Prevent Falls

Fact
Each year over 2 million children ages 14 and under are treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to falls.

Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury for kids ages 14 and under.

Over 80% of injuries from falls for children 4 and under occur in the home.

The cost of fall-related deaths and injuries tops $95 billion each year.

Background
Many children, especially infants and toddlers, fall from furniture, beds, and baby walkers, in bathtubs, on stairs or on flat surfaces in the home. Fall injuries to older children typically occur outside the home on playgrounds or other play areas or while children are riding bikes, scooters, skateboards or skating. Practice good safety habits to help prevent fall injuries both inside and outside the home by providing constant supervision of children, installing safety products like corner guards, using slip-resistant mats, and wearing helmets when biking.

How You Can Keep Your Child Safe
In the home:

  • Never leave an infant or a child alone in the bathtub, special tub or bath seat. Children can easily slip or fall and can drown in as little as one inch of water. Use a slip-resistant mat in the bathtub. Wipe up water from floors or other surfaces.
  • Use a pressure-fit gate only at the bottom of stairs. Install a gate at the top of stairs that requires mounting hardware to stay in place. Safety gates block entry to dangerous areas.
  • Fasten straps when using a changing table. Keep one hand on the child at all times. Use straps on high chairs, strollers, and baby swings to keep children from falling.
  • Do not use baby walkers and hanging bouncy seats.
  • Keep crib side rails up and securely latched. Look for a label that says the crib is approved or meets current safety standards.
    • Consumer Products Safety Commission (mandatory standards: 16 CFR parts 1508/1509)
    • American Society for Testing and Materials (voluntary standards: ASTM F-966 and ASTM F-1169).
  • Install window locks to prevent sliding windows not intended for escape from opening no more than 4 inches. Install operable window guards on all windows above the first floor. Move beds and other furniture away from windows.
  • Use bed rails on the top bunk bed to reduce falls. Bed rails should reach at least five inches above the mattress and be on all four sides of the bunk bed. Children under the age of 6 should not sleep in the top bunk.
  • Do not allow children to jump on or horseplay around beds or other furniture.

Outside the home:

  • Make sure your child wears an approved bike helmet to protect his head. Look for a label inside the helmet and a box that says it is ASTM, Snell, ANSI or CPSC approved. The helmet should sit on top of the head in a level position, fit snugly so that it does not rock forward or backward or side to side, cover the forehead, be buckled tightly enough so that the helmet remains comfortably in place, and worn for every ride.
  • Do not use trampolines at home, on playgrounds or in physical education classes.
  • Inspect playground equipment for safety, accessibility and loose parts or rust.
  • Avoid asphalt, concrete, grass and soil surfaces under playground equipment. There should be at least 12 inches of sand, mulch, rubber or other soft surface underneath.

Stay Informed
National Safety Council: www.nsc.org
Safe Kids USA: www.usa.safekids.org
U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: www.cpsc.gov

For more health and safety advice, consult your local children’s hospital. For a national listing go to www.childrenshospitals.net/hospitalprofiles

Safety information found on the Get on Board with Child Safety! website has been provided by the Get on Board with Child Safety! partner hospitals.

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