Kids safer with grandma

Nov 3 2008

According to a new study, for working parents, having grandparents as caregivers can cut the risk of childhood injury roughly in half.

The researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the U.S. say compared to organized daycare or care by the mother or other relatives, having grandmother watch a child was associated with a decreased risk of injury for the child.

The study, one of the first to examine the relationship between grandparents' care and childhood injury rates, also examined the connections between family structure and the likelihood of injury.

According to the researchers, the odds of injury were significantly greater among children whose parents never married compared with children whose mothers stayed married throughout the child's life and the odds of injury were greater for children living in homes in which the father did not co-reside - these associations were independent of family income.

Lead author Dr David Bishai, a professor with the Bloomberg School's Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, says recent growth in the number of grandparents providing childcare has some observers concerned they don't adhere to modern safety practices, but contrary to that view, the research shows that not only is there no evidence to support this assumption, but families that choose grandparents to care for their children experience fewer child injuries.

Dr Bishai and his team analysed data from the National Evaluation of the Healthy Steps for Young Children Program, which includes information on over 5,500 newborns enrolled in 15 U.S. cities in 1996-97 with follow-up for 30-33 months.

Data on child care arrangements reported by the mother were linked to claims reporting children's doctors visits, allowing researchers to identify medically attended injuries.

The researchers say as injuries are the number one cause of death for children in the United States, determining risk and protective factors is critical.

Co-author Andrea C. Gielen says additional studies of how households choose relatives to watch their children and the actual caregiving style of grandparents are warranted, because the protective effect of grandparents may depend on choosing the right grandparent.

The research is published in the current issue of Pediatrics.