Television Injuries In Children Increase At An Alarming Rate
Television injuries in children are increasing at an alarming rate. A growing number of injuries are being blamed on the increasing popularity of flat screen TVs.
As the prices continue to drop, more consumers are purchasing flat screen TVs. Many families have multiple televisions throughout the home. A study conducted by the Child Injury Prevention Alliance suggested that more televisions in the home can lead to more problems.
Televisions with a flat screen are quite popular. However, they can be just as dangerous as their bulky predecessors. As reported by MSN News, flat screen televisions are lighter, and therefore easier for children to tip over.
Families that purchase flat screen models often move the older and heavier televisions into family rooms or into children’s bedrooms. As the TV are often placed on book cases or dressers, they are an accident waiting to happen.
In the last 20 years, the number of children injured from TVs falling off of improper furniture has increased four times.
The number of television injuries in children has increased 125 percent since 1990. Thirty-eight percent of those injuries were caused from hitting a TV. The others were caused by a television falling onto a child.
Children who are injured by televisions account for an average of 17,000 emergency room visits per year. As reported by CBS News, a majority of the children are under the age of five.
Between 2000 and 2011, over 200 children were killed by falling televisions.
Thankfully, television injuries are preventable. Televisions of any kind should only be placed on top of stands designed specifically for that use. Even on a stand, televisions should be secured to prevent an accident.
Children who are watching TV should be supervised at all times. Children who are closely supervised are less likely to be injured by a falling television.
Television injuries in children have continued to increase. However, awareness can prevent injury and loss of life.
