For most families, the home is a place of safety and
security. But whether you live in a house, apartment or duplex,
there are dangers in the home you may not realize.
This
year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission listed tipping
furniture as one of the top five hidden home hazards. “Furniture, TVs and
ranges can tip over and crush young children when they climb onto,
fall against or pull themselves up on TV stands, bookcases,
shelves, dressers, desks and chests,” said Claudia Romo, Injury
Prevention Program manager at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Tipping
furniture can cause injuries to the arm, leg and head. In some
cases, it can cause death.
As consumers continue to buy TVs
with larger screens, parents should be especially aware of the
risks they pose to small, curious toddlers. In a recent UT
Southwestern Medical Center study, researchers looked at 26 patients who had
come to the Emergency Department at Children’s for injuries caused
by falling TVs.
Among their
findings:
- 19 out of 26 parents reported that their child was
or may have been climbing on the furniture at the time of injury;
the remainder said the TV was pushed off by someone
else.
- Nine children were hospitalized; two were admitted to the
Intensive Care Unit.
- Fourteen suffered head injuries, and nine
injured an arm or leg.
- TVs with 20- to 30-inch screens
made up two-thirds of the cases.
- TVs 19 inches and
smaller made up less than a fifth of the cases; screens between 30 and
40 inches made up the balance.
- 85 percent of the TVs
were placed between 2 feet and 5 feet off the floor.
While the injuries cited in the study were not severe, the
potential for a severe injury exists.
To avoid pediatric trauma
from falling furniture, follow these guidelines from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission:
- Ensure furniture is stable. Anchor furniture to the floor or
attach it to studs in the wall.
- Free-standing ranges and
stoves should be installed with anti-tip brackets.
- TVs
should be placed on sturdy furniture appropriate for the size of
the television or on a low-rise base. Parents can take a proactive
approach by bolting their television stand and then anchoring the
television to the stand for added security.
- Place the TV
as far back as possible on its base.
- Ensure that cords
are out of reach for children.
- Remove items that might
tempt kids to climb on top of the TV, such as toys, remote controls
or DVDs.
- Avoid TV stands with drawers, as these can
serve as steps for the child to climb. If you do have a stand with
drawers, think about using cabinet/drawer locks for added
safety.
Resources
Children's Medical Center Dallas
Safe
Kids Worldwide
