NOT ALL CHILDREN BOUNCE!! HOW SAFE IS HOME?

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NOT ALL CHILDREN BOUNCE!!HOW SAFE IS HOME?

• Dr Kathryn Edward
• Paediatric Rehabilitation Fellow
• The Childrens Hospital at Westmead

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PAEDIATRIC TRAUMA

• Leading cause of death and disability in children
  aged 1 - 14 years of age.
• Falls are a leading mechanism of injury.
• Cost to the health care system
• 130 million annually
• 28 million is related to hospital inpatient
  care.

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THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM

• New York Study - 1972
• Children Cant Fly
• Mandatory window guards led to a marked decrease
  in the incidence of children falling from
  windows.
• Boston
• Kids Cant Fly
• Voluntary installation of window guards again led
  to a decrease in falls (not as much as with the
  New York campaign)
• Chicago - 2005
• Most falls were from modest heights
• 2nd/3rd floor windows

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SYDNEY CHILDRENS HOSPITAL

• Identified children who had been admitted as a
  result of a fall from a window.
• Identify risk factors in order to look at
  prevention strategies.

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RISK FACTORS IDENTIFIED

• Young age particularly under the age of 5 years
• Warmer months windows are open in summer
• Open windows
• Flyscreens majority fell through a flyscreen
• Inappropriate furniture placement

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FURNITURE PLACEMENT

• Children love to engage in exploratory play and
  often fail to identify potential hazards.
• Provides a platform for a child to climb onto or
  launch from.
• History of children bouncing on the bed or a sofa
  by the window.

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CONCLUSIONS

• FALLS FROM WINDOWS ARE PREVENTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!
• Flyscreens are not physical barriers.
• Parents need to think about window safety, where
  furniture is placed and consider the use of a
  window lock.
• Building codes need to be reviewed.