do; I try partake in the countries language, learn about and engrossed myself in their culture.
@Veil: These kids will be playing hurling! That’s not Irish enough for you?
@Veil: They will surely not go back afterwards and leech here.
@Alex: these Palestinian groups trying to pull fast ones…they would sell their granny
@Alex: They would be entitled to apply for asylum. Pretty sure they would be legitimate . least they would be entering legally
@Val O’Connell: and bring their families
@Dr Albert S Meinheimer: exactly. Don’t be guilt tripped into anything Ireland, it is not ours to carry. Certain groups trying to pull fast ones.
@Veil: they are due to stay with Irish host families, play GAA, visit Croke Park. How much more integration do you expect in a two-week trip?
@JoeJoe Kilbride: Mother of wounded Gaza child pleads to reunite family in Ireland’ rte news.
Before we know, their families be joining, after the 2 weeks, that is..
@Veil: you’re a selfish dope
@Alex: what have you & your spawn ever done for this country except leach?
@Veil: great and one of them would be better than 100 of your type
@Brendan O’Brien: ursella said NO
Clubs up & down the country have been fundraising and gathering donations of the necessary equipment for this to go ahead. Many many people are invested to varying degrees with it. It seems like a very deliberate obfuscation to generate a particular outcome, not a great look!!!
@Mindful Muinteoir: NO BRAINER……let them in to have a wee taste of normality well away from the atrocities in their homeland
@Mindful Muinteoir: send the donations over, more beneficial if anything.
@Mary Linton: surely their rich neighbours could step in and help?
@Veil: & I’m sure they do their bit……this isn’t a competition—– wee waifs getting a week or two respite away from death & destruction—- what’s NOT to like.???….. no doubt the vast majority of Irish citizens will be welcoming for the poor kids
@Veil: I don’t mind the children and their parents or guardians coming over for a week or two as long as they all return home.
@Maire Hicks: that’s the thing Marie, will they…give an inch, take a mile…
@Veil: I know but that’s the chance we’re taking, hopefully it is just a holiday for these children and not some underhanded tactic that will play on people’s heart strings, I would personally be in agreement with alot of your comments. It’s nice to do the right thing in any situation but sometimes you need to be realistic would be my attitude in general.
@Maire Hicks: If 33 Palestinian children were granted asylum here how does that affect you or anyone else on this island? (I’ve omitted the mentors because you didn’t mention them, adults are a different argument)
@Maire Hicks: Jayzis you’re as bad as your man Veil except he doesn’t pretend to care
@Peeta Griffin: you think you care and don’t realise you’re only pretending. It makes you feel good. When you grow up you will understand that many decisions we make don’t make us feel good. They may even make us feel bad. Welcome to the big bad earth my alien friend.
@Peeta Griffin: he stirs the pot and she joins in as the voice of (bigoted) reason, two sides of the one coin
@Mindful Muinteoir: GAa are minted, look at money making from concerts aline, or selling put to allow Muslims walk and pray to their God on our hallowed ground. There should be zero need for fundraising
The organisers have not filled in documentation properly, funny only for the older children, also the host families have of yet have not done Garda vetting..which is major no no, regarding vulnerable children,not a great track record.
These children could so easily be trafficked here..
Rules or there for us all.
what a country they let thousands of unvetted males into the country god only knows their backgrounds yet they can not find away to let a group of children into the country on a holiday a badly needed holiday at that unbelievable.
@Damo Whelan: why is Ireland trying to be the saviour of the world? Surely their ‘brothers’/ neighbours can give them a chance in life?? Rich oil countries n all that…
@Damo Whelan: honestly cannot see how the actions of this government on this matter can be seen as anything other than a massive own goal. Please God these little tykes arrive here & enjoy the bit of wee respite.
@Veil: European countries seem hell bent on repeating the same mistakes of France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands. These people are incompatible with our culture.
@Veil: Repeating you bs, this is a GAA club that raised the money.
@Damo Whelan: they can easily navigate with an explosive belt to destroy the “kuffars”.
@Johnny frankson: Funny that , their guilt trips over how they treated Jews of Europe for several hundred years (UK and Russia / USSR too) is why we have the mess that is Israel and Palestine and the blind support of Israel and toleration of their illegal land grabbing .
It is Europeans and Americans and their culture of imperialism and expansion and greed for oil in the middle east , is why that place is still a problem
Hope their lucks turns soon to get that break they very much deserve. Unlike the luck of those 8 children killed while queuing for supplements in central gaza this morning. IDF… the world’s proudest army? I wonder how they sleep. They (idf) must be nervous of a future court appearance in The Hague if a breakthrough in this ceasefire happens.
@j m m: There’s a reason why Israel lets no international journalists into Gaza and murders the Palestinian ones.
If they were going to ipas centres the government would have no problem , the question is are they being blocked by Ireland for israel
Fair play to the Dubs.
Are Zionists now in total control of Ireland too
@Kevin O Brien: no only logic thinking people
Once again, thanks to the Irish Immigration service for doing your job. Don’t be bullied into something that is not right.
@Veil: Wtf are you on about ? Your hatred of Palestinians is spewing over here all over this article. I suppose you’re a Zionist supporter.
@Veil: How can it not be right to brighten the lives of children?
You need to take a good look at yourself.
@Elliot Alderson: wow, rein in your bile there son, no need to attack me, I am entitled to my opinion as much as you are to yours. Do not put words in my mouth either.
@Veil: I’ve seen enough….. “I hear you’re a racist now Father” …. and muted.
@Veil: How do you know the Irish immigration services’ decision is not politicaly motivated or erroneous? After all the trip organisers and participants claim that they have supplied all necessary paperwork? Knowing Irish bureaucracy it is not unthinkable that they messed up.
@Elliot Alderson: educate yourself child.
@Brendan O’Brien: tell them about santa and the tooth fairy whilst they’re here. This is virtue signalling and feeling good about yourself gone overboard.
These kids will have to back to Gaza. Your warm cosy feeling will fade away and life will continue.
@offside again: They’re from the West Bank, not Gaza, you eejit. You can’t even be bothered to read about them.
I would like them to feel good for a while. How come that is impossible for you to understand? Why don’t you join the human race?
@Brendan O’Brien: my bad but whatever, my point stands.
@Veil: Loving the like ratio between your comment & the responses to it. Says it all really.
@Mindful Muinteoir: lest not forget the 3 innocent men who were slaughtered in Sligo, one whom luckily survived, because of their sexual preference, based on someone’s ideology and beliefs. Teach well Muinteoir.
Don’t be guilt tripped into anything Ireland, it is not ours to carry. Certain groups trying to pull fast ones.
‘Mother of wounded Gaza child pleads to reunite family in Ireland’ rte news.
And so it begins…
@Veil: Open door policy , for one and all..
@Veil: said it before, say it again; give an inch, take a mile.. good luck Ireland.
that’s the thing Johnny, they’ll all be bawling and ripping when their future generations of female relatives and other minority groups are under oppression. I’m thinking of the bigger picture, and the future, here…but maybe these errors need to be made for evolution…
Hope you’re not flaying em over British airspace?. Best have the F 35’s & Typhoons on rapid action alert
You’d wonder who the parents are. Sure we’re a great nation of eejits. I’m sure the majority of the kids came from good parents but what about the very minority others that didn’t!
Let the rich arab countries support Palestinian families .. immigration officials enforce the law ..stop being a soft touch
Em
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