Spring Danger: Why Your Open Windows Can Be Deadly

Spring Danger: Why Your Open Windows Can Be Deadly

As sunny days and temperatures in the 70s hit Rhode Island this week, many people opened their windows for the first time this year to let in some fresh air. Unfortunately, this simple act can have serious safety risks for children, if parents don’t take basic precautions. According to data from a study published in the journal Pediatrics, approximately 5,000 children are treated in emergency departments each year for injuries sustained from falling out a window. The risk is highest for children under the age of five.

Falls from windows

The Pediatric Trauma Registry at Hasbro Children’s Hospital shows that the hospital’s emergency department sees children every year with injuries sustained from falling out a window, with the most recent seen just this week. The injuries associated with window falls can be very serious, including head injuries, broken bones and internal organ injuries.

“Some urban centers like Boston and New York have regulations and policies in place regarding the use of window guards, but there are no such policies in Rhode Island,” said Dina Morrissey, M.D., program coordinator for the Injury Prevention Center at Rhode Island Hospital. “We want to help parents to recognize the potential dangers, and urge them to take some basic precautions that could prevent a serious injury to their child.”

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The Injury Prevention Center offers the following safety tips to help prevent unintentional injuries from window falls:

• Always lock unopened windows.

• Do not place beds, furniture, or other items that children can climb on, directly under windows.

• Open windows from the top if possible.

• Do not open windows more than four inches.

• Screens keep bugs out, but they DO NOT keep children from falling.

• Install window guards (available at local hardware stores).

• The risk is not limited to high rise apartment buildings. Ninety four percent of falls occur from first or second story windows.

• Always supervise young children

Any parents with questions about window safety, where to find window stops, or other accidental injury topics, can call the Injury Prevention Center at 401-444-5018. These safety tips and more information can be found online at www.ipc.rhodeislandhospital.org.

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