14 DAY TRIAL // A new study shows that parents who are otherwise occupied are better off leaving their children in the care of their grandparents, rather than hire a babysitter. Being around members of the family instead of total strangers can definitely leave a mark on infants and young children, considering the loving atmosphere they will be surrounded by. Also, the risk of injury was observed as reducing in half if grandma or grandpa is taking care of Junior.
Though the study analyzed the connections that might have appeared between family income and the risk of child injury, the results showed that no such connection exists. However, a higher degree of injuries was observed to happen when the family was separated – parents divorced or fathers living elsewhere – more often than when both parents and their child lived together.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers were in charge of the current study, which is to be published in the November 2008 issue of the Pediatrics journal. The survey included some 5,500 children throughout the United States, in 15 different cities, between 1996 and 1997. There was also a 30 to 33 month follow-up period. The researchers, led by David Bishai, MD, PhD, MPH, also had access to the children's medical records during this period, which allowed him to carefully observe any link that may form between various societal and environmental factors during this time.
Bishai, who is also a Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health professor at the Bloomberg School, said "Recent growth in the number of grandparents providing childcare has some observers concerned they don't adhere to modern safety practices. To the contrary, this research tells us not only is there no evidence to support this assumption, but families that choose grandparents to care for their children experience fewer child injuries."
And it stands to reason for this to be so, if you think about it. Other than the parents, the grandparents are the people most likely to care for a child and look out for his or her well-being, unlike a stranger, who is being paid to do so. Therefore, before calling a babysitter, make sure that the grandparents are unavailable to assist you with your child.