Warm weather increases risk of kids falling from windows

CALGARY — With warmer weather here and long summer days approaching, Alberta Health Services (AHS) would like to remind Calgarians of the potential hazards open windows and balcony doors can pose to curious children.

Every year, Alberta Health Services EMS responds to multiple calls related to children injured after falling out of windows or off of balconies. In 2015, 14 children were seen at Alberta Children’s Hospital (ACH) with window-fall related injuries. To date this year, 10 children have been brought to ACH with window-fall related injuries.

Most of these falls can be prevented with a few precautions:

• Move furniture such as cribs, beds, stools, and change tables away from windows to prevent access to them.
• Install window guards on all windows on the second floor and above. These act like gates in front of windows.
• Consider installing safety devices which limit the distance in which a window can open
  10 cm (4 inches).
• Remember: screens are designed to keep bugs out – NOT to keep children in.
• Ensure that your balcony railings are not more than 10 cm (4 inches) apart. This will eliminate access between the vertical bars of a balcony or deck.
• Furniture and other items stored on balconies and decks can be used to climb, resulting in a fall over the railing.
• Keep drapery cords out of the reach of children. Wrap excess cord around cleats, or tie-down devices placed high on the wall, to avoid a choking hazard.
• Removing corded window coverings is the best way to keep your children safe, especially in your child’s bedroom and other rooms where they play.
• Direct supervision of children is always the most effective way to prevent falls.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

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