PAC F100 Instructions For Use Manual - page 9
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Main Content/Interactive Activity: 15-18 minutes
The intent of the Main Content/Interactive Activity is to introduce participants to the concept
of “What? So What? Now What?” as a prevention strategy for child injuries. It comprises of
explaining the concept and facilitating a group activity to apply the questions into practice.
Share with participants the following:
“What? So What? Now What?”
These are three questions to help participants think about child safety. It helps us identify the
new skills a child is developing and determine their risk for injury. Then we can think of ways to
keep a child safe.
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt my child?
Now what can I do to keep them safe?
What can my child do now?
Children are always changing and developing new skills. Being able to recognize what they can
do based on their stage of development is important when preventing any injury. Therefore,
the “What?” question is designed to prompt you to first consider what activities your child can
do now or will be doing soon. For example, you identify that your child is starting to roll around.
(If you use the Nippissing District Developmental Screens with your families, this is another
great resource to share with families to support them in identifying developmental milestones.)
So what can hurt my child?
A child’s risk for injury changes as they develop new motor skills. Being able to identify
potential dangers allows you to think ahead and assess your home environment for any
possible risks that can affect your child in relation to their newly developed skill. The “So
What?” question is designed to prompt you to explore and identify risks for injury. For example,
you identify that their child is now at risk for falling from places like change tables and couches
because they are starting to roll around.
Now what can I do to keep my child safe?
After new dangers have been identified, it is now time to develop a plan to keep your child safe.
Knowing how to prevent these injuries before they happen is the most important step.
Therefore, the “Now What?” question is designed to help you find ways to prevent injuries
based on your child’s skills and risks. For example, since your child is at risk for falls, placing a
hand on your child while they are on a high surface such as a change table, bed, or couch, keeps
them from falling off.
“What? So What? Now What?” can assist in the prevention of many childhood injuries.
However, for the purposes of this workshop, the main focus will be on falls, burns/scalds and
poisonings being that they are the most common injuries in children aged 0-36 months in
Ontario (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2009).