Television sets probably aren’t on your list of dangers in the home, right?
Unless, of course, you count growing bellies, unfinished homework, and calloused gaming fingers as possible risks…
And yet, those modern gadgets send thousands of children to the hospital every year. It isn’t because children are watching TV, but rather because television sets are tipping over on them.
About 15,000 children visit emergency rooms every year because of injuries caused by overturned furniture. Most of those injuries happened at home, involving children younger than 7.
So how do those injuries happen? Generally, they come from climbing. Children spot a toy atop a dresser or bookshelf and decide to monkey their way to it. The unfortunate result is that the child’s weight tips the furniture over.
When it comes to television sets – which constitute about half of all injuries – the problem usually comes from oversized screens being placed on tables or cabinets that can’t support them. What can you do to keep your children safe? Here are some tips we found from Parenthood.com.