Study finds more kids being injured by falling TVs

July 24, 2013
Furniture tip-overs National Electronic Injury Surveillance System Pediatrics

Columbus, OH – More children are being injured by falling TVs, according to a new study from Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, researchers identified 380,885 cases of children younger than 18 being treated in emergency departments for TV-related injuries from 1990 to 2011. A total of 12,300 TV-related injuries were reported in 2011, which represented a 125 percent increase from 1990, the study abstract states.

In most cases, the TV fell off a dresser or armoire (46 percent) or an entertainment center or TV stand (31 percent). The number of injuries from TVs falling off a dresser, armoire or chest of drawers rose by about 344 percent from 1995 to 2011, researchers found.

Nearly 65 percent of victims were younger than 5, and the body part most likely to be injured was the head or neck, followed by the legs.

Researchers called for public education campaigns, TV anchoring devices and redesigning TVs to be more stable to help prevent injuries.

The study was published online July 22 in the journal Pediatrics.