Prevent TV and Furniture Tip Overs

Prevent TV and Furniture Tip Overs Keep your curious climber safe by securing heavy items.

When it comes to our children, our numberone priority is to protect them. Just like you protect your child by buckling them into the proper car seat restraint or putting their helmet and knee pads on when riding their bike, you should also take the steps to protect them from TV and furniture tip overs.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, every day, 10 kids visit the emergency department because of a television tip over, and every three weeks a child dies from a television tip over. Kids can be quite adventurous, and climbing to the top of a dresser or bookcase may seem like a lot of fun. And although we tell them no, their curiosity gets the best of them. But curiosity can result in serious injuries if TVs and furniture are not properly secured.

Here are five ways you can prevent TV and furniture tip overs in your home:

* Place your television on a low,

stable piece of furniture that can hold the TV’s weight, if you are not mounting it on a wall. Older box-style TVs are much heavier than newer flat screen televisions.

The damage caused when a TV or piece of furniture falls on a child can be devastating. “The weight can crush a child’s skull and do severe internal damage to the body,” says Lisa Schwing, R N and trauma program manager for Dayton Children’s Hospital. “Even if the impact is not fatal, often the child cannot get out from under the item. If mom or dad isn’t right there, the child can suffocate under the pressure.” Even the lightest piece of furniture, such as a small bookcase, weighs 25 pounds. Most pieces, such as dressers and TVs, weigh much more — 50 or 100 pounds or more. Adding clothing or heavy items only adds to the weight that can come crashing down on a child if the furniture is not secured. * Attach any TV to the wall, either with a wall mount or a tether strap. TVs are a significant tipping hazard because of their high center of gravity and narrow base.

* Make sure that all cords are

tucked away and out of reach of children.

* Use brackets, braces or wall straps to secure all large pieces of furniture — not just TVs — to the wall. This includes bookcases, dressers and grandfather clocks, to name a few.

* With large dressers, use the

bottom drawers for heavier items and clothing.