Doctor: Children Under Seven Need Close Supervision
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Prof. Dr R.A. Setyo Handryastuti, a paediatric neurologist specialising in child neurology at Dr Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital (RSCM), has reminded parents to supervise children under seven closely because they are not yet fully able to recognise dangers in their surroundings.
“Children under seven do not properly understand danger, especially toddlers. They cannot yet tell what is dangerous and what is not, so they must always be under their parents’ supervision,” said the doctor, known as Prof Andry, when met at RSCM after a press conference on conjoined twins on Monday.
Prof Andry, who is also a professor of child neurology at the University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Medicine, explained that toddlers are also not yet fully able to express their feelings, fears or thoughts. Parents should therefore be alert to their children’s condition and should not leave them without supervision.
She said the level of supervision should also take account of the environment in which a child is spending time. At home, parents should ensure the surroundings are safe, while outside they need to assess potential hazards more carefully.
“Outside the home, we do not know whether a place is safe. We must first assess the environment. If it is not safe, we have to keep watch very closely and must not let our guard down,” she said.
The importance of child supervision has returned to public attention following reports of a child who fell from a hotel balcony in Samarinda and died, and another child who was left by their parents in a tent while they climbed Mount Prau.
Prof Andry said parents who need time to rest or attend to personal matters can arrange childcare by asking a trusted family member, such as a grandparent or another relative, for help.
“If parents want some time to themselves or to rest, someone must be there to look after the child,” she said.
She added that parents should ensure children are supervised by an adult capable of keeping them safe, particularly while they are unable to recognise risks independently.