October 8-13 is National Fire Prevention Week. As schools promote fire prevention and safety how can parents of hearing impaired children do the same in their homes?
Fire is a very real concern for every parent. It is especially a concern for parents of hearing impaired children. Following these guidelines will address many areas of fire safety. Have other ideas worked well for your family? If so email me!
- Remove Temptation It seems that this goes without saying, but October is a good time to remind ourselves: Keep fire producing materials out of the reach of children: matches - candles - lighters - cigarettes - lighter fluid. Remove knobs from outdoor grills. Closely monitor children in the kitchen.
- Teach Responsibility Make a book of pictures of things that are off limits to touch. Write NO! or put a not allowed symbol on each. Read the booklet with your child. Keep the booklet where your child can reread it from time to time.
- Stop! Drop! Roll! Use a children’s book or fire prevention handout to show the sequence. If necessary, cut out the three pictures. Write the words underneath. Practice (taking turns) as a family. Post the pictures on the refrigerator.
- Have an Escape Plan Use a picture of your home with a picture of fire on it. Show a picture of where (neighbor’s house, etc.) you will go. Practice the escape plan (including crawling) from various places in the house.
- Letting the Fire Department Know Check with your local fire department about how to mark bedroom windows. Let children practice dialing 9-1-1 from a disabled cell phone OUTSIDE your home.
- Attend Fire Prevention Activities Again, ask your fire department for a time when you and your child can attend activities without a large crowd. Do they have a smoke house to practice escape? Do they have a firefighter who will demonstrate putting on firefighter gear so the kids can see he is a real person? Can your child visit the living areas of the fire department to better understand that firefighters are people who help?
Remember that children with hearing loss are intellectually delayed. Rather, hearing loss effects communication. Hearing impaired children are very visual. If you provide pictures and practice experiences you will have gone far in communicating fire prevention and safety.
More articles about parenting a hearing impaired child:
The copyright of the article Deaf Children Learn Fire Safety in Special Needs Parenting is owned by Lynn Moore. Permission to republish Deaf Children Learn Fire Safety in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
