There are many non-medical products on the market that can increase the risk of serious falls for your children. These products either become tripping hazards or create dangerous surfaces for children to fall onto. Unfortunately, they include unavoidable products, such as floors.
CNN estimates that consumer products cause 72% of traumatic brain injury cases in children. TBI occurs when children suffer sudden head trauma that causes minor to severe damage to the brain.
What are the most common safety hazards?
Some of these items are so commonplace, that you may feel dismayed as a parent when it comes to TBI prevention and fall prevention. The study identified the following consumer products as problematic:
- Beds
- Bicycles
- Tables
- Chairs
- Stairs
- Walls
How can you protect your children?
Despite the prevalence of these everyday items, you may take several steps to reduce the likelihood of children falling around the home. Removing tripping hazards may help. These include area rugs and uneven surfaces. You may also need to block access to the staircase for children who do not know how to navigate them safely.
Another solution to consider involves improving the lighting in areas around the home. You may accomplish this by adding motion-sensor lights. These automatically come on when they sense movement, which may prove convenient even for adults.
Finally, parents may also consider adding buffers to some hard objects around the home. This may include covering up the sharp edges of furniture or carpeting floors. Wearing a helmet when cycling or engaging in other outdoor activities may also help cushion your child’s head should he or she suffer a fall.
