Protecting Your Children From Falls

3 Million Kids Fall, Rushed to Emergency Room Annually

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Nearly three million kids take a fall and end up in the emergency room every year.

“It’s a huge, huge problem and one of the leading reasons the kids present to the emergency room,” said Dr. Nick Wetjen, pediatric neurosurgeon.

In fact, falls are the reason why half of all babies under the age of one get hurt.

“The most common ways that they are injured is either falling off of the counter in a baby carrier, rolling off a bed, rolling off a counter. The second is in those baby walkers that roll. They will get too close to the edge of the staircase and they will roll down the staircase. And then the last one is playground injuries. Falling off a jungle gym,” said Dr. Wetjen.

There are some things you can do to prevent an accident.

Never put a child in a carrier on a counter – always put them on the floor.

On the changing table or a couch or a bed, keep one hand on your child the entire time.

Make sure you have baby gates at the top and the bottom of your stairs.

Strap children into shopping carts and never leave them alone.

Also be sure playgrounds have soft protective mats, not concrete, and only allow them on age appropriate equipment.