Study shows that grandparents' care is safe
A recent Bloomberg School of Public Health study found that children who are cared for by their grandparents during the day rather than by day care center workers or other childcare professionals are often at a lower risk for injury than those cared for in other settings.
The study was led by David Bishai, a Population, Family and Reproductive Health professor at the Bloomberg School, who, with his team of researchers, sought to determine whether or not grandparents serve as poor temporary caregivers.
Bishai explained that the incentive for this study came from an original concern over the well-being of teenagers who had been raised by their grandparents.
"There is a concern that today's grandparents come from a generation where safety wasn't as big of a deal, that grandparents would need to be retooled in modern baby safety," Bishai said. "But the two major findings [in the study] are that grandparents aren't dangerous [caregivers] and that in some cases they are safer than the alternatives."
The study utilized data collected on about 5,500 newborns raised in 15 cities in the United States between 1996 and 1997, and it watched as they grew over the past 10 years.
The newborns analyzed came from diverse economic backgrounds and varied family units, although most of the children lived with at least one parent and were simply watched by their grandparents during the day.
The study also found that injury rates among newborns and young children were considerably higher in households in which there was an absent father.
"We can't infer that the average grandparent is better than the average parent," Bishai said. "But 75 percent of all children born in Baltimore City are born to single mothers. Grandparents are the natural people to turn to in that situation, and this is shown by a trend toward increasing care by grandparents."
However, Bishai stressed that the study did not determine that all grandparents can be considered capable of infallible means of childcare.
"The implication of the study is basically a 'don't worry' implication, that grandparents are not necessarily dangerous caregivers," Bishai said. "But that doesn't mean that any mother or father isn't going to worry about leaving their children with their grandparents. Obviously there are some grandparents you would not want watching your children. If Grandpa is absentminded, you probably wouldn't let him take care of your child."
The study was led by David Bishai, a Population, Family and Reproductive Health professor at the Bloomberg School, who, with his team of researchers, sought to determine whether or not grandparents serve as poor temporary caregivers.
Bishai explained that the incentive for this study came from an original concern over the well-being of teenagers who had been raised by their grandparents.
"There is a concern that today's grandparents come from a generation where safety wasn't as big of a deal, that grandparents would need to be retooled in modern baby safety," Bishai said. "But the two major findings [in the study] are that grandparents aren't dangerous [caregivers] and that in some cases they are safer than the alternatives."
The study utilized data collected on about 5,500 newborns raised in 15 cities in the United States between 1996 and 1997, and it watched as they grew over the past 10 years.
The newborns analyzed came from diverse economic backgrounds and varied family units, although most of the children lived with at least one parent and were simply watched by their grandparents during the day.
The study also found that injury rates among newborns and young children were considerably higher in households in which there was an absent father.
"We can't infer that the average grandparent is better than the average parent," Bishai said. "But 75 percent of all children born in Baltimore City are born to single mothers. Grandparents are the natural people to turn to in that situation, and this is shown by a trend toward increasing care by grandparents."
However, Bishai stressed that the study did not determine that all grandparents can be considered capable of infallible means of childcare.
"The implication of the study is basically a 'don't worry' implication, that grandparents are not necessarily dangerous caregivers," Bishai said. "But that doesn't mean that any mother or father isn't going to worry about leaving their children with their grandparents. Obviously there are some grandparents you would not want watching your children. If Grandpa is absentminded, you probably wouldn't let him take care of your child."
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