Television content is usually what parents want to protect their kids from — not the actual TV. But a new study found the rate of television sets falling and injuring children is rising, uncovering a serious issue that researchers say needs to be prevented.
The report — published in the journal Pediatrics — found that in a 22-year period, 380,885 minors were treated in U.S. emergency rooms for TV-related injuries. About half of those injuries were caused by a TV falling. Children striking a TV was the second-most common cause of TV-related injury. The Ohio researchers analyzed data between 1990-2011, collected from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.
Between 1990 and 2011, the injury rate specifically attributed to falling televisions increased by 95%. The researchers suggest this could be because American households now own more TVs, and new flat panels (compared to heavier, old CRT displays) are "more easily tipped." Placing televisions on unstable furniture could also be to blame, according to the report, which reads in part, "The number of documented injuries associated with a TV falling from a dresser/bureau/chest of drawers/armoire increased almost 3.5-fold in 1995–2011."
Injuries caused by televisions include cuts, soft tissue injuries, concussions and closed head injuries.
The study suggests parents should anchor all their TVs and not put remote controls, toys or attractive items on top of the TV, possibly tempting kids to climb up. Flat-screen TVs can be wall-mounted, anchored to the wall or anchored to furniture to avoid injury.
Download the full report here (PDF).
Image: Flickr, Rosser321