It is estimated that every six minutes a child under 5 years old in America falls down stairs and rushed to the emergency room. That adds up to over 90,000 kids, and 90 percent have head injuries.
“What that tells us is that we have much more that we need to do to make the home environment safer for children,” study author Dr. Gary A. Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, told The New York Times. “Children under 5 spend most of their time in the home, and even the best parent in the world can’t watch their child 100 percent of the time. It just simply isn’t possible.”
We all know stairs can be very dangerous for children. Parents take the time to childproof their homes with baby gates, but older children, curious preschoolers, and even toddlers can easily be tempted to use the upstairs banister as a climbing wall. This can lead to very dangerous falls and serious injuries. Which is why it is important to take the necessary precautions to childproof the banister.
Banister safety walls are custom clear plexiglass shields that prevent a child or pet from falling over the banister. They attach to the banister to create a solid barrier impeding a child from climbing over. It can also hinder any items from being thrown over the banister
Baby gates should also be used for younger children. One should be on the bottom of the stairs and one on the top.
Parents and caregivers should also keep the stairs clutter free and clear. You would be surprised what a child may be tempted to use to clime over a baby gate.
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