Kids at Risk for Injuries From Falling Furniture

What This Means to You

Parents know that childproofing in a house with an adventurous toddler is important, but might not realize that kids need to still be protected long after they've mastered walking. Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in kids 14 years old and under, with more than a third of these injuries happening in the home.

So be sure to thoroughly childproof all areas of your home and be watchful, especially of babies and toddlers, at all times. It only takes an instant for a youngster to fall, run over to a hot stove, or ingest a hazardous material.

If your child is injured — by falling furniture or any other mishap — be sure to seek medical attention right away if he or she:

• is an infant
• has lost consciousness, even momentarily
• has any of these symptoms:
  • won't stop crying
  • complains of head and neck pain
  • becomes difficult to console
  • isn't walking normally

If your child is not an infant, has not lost consciousness, and is alert and behaving normally after a fall:

• Apply an ice pack or instant cold pack to the injured area for 20 minutes. If you use ice, always wrap it in a washcloth or sock; ice applied directly to bare skin can cause frostbite.
• Observe your child carefully for the next 24 hours. If you notice any signs of an injury, call your doctor immediately.
• If the incident has occurred close to bedtime or naptime and your child falls asleep soon afterward, check in every few hours to look for twitching limbs or disturbances in color or breathing.

If your child sustains a head injury, watch for signs of a possible concussion, including:

• "seeing stars" and feeling dazed, dizzy, or lightheaded
• memory loss, such as trouble remembering what happened right before and after the injury
• nausea or vomiting
• headache

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD Date reviewed: May 2009

Source: "Injuries From Furniture Tip-overs Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 1990-2007." Clinical Pediatrics, May 2009.