An unfortunate consequence of summer heat and more children living in above-ground homes is a greater risk of falls out of windows and off balconies.
As such, BC Children’s Hospital issued a public notice July 18 warning parents and guardians of these risks, after 12 children have already been treated for injuries related to window and balcony falls, to date.
The dozen injuries are nearly as many as the 14 such injuries reported in the entirety of 2023, the hospital said.
Meanwhile, three children have already been treated for “accidental drownings/near drownings,” compared to 13 children throughout 2023.
But this year B.C. had a relatively cooler late spring and early summer compared to 2023 and the first heat wave hit in early July.
“These numbers are only a portion of incidents seen across emergency departments (ED) provincially, and indicate a likely increase in total expected visits to the BCCH ED this year for hot weather-related injuries — serving as a safety reminder for parents and caregivers,” the hospital stated.
“The injuries we see from window falls and water-related incidents are often devastating for everyone involved,” said Dr. Meghan Gilley, emergency department physician at the children's hospital.
“They are something no parent ever expects will happen to their child, while also being devastating for the patient. Two preventive actions families can take include closely supervising children near windows, balconies and bodies of water, including swimming and paddling pools, beaches and the ocean. Also, talk to children about the importance of being cautious near windows and water, if age appropriate.”
Per the hospital, some general tips for summer safety are:
• Move furniture and planters — or anything that can be climbed on — away from windows.
• Install window guards on windows above the ground floor. Fasten windows so that they cannot open more than 10 centimetres wide. Ensure there's a safety release, in case of fire.
• Children need constant touch supervision when they are around any type of body of water including a wading pool, pond, splash pad, lake or beach.
• Ensure children are wearing proper-fitting personal flotation devices when they are in or around water.
