Josyann Abisaab on Protecting Your Children from Falls

One of the main reasons that children end up in the E.R. is because of falls. The more precautions you take in the home, the less likely it will be that you’ll experience a dangerous fall. For very small children, this means never leaving a child unattended on the bed, sofa or changing table.

Advice on Small Children & Falls with Josyann Abisaab

Once your child is between 6 and 12 months old, make sure that all furniture is away from windows so that they can’t climb up on the furniture and fall out of the window. Put window guardrails on all second-story windows and above. Obviously, one of the most tragic things that emergency room doctors like Josyann Abisaab see is children who have fallen from windows in the home. Make sure to put safety gates at the top and bottom of each staircase.

Older Children & Falls Advice with Josyann Abisaab

Finally, for slightly older children, make sure to keep the stairways clear so that no one trips over toys, clothing and other items. Also place rubber pads under any loose rugs so that they don’t slide across the floor and cause accidents.