DrGreene Content
Rock-a-bye Baby, the lullaby about a baby toppling from a poorly placed cradle, warns of a real danger. Falls from open windows, rooftops, balconies, play structures, and other heights injure more children than any other cause. Sometimes these injuries are minor cuts and scrapes; sometimes they are life-threatening trauma. Summertime is the greatest danger period, with more open windows and more outdoor play. Children love to climb, so furniture is best kept back from windowsills and balcony railings. Window guards, window stops, or safety screens can let "the wind blow", but keep a child from falling out. In addition, placing shrubbery or something soft under danger areas can lesson the injury if a child does fall.
Alan Greene MD FAAP
Orginally published: May 14, 2001
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