A Window to Safety: Pediatric Emergency Physician Shares Safety Tips

The weather was beautiful that weekend, with temperatures just right for opening up the windows and enjoying a breeze.

I was inside doing what I love: working a shift as a pediatric emergency physician. My training and experience had prepared me for almost anything, but I was taken aback when not one, but two of the young patients I treated that afternoon had fallen out of windows.

The incidents were totally unrelated, and fortunately, both children survived with relatively minor injuries, a miracle considering the distance they’d fallen. Sadly, I’ve seen and heard about far too many cases of children dying after similar incidents.
As a mom of two young children, I shudder to think that something as simple as opening a window on a beautiful day can be dangerous for kids. Tragically, window falls claim the lives of approximately eight children under the age of 5 each year and hospitalize another 3,300, each of them preventable.

Today is the start of Window Safety Week, commemorated every April to increase awareness around window falls. These are the most important tips to keep in mind:

• Properly install an approved window guard (for windows above the first floor, include an emergency release in case of fire). Screens are meant to keep bugs out, not children in.
• Install active barriers, such as window stops, so that windows open no more than four inches.
• If you have windows that can open from both top and bottom, make a habit of opening just the top.
• Keep windows locked and closed when they are not being used.
• Be mindful of any furniture or other items that a child could use to climb up to a high window

I also want to caution families not to underestimate children’s strength and ingenuity; while cracking an out-of-reach window may seem safe, savvy kids can find a way to reach it. My 2-year-old daughter picked up a 10-pound kettlebell recently. It never occurred to me she’d be able to lift something a third of her weight!

One of the things I love most about children is their ability to live in the moment. But that also means they can get into dangerous situations. Something might catch their eye—a bird, a leaf, the glint of the sun on an object—causing them to lean over for a better look.

Like many working parents I often have six different things going on in my head at once. Our busy lives make it even harder to anticipate our kids’ next move. That’s why it’s so important to have a safety plan in place. This week, checking your windows is a great place to start.

-- Sadiqa Kendi, MD, MPH