Flat Screen TV’s Pose Injury Risk to Young Children

Scott Kappes

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Almost 17,000 children were rushed to emergency rooms in 2007 after suffering injuries related to falling or unstable furniture according to a new study reported in May. Falling televisions accounted for almost half of these injuries. The study, published in the journal of Clinical Pediatrics found these types of injuries have increased by 41 percent since 1990.

The increased number of injuries coincides with the rapid increase of the presence of flat panel televisions in more American households. In recent years flat panels have become larger and the narrow bases that hold the televisions make them highly unstable and top heavy.

Three-quarters of the victims of falling furniture are younger than 6 years old, and children that age “simply don’t recognize the danger of climbing on furniture,” said Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

It is imperative that parents become more conscientious of these types of hidden dangers in their homes. Flat panel televisions come with instructions on how to secure the console; however, most eager owners never employ these precautionary measures. In fact of “none” of the televisions or furniture that were part of the population study were secured.

Check out the video below for helpful tips on how to protect your children from the dangers of falling or tip-over furniture accidents.

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