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Ideas for Preventing Fall-Related Injuries Among Children

When we think of falling, we usually think of falls occurring with older adults. However, fall-related injuries are a leading cause of injury hospitalizations among children ages 0-14. Falls can result in serious injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI), fractures and even death.

Take a look at this easy In-Home Safety Check:

Does your home have:

• Unsafe stairs?
• Broken or missing railings?
• Night lights in halls or walkways?
• Poor lighting on stairways?
• Tripping hazards such as electrical cords, toys, or household items?
• Throw rugs?
• Spills that go unwiped?

Consider the following actions to reduce the risk of a fall:

• Use child safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
• Remove electrical cords from walkways.
• Remove newspapers and phone cords from walkways.
• Use night lights.
• Use safety straps to secure your child in strollers, shopping carts and infant carriers.
• When using infant carriers, make sure they are secure.
• Remove, repair or secure any loose flooring materials such as rugs and carpeting.
• Immediately clean up spilled liquids grease or food.
• Avoid allowing your child to use/climb on chairs and stools to reach high items.

These are by no means a complete list of conditions that may create a hazard for your child. They are offered as suggestions for you to evaluate the risk of falls in your home and potential strategies /actions to take to reduce the risk of falls.