A pediatric neurosurgeon urges parents and caregivers to take appropriate steps to prevent children from falling from second story balconies, banisters, windows and balconies. Unfortunately, there have been a number of serious injuries and even death as a result.
“This is an enormous tragedy for kids and families and its effects often can cause very severe brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, smashed faces and the like,” said Dr. Ash Singhal of B.C. Children’s Hospital
“And in many of the kids who survive, it’s a life-altering event and it alters the life of the entire family, who now has a child with a lot of medical needs.’’
“Because of the way kids are, with their heads being much larger than the rest of their bodies, relatively speaking, they often end up being top heavy and they hit their heads or their necks, or the top part of their bodies, when they hit the ground.”
It is important for parents to keep mind that before children even learn how to crawl, they can climb. Taking appropriate measures to prevent such falls early, by keeping furniture away from the upstairs loft railings, balconies, and even second story windows.
Railings with designs that can be used as toe holds or have horizontal railings are particular dangerous for children.
“About 8,000 youngsters wind up in emergency rooms every day for injuries related to falling, adding up to almost 2.8 million per year. With those statistics in mind, it is worth looking at what can be done to prevent such injuries in the home,”according to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.
Custom plexiglass safety walls from Child Senior Safety, are an attractive and affordable way to keep your little ones safe. They can be easily installed in a number of places, banisters, railings, balconies, patios, and more.
Don’t wait until an accident happens, contact Child Senior Safety for more information.
