Viva Vitality: Keeping your kids safe from falls in the home

By Courtnay Epp on February 21, 2020.

Did you know that most fall-related injuries to children under the age of five happen in the home? And as children grow older, where they fall changes. Infants and young toddlers typically fall around the home – from furniture, beds, change tables, high chairs or down the stairs and older toddlers tend to fall while walking, running or crawling around the house. And while most falls in children don’t cause serious injury, nearly 5,000 children from birth to nine years were admitted to a hospital, and more than 165,000 visited an emergency department as a result of a fall in 2010, making falls a leading cause for hospital admissions and emergency room visits from injury in those from birth to age nine. (The Cost of Injury in Canada Report)

Home should be a safe place for children to develop, learn, and grow. However, children are vulnerable in this environment because heights, space and structures are often built for adult use and comfort, sometimes creating hazards for kids. Children also have a natural curiosity about their environment and love to explore. So what can you do to keep kids safe from harmful falls in the home? Follow this checklist:

* Get on your child’s level. Take time to get down on the ground and look around to see the world through your child’s eyes to identify hazards around your home.

* Buckle your child in their high chair or stroller every time. This will prevent your child from falling out as they move, wiggle and reach.

* Always set car seats and other carriers down on the floor, never on top of furniture. Always keep one hand on your child when they are on a high surface, such as a changing table or other furniture, to prevent them from falling to the ground.

* Never use a baby walker with wheels – use stationary activity centres instead. Baby walkers with wheels are banned for sale in Canada because they put children at serious risk of falling down stairs and getting to areas of the home they wouldn’t normally be able to reach.

* Use stair gates in your home. Always use hardware-mount gates at the top of stairs. Pressure-mount gates can be used at the bottom of stairs. Install gates properly, according to the manufacturer’s instructions and with locking mechanisms placed on the side away from the child. Also use the correct gates. Once your child’s chin is in line with the top of the gate or when they are two years old, the gate is no longer effective.

* Place all furniture away from windows and balcony door handles. Remember, children can climb even before they are able to walk. Climbing on furniture gives children access to windows and balcony door handles where they can fall from significant heights.

* Use window stops or guards and keep balcony doors locked. A window screen can easily tear or get pushed through if your child is pressing on it. Keep windows locked when possible and use window stops, which prevent windows from being opened wide enough for a child to fall through. Or, use window guards that act as a barrier in front of the window. Make sure to use window guards that have a release mechanism so they can be fully opened in case of an emergency. Those living in apartment buildings should check with their municipality to see if there is a window safety bylaw. This may mean that a landlord must provide window stops or guards for you.

* Keep stairs and high-traffic areas in your home free from clutter and tripping hazards such as toys and books. In areas such as the bathroom and kitchen, wipe up any water spills right away to prevent slipping.

No caregiver wants their child injured in their own home. For more information on how to keep your home a safe place for children to develop, learn, and grow or to learn more about why injury prevention matters, visit Parachute Canada’s national charity for injury prevention at https://parachute.ca/en/

Courtnay Epp is a Health Promotion Facilitator with Alberta Health Services and can be reached via e-mail, Courtnay.epp@ahs.ca