Many US Children Sustain Injuries Due to Falling Televisions

One child is treated every 30 minutes in the US for injuries sustained mainly due to falling televisions, a new study published in the journal Pediatrics reveals. Researchers led by Gary Smith, the president of the Child Injury Prevention Alliance, used data from the US National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to study the number and type of injuries over a period of 22 years from 1990 to 2011. Around 381,000 children were treated for TV-related injuries by the emergency departments during the study period.

More than 52 percent of the injuries were caused by falling televisions, 38 percent caused by children walking into the TVs while around 9 percent were caused when moving the units from one location to another. Over 64 percent of the injuries were to children younger than five years old with two-year olds being the most likely age group to suffer from such injuries while there were six deaths.

“What we're finding is when those second and third TVs are being brought into these homes, the (older and bulkier units) are being moved and put in other parts of the home that are unsafe. TVs need to be strapped or anchored to the wall. I think that's our biggest problem right now. Many parents are unaware that TVs can be so life threatening if it topples over and falls on top of your child”, Smith said.

Source-Medindia