American Academy of Pediatrics finds that falling TVs account for a rash of injuries in children, ranging from emergency room visits to death.
TVs injured over 12,300 children in 2011, according to a new report in the August 2013 issue of Pediatrics by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The greatest danger is not programming, but in the lack of mounting television sets in rec rooms and other overlooked kids areas.
Over 17,000 children are treated annually in emergency rooms from falling TVs. The 22-year study, from 1990-2011, found that 2.43 children of every 10,000 are injured by a television and children under five represented 64.3 percent of all injured patients.
It has resulted in death, in some cases. The study was provoked in part by a series of horrific tv-related deaths in Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune. “In a span of less than four months between 2011 and 2012, falling TVs killed four Chicago-area children and injured a fifth.”
It can happen too quick, especially in secondary kid rooms in basements or otherwise removed from the main areas of the house. Flat screens are especially tipable and can knock a child unconscious, suffocate or kill them with blunt force to the head. The rate of injuries from falling TVs increased by 125.5% over the course of the study, with most of those injuries resulting from TVs atop dressers, chests and bureaus. Small televisions under 26″ caused more injuries than larger televisions.
AAP recommends:
* Safety positioning all TVs on appropriate furniture and securely anchoring both the TV and furniture, usually to the wall.
* Parents should not place remote controls, toys or other attractive items on top of a TV because this may encourage young children to climb on it and cause it to tip over.
*Safety anchors or anti-tip devices should be provided with every television at the time of purchase.
*Manufacturers should redesign TVs to improve stability.
A safety strap might be the most expedient way to secure a television though if it’s not mounted to something other than adhesive, it might not be the most effective. For more on TV safety tips, check out TV Safety, which appears to be a nonprofit sponsored by a home entertainment accessorizer with some pretty easy solutions.
—photo by steve.garner32/Flickr
That’s literally the last threat I thought I’d have to consider as a father. Might be one reason not to embrace plasma — heavier sets in general.
The HD market has done a lousy job of instructing consumers on the nuances of the technology. Seems like they also dropped the ball in this area.