Tossing tots in the air is too dangerous

RICHARD MADDEN | Tumwater • Published January 07, 2013 Modified January 06, 2013

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T he Olympian recently ran a large Associated Press picture of a father, visiting the Skagit Valley from Colorado, tossing his child high into the air. Though this was probably enjoyed by the child and father, he was, in fact, endangering the child on several levels. There is the obvious possibility of missing the catch. Or, the chance he has to grab an arm or leg and injure the child that way. Perfect set-up for a spiral fracture. If the child is very young, the jarring from too high a toss could involve head trauma. A gentle and low toss is possibly OK, but after witnessing the possible injuries to a child when I was a Child Protective Services worker, I always fear the possibilities when I see a parent carelessly throw a child into the air, never thinking of the chance of injuries. To run the picture without a caution seems tantamount to approval.

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