Child Safety Bulletin

		B u l l e t i n
		CHILDREN'S SAFETY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

PREVENT FALLS FROM WINDOWS

Every summer, hundreds of children across Canada fall out of windows… sometimes from high-rise buildings in metropolitan centers but more often from the second story window in a family home. As your child grows and begins to explore your home with improved motor skills, the chance of this type of accident occurring multiplies.

The following steps will make your home safer for your curious toddler or preschooler:

Keep furniture away from windows and make sure your child can not move anything on which to climb close to the window.

Install a locking mechanism that keeps a window open no more than 4 inches

Window screens are not safe because they are easily lifted, torn or pushed out. If you must open your window, install window gates or a similar product.

Use barriers to prevent children from wandering off to upper floors alone.

Grass or shrubbery at the base of a house can act as a cushion in case of a fall.

Remember: It only takes one unsupervised moment for a child to fall out a window!

POISONING ACCIDENTS

A recent study by the Canadian Institute for Health Information found that 80% of all poisoning injuries in children between the ages of 1 to 4 years are due to pharmaceutical drug ingestion.

Because we are a drug-driven society where medications are commonplace, we sometimes forget how dangerous pharmaceuticals can be for small children. Vitamins such as iron pills can be potentially fatal. With their bright colors, pills can often look like candy to a child. Make sure your vitamins are in a locked cabinet along with other medications.

For more information, please refer to page 30 of our Child Safety Reference Manual.

Remember: It only takes one unsupervised moment for a child to fall out a window!

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