The majority of children’s time is spent at home, so it’s not surprising that most injuries occur in the home. While your home feels safe, there are many ways your child could get injured like furniture tip-overs, burns or falls. One of the ways your child can fall is on the stairs. This may seem scary but there are many ways you can prevent your kid from falling down or on the stairways.
Stair safety tips
Always supervise
While there are many ways to keep your child safe from the stairs, the most important tip we can give is: Do not leave your child alone around the stairs. There are many ways they can get through or around some of the tactics you use to keep them safe.
Safety gates
Kids are curious, there is no doubting that. Because of their curiosity, children like to explore and sometimes their exploring leads them toward a set of stairs. It’s important to use safety gates to keep children, especially young children, away from the stairs. Make sure your gates meet the current safety standards and make sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions for proper installation There are many types of gates, so find one that suits your needs. Gates may be stationary, expand to fit larger openings, swing open and latch closed, come equipped with pet doors, and come in a variety of heights. Choose a gate that fits well with the way you use your space so you don’t get frustrated with it and take it down.
Keep the stairs clear of tripping hazards
Clear the stairs of toys, shoes and other objects. These random objects can cause a fall, which can result in an injury or a trip to the emergency department.
Use railing guards
Kids are small and they like to squish their bodies through anything they want to fit through, including stair railings. The little space between each railing can be a major hazard for little children. Place guards on the railings and banisters throughout your home. Though these products might help with railings inside the house, avoid using similar products on cribs or where babies sleep as they may roll over and have a difficult time breathing.
Light the stairs
Keeping the stairway well lit will help prevent trips and falls for your children, and for you! This will help them see objects that may be in the way of their steps and they can avoid a fall. If you’re not experienced with home improvements, don’t worry! You can purchase small, battery-operated LED lights that have motions sensors to stick on walls near tripping or falling hazards.
Children’s emergency department
At Children’s, we want your children to stay safe. But, we know accidents happen.
We have more than 90,000 visits to our emergency rooms each year. In fact, we care for more pediatric emergency and trauma patients than any other health care system in our region. If your child falls on the stairs, visit one of our two emergency departments to get them checked out. We are also home to the region’s only Level I pediatric trauma center in a hospital dedicated only to kids.