Pediatrician urges parents to learn lesson from toddler’s plight

An MUSC Children’s Health doctor says a video that’s making the rounds of social media is a good reminder for any parent to realize the importance of child safety in the home. The video shows a dresser falling on a two-year-old Utah boy and his twin’s amazing effort to rescue him. 

Amanda Price, M.D., the mother of a 2-year-old herself, says the clip is evidence of a startling statistic. An astounding 17,000 emergency department visits across the country happen yearly in relation to fallen furniture. Here, she describes what she sees in the pediatric emergency department and offers advice for parents who want to take steps to protect their children in the home. 

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Q: What was your reaction when you saw the video?

A: It is a harrowing video, though sadly much more common than people think. I am so glad that he is okay, and that this video has brought to light this often-overlooked home hazard. 

Q: Are you surprised that more parents don’t realize furniture like this can be dangerous?

A: I am not surprised.  Safe Kids Worldwide did a survey of over 1,000 parents in October of 2012 that found three out of four parents haven’t even heard about the possibility of televisions tipping over and injuring children. Only one in four parents mounts a flat screen television on the wall, though 46 percent of parents said it’s important.

For toddlers, the whole house is a playground, and we need to make sure it’s a safe one.

Q: So what should moms and dads be doing to make their homes safer?

 

A: Families should start by assessing the stability of televisions and furniture. Flat screen TVs should be mounted on the wall or anchored to a stand, and the stand needs to be anchored to the wall.

I absolutely recommend families routinely secure furniture not only in children's bedrooms, but in all rooms of the house. Older-style cathode ray tube televisions should be placed on a low, sturdy piece of furniture and pushed as far back as possible. Unstable or top-heavy furniture should be anchored to the wall with brackets or straps.

You can also make a point of keeping heavier items on lower shelves and avoid placing tempting items in visibly high places, including on top of the television, that children might try to climb up and grab.

The Anchor It!  website, produced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, is a fantastic place that shows you exactly what to do and how. You should also check out the Safe Kids site.

Q: As an emergency department pediatrician, how often do you see children injured by furniture or other items in the home that their parents just didn’t realize were hazardous?

A: People might be surprised to hear just how common this is. Over 17,000 children annually are treated in emergency departments for tip-over injuries. Children under the age of 5 are at the highest risk, but this can happen to older children as well as adults.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission compiled 489 reports of product instability or tip-over fatalities related to televisions, furniture and appliances that occurred between 2000 and 2015, with televisions causing the highest number of fatalities.

Q: What type of furniture, including electronics, causes the most injuries in your experience?

A: Tables, dressers, bureaus and chests cause the highest number of furniture injuries, with televisions a close second.

Q: What other home hazards do you wish parents knew about?

A: Please keep all window blind cords out of children's reach.