Window Safety Tips to Prevent Kids from Falls
10 July 2023 From Fraser Health:
Pediatric window falls continue to be a significant cause of injury among young children in British Columbia. Every year for the last 10 years, the BC Children’s Hospital has cared for an average of 13 children per year who fall through windows (19 children were treated at BC Children’s Emergency Department last year).
According to data from trauma centres across the province, between 2016-2020, 81 children were admitted for injuries sustained after falling from windows or balconies. Children under the age of five are at the highest risk for falling from windows, with falls occurring most frequently during the months of April and September, when the weather is warmer and windows are more likely to be open.
Window screens, which are often thought to provide a barrier to prevent falls, are not safety devices and can easily give way under the weight of a child. Most window falls happen from windows where window screens are properly installed. Children can easily push through or fall out of screens, and they should never be relied upon to prevent falls.
As a result, experts recommend that parents and caregivers take additional steps to prevent window falls, such as installing window opening control devices that prevent windows from opening more than 4 inches or window guards, and keeping furniture away from windows to prevent children from climbing up to reach them.
While window falls can result in serious injury or even death, they are also largely preventable through simple measures that can be taken by parents, caregivers, and communities.
