12 kids treated for window, balcony falls at BC Children’s Hospital already this year

BC Children’s Hospital has already treated a twelve children for falls from windows and balconies successful British Columbia this year, prompting a informing from health officials.

The 12 falls put nan infirmary connected way to perchance eclipse nan 14 specified falls recorded successful each of 2023, while 3 children person already been treated for accidental drownings/near drownings.

The infirmary says nan numbers bespeak only a information of incidents reported astatine emergency departments crossed nan province.

“The injuries we spot from model falls and water-related incidents are often devastating for everyone involved,” BC Children’s Hospital emergency expert Dr. Meghan Gilley said successful a media release.

“They are thing nary genitor ever expects will hap to their child, while besides being devastating for nan patient.”

Families are being urged to intimately supervise kids adjacent windows, balconies and bodies of h2o and to talk to them astir nan imaginable dangers and their consequences.

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“The lukewarm summertime months should beryllium a clip of joyousness for kids each crossed B.C.,” BC Emergency Health Services spokesperson Brian Twaites said.

“Beating nan power by opening windows aliases getting adjacent nan h2o request a fewer other steps, for illustration securing windows pinch model guards and locks and wearing a individual flotation instrumentality to support kids safe and summers joyful.”

Key actions parents and caregivers tin return to support children safe include:

• Moving furnishings and planters and thing that tin beryllium climbed connected distant from windows.
• Installing model guards connected windows supra nan crushed level and fastening windows truthful that they cannot unfastened much than 10 centimetres wide. Parents should guarantee there’s a information release, successful lawsuit of fire.
• Maintaining changeless touch supervision erstwhile children are astir immoderate type of assemblage of h2o including a wading pool, pond, scatter pad, reservoir aliases beach.
• Ensuring children are wearing proper-fitting individual flotation devices erstwhile they are successful aliases astir water.

Parents and caregivers tin find much accusation astir summertime information astatine nan BC Children’s Hospital website.