University offers tips to prevent child window falls

Ann Arbor, MI – On the heels of a recent increase in pediatric injuries resulting from window falls, doctors at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital are cautioning caregivers to actively supervise toddlers around windows.

Each year, about 3,300 children younger than 5 are injured in window falls, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and these numbers spike as temperatures rise.

To prevent falls, U-M doctors recommend:

• Do not depend on screens to prevent window falls. Screens are meant to keep bugs out, not to keep children in.
• Make sure windows on upper floors are never opened more than a few inches.
• Keep furniture away from windows so children cannot climb to the ledge.
• Keep windows locked and closed when they are not being used.
• In case of a fall, never move a child who appears to be seriously injured. Immediately call 911.