Each year, 25,000 children suffer injuries from falling furniture. Time to strap it down, lock it up and play it safe.
“As soon as a child becomes mobile, that’s when potential for injury increases dramatically,” says Kelly Klasek, CPST, community education lead instructor at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “All children are curious, and they are going to explore their environment. Flat-screen TVs, dressers, bookshelves and entertainment centers not properly secured to the wall pose a real threat of falling or being pulled down and causing serious injuries, fractures or even death. Smaller, unstable furniture such as stools or sharp corners on tables can be dangerous, too.”
According to Klasek, the key to protecting children from being crushed or trapped beneath a piece of fallen furniture is to look at items in and around your home from their point of view.
“Furniture is built to scale for adults, not children,” Klasek says. “Prevention is key. Start by securing furniture to walls using furniture wall straps and installing drawer stops. Remove furniture that is unstable or dangerous from rooms where your children spend most of their time.”
St. Louis Children’s Hospital offers free home safety consults at Safety Stop by appointment. To schedule your appointment, call 314.454.KIDS (5437) or toll-free at 800.678.KIDS.
