A study published in the journal Pediatrics last week showed more than 5,000 American children are seriously injured or killed yearly from falls out of windows.
The study, conducted at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found children younger than five were more than three times as likely to die from head injuries they got in a window fall than children five to 17.
The study gathered nearly 20 years of data from 1990 to 2008 from a survelliance system that gathers data from 100 different emergency rooms around the United States.
More falls occurred in the warmer months and one- and two-story falls made up about 94 percent of the falls where the height was in the records.
Researchers found less than 1 percent resulted in death, but some reports point out that number is probably higher since many who had died may not have been taken to an emergency room.
Safety experts remind parents screens may not prevent falls. They recommend moving furniture away from the windows, installing screen guards and adding cushioning below windows such as bushes or flower beds to reduce injuries if a child does fall.
If you or your loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident, you need an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney. Contact the offices of Dwyer & McDevitt today for your free case evaluation.
Illinois Rising Stars 2011