Protecting Young Children From Slip and Fall Injuries

 Posted on August 22, 2018 in Personal Injury

If you are the parent of a young child, you know how frequently they fall. In fact, falls are the most common cause of non-fatal injuries for children between the ages of birth and 19. You can reduce your child's chance of being injured in a slip and fall by taking safety precautions in your home, such as:

Keep Stairways Clear and Secure

Stairs are one of the most dangerous tripping hazards for people of all ages. Two obvious ways to reduce your child's chances of slipping and falling on the stairs are keeping the steps clear of clutter and making sure the stairs and the handrail are maintained properly and fixed promptly when necessary. Another way to protect young children from falling on stairs is to block the stairs off with baby gates.

Preventing Falls From Windows

Do not rely on a screen to keep your child safe from falling out a window. Your child can fall out of an opening as small as six inches, so take steps to ensure that he or she never has the opportunity to. If you have double-hung windows, open them from the top instead of the bottom to prevent falls. Other options include installing a window guard and installing a stop that prevents the window from being opened more than a few inches.

Protect Children From Furniture Falls

There are a few important furniture choices you can make to reduce your child's chance of falling and suffering an injury. These are:

• Choosing a high chair with a wide base to prevent tipping;
• Always using safety straps on changing tables and other baby furniture;
• Installing safety rails on your toddler's bed;
• If you choose a bunk bed for your children, choose one that has gaps of four inches or less between rails; and
• Never place infants in car seats on table tops. Outside the car, car seats should always go on the floor.

Reducing Bathroom Slips and Falls

Be extra vigilant to reduce slip and fall hazards in the bathroom. A few ways you can do this include:

• Using a non-slip bath mat in the tub;
• Cleaning up liquid spills on the floor as soon as possible; and
• Never leave your child unattended in the bathtub.

Choose an Alternative to a Walker

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, walkers are not safe for young children who are learning to walk. A walker can easily tip over, injuring a child. Instead, choose a stationary activity center or an activity saucer.

Work with an Experienced Chicago Slip and Fall Lawyer

You can take steps to protect your child from injury in your home, but you cannot eliminate all the slip and fall hazards he or she faces at school, in public, and in other homes. If your child is injured in a slip and fall, work with an experienced slip and fall lawyer to pursue monetary compensation for his or her related damages. Contact our team at Newland & Newland, LLP today to schedule your initial consultation in our office. We serve clients in the Arlington Heights, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Libertyville, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove, Schaumburg, Elk Grove, and Itasca areas.

(image courtesy of Daiga Ellaby)