Keep Children Safe In Strollers By Avoiding Common Mistakes
Emergency departments treat two children per hour for stroller & carrier related injuries
Researchers at Nationwide Children`s Hospital found that two children per hour are treated at emergency departments for injuries related to strollers or carriers, but using the devices properly and avoiding common mistakes can help prevent injuries.Image Downloads
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Parents use strollers and carriers every day to transport their children, and using them may seem like second nature, but a new study finds that more than 17,000 children are treated in emergency departments each year for injuries related to the devices.
“We know that this is just the tip of the iceberg because this data does not include injuries that were treated by other healthcare providers, in other health care settings, or that were treated at home,” said Kristi Roberts, a senior research associate at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
In the most recent year of data (2010), 42 percent of stroller-related injuries were concussions and 53 percent of carrier-related injuries were concussions, which can have long-term consequences on young children’s cognitive development. Roberts says there are some common mistakes that lead to injuries while using strollers and carriers that can be easily avoided.
First, make sure that the device you’re using is the correct size for your child, and check for any recalls. When placing the child in the stroller or carrier, buckle them in immediately according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Parents should avoid placing heavy bags on the handles of a stroller, as this can cause it to tip over. Also, never let other children push or hang on a stroller.
Justin and Lauren Bird use their double stroller for their two-year-old twins every day. The couple learned how quickly a stroller-related injury can happen after their son tipped their stroller while climbing on it, injuring his lip.
Researchers at Nationwide Children`s Hospital found that two children per hour are treated at emergency departments for injuries related to strollers or carriers, but using the devices properly and avoiding common mistakes can help prevent injuries.
Kristi Roberts, researcher at Nationwide Children`s Hospital`s Center for Injury Research and Policy, worked on a study that found that more than 17,000 children are treated in emergency departments each year for stroller- and carrier-related injuries.
Keep heavy bags and purses off the handles and place carriers low to the ground to help keep your children safe when they are in strollers and carriers.
Parents should make sure they`re using the correct stroller for their child`s age and size and buckle them in immediately according to the manufacturer`s instructions.
