Severe fall

A few weeks ago, a former MOMS Club member had a near fatal tragedy happen to her family.  Her almost 5yo son fell out of their 2nd story window suffering severe head trauma.  Luckily, Thomas survived but was/is still in a medical induced coma and facing some major rehab to regain his almost 5yo abilities.   Here are some stats that Becca posted for all of us to remember...

In the United States, 4,700 children fall every year, 70% fall from second or third story windows.

The children that are at risk are:
*impulsive and playful children
*imaginative and curious children
*energetic and persistent children
(sounds like most children, huh?)

Children at highest risk:
boys
under 5 years old
supervising parents are distracted (making meals, entertaining...)

Teach your children about window safety. “Screens keep bugs out; they do not keep kids in.”
*note from Becca – our kids knew this already but “knowing” and acting on the “knowledge” aren't the same thing.

Keep furniture or anything a child can climb away from windows.
*note from Becca – we have window seats below the windows in our kids' room, something we had always thought was cool (great for storage).

Only allow windows to open 4 inches and install a window stop to keep children from opening them further. (Be sure an adult can open them in an emergency).

If you open windows wider than 4 inches, install window guards that can be removed by an adult in an emergency.

Consider planting shrubs or grass under windows to cushion potential falls. The landing surface can greatly affect the degree of injury sustained from a fall.
*Note from Becca – this one sounds silly to me but I can't tell you the number of times I have replayed Thomas' fall in my head and I would give anything for something softer than concrete to have been there for him to land on.

Here are two product recommendations for window safety:
Guardian Angel window guards. 1-800-445-2370 or www.angelguards.com. They look like bars across the windows but can be taken off by an adult in the case of emergency like fire. This product enables you to keep your windows all the way open without sacrificing safety.
Kid Co Window Stop – These keep the window from opening more than 4 inches. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/KidCo-Window-Stop/dp/B003LZU0PG
(There is also a product that looks more like a cloth screen. It enables you to open your windows completely and holds up to 100 pounds.)

If you have questions, you can contact Jan Berichon at the Safety Store which is located inside the Legacy Emanuel hospital. She is passionate and knowledgeable about children's safety. She spent over an hour talking to me and listening to me cry and had some very helpful suggestions. She encourages you to call or stop by to get information specific to the type of window in your home. Her number is 503-413-2678 and her E-mail is jbericho@lhs.org. I hope this is helpful!