Springtime is the Season to Begin Protecting Your Child from
Window Falls

Sunny weather, warm temperatures, breezy air—it’s springtime, a season of beauty and joy. But open windows and unsupervised children can have tragic consequences for families. Window-related falls are a major hazard in the home that increases significantly during the spring and summer months. It also typically occurs as a result of poor supervision.

Each year, approximately 18 children ages 10 and under die from window-related injuries with an estimated 4,700 children ages 14 and under visiting hospital emergency departments. Head injuries are associated with the majority of deaths and severe injuries.

“To an unsuspecting child, an open window is an open invitation for a fall,” said Heather Paul, Ph.D., executive director of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. “That’s why it’s important to take a few steps that will make your home a safer environment for your child.”

The National SAFE KIDS Campaign offers the following tips for parents and caregivers to prevent window falls:

• Adults should not depend on window screens to prevent children from falling. Screens can easily give way under a child’s weight. Adult supervision is key.
  
  
• Move chairs, cribs, beds and other furniture away from windows. Children can fall from windows opened as little as 5 inches.
  
  
• Consider installing window guards on all windows located on the ground floor and up. Be sure that these guards meet new federal standards for emergency egress in the event of a fire.