Baby tossing a harmful practice, warn doctors

KABUL (Pajhwok): Medical experts have cautioned against baby tossing, saying the practice is dangerous and has future consequences the newborns.

In Afghanistan, baby tossing had become a normal practice and is considered to make babies laugh.

Aziza, resident of Ferozkoh, the capital of Ghor province, told Pajhwok Afghan News: “I toss my baby because it is pleasing for both of us.

“When I do this, my baby laughs and enjoys being tossed. I really love the laughter of my baby. To make him laugh, I do this several times daily.”

Shafiqa, hailing from the Khairkhana locality of Kabul, also confirmed tossing her baby. “When I toss my baby, she laughs and I really love this.”

She said her family and relatives did this practice daily to keep babies happy. She thinks the practice is harmless and even beneficial. “I think this lends confidence to babies. Their hearts and brains become stronger.”

But Maryam, who belongs to Herat province, has a painful memory of baby shaking. “My two years old son suffered a hand fracture a year back when my uncle tossed him up and he fell to the ground. Given our relationship, I could not say anything to stop him.”

Farah Naz, resident of Kabul, said by tossing up her baby, she felt disappointed. “One day, I tossed my baby with one hand, he fell to the ground.

“He cried too much for a few hours. After medical examination, the doctor said the baby had suffered a fracture in his arm.”

Dr. Khailullah Hodkhel, Orthopedic specialist in the Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital, said some people considered baby tossing a normal practice but this has dangerous consequences.

“Babies have weak bones. When tossed up, they tend to fall to the ground and some of their bones are fractured or broken. Such fractures may cause future disabilities.”

Dr. Mohammad Bashir Qureshi, director of Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital, said baby tossing was a normal practice for most families but it had harmful consequences.

“Babies from three to eight months are very sensitive. If tossed up by parents to keep them calm, babies could face dangerous consequences.”

Tossing up babies may have dangerous consequences such as memory loss, visual disability, growth syndromes, etc.

nh/mud