“Falls are the leading cause of childhood injury and most of them happen around the home,” says Christopher Moir, M.D., pediatric surgeon at Mayo Clinic Children’s Center, who has cared for a wide variety of injuries related to falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every day approximately 8,000 children visit the ER as a result of a fall. Unfortunately some of these falls result in death, especially from falls from windows.
Here are 6 tips on how to protect children from general falls in the home:
1. Parental/Guardian supervision is a must. Never leave a child unattended.
2. If placing infants in car seats, carriers or bouncy seats, always strap infants in securely.
3. Do not keep bouncy seats and car seats on countertops, tables or laundry appliances. Keep them on the floor.
4. When changing infants on a changing table or couch, keep one hand on them and don’t leave them unattended.
5. Always use baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
6. Make sure infants can’t crawl out of cribs and/or portable cribs.
Seek medical attention immediately if a child falls and it appears to be serious or life-threatening. If not, still watch the child to see if behavior changes and warrants medical attention.
At Sentry Window Guards, our business is to keep children safe by preventing window fall accidents from occurring. Visit here for more tips from the National Safety Council regarding emergency plans and preventing window falls. And remember if you reside in New York City, homeowners MUST have window guards on their windows BY LAW if children 10 years or younger are living in the home. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!
