Deaths of 2 B.C. children prompt window safety warning for parents
As the weather heats up, health officials are warning parents about the dangers of open windows and balconies at home.
“Many children can climb before they can even walk,” says Dr. Ash Singhal, a pediatric neurosurgeon at B.C. Children’s Hospital.
Every summer, Singhal says, he treats a number of kids who’ve fallen from windows or balconies. This year, eight children have ended up at B.C. Children’s Hospital, and not all have survived.
“Sadly, I took care of two children who died from their injuries after falls,” says Singhal.
Last year, 14 children aged 16 and younger were treated at BC Children’s Emergency Department for falls from windows and balconies, according to the Provincial Health Services Authority. Eleven of those occurred during the summer months.
This week, a 14-month-old boy escaped serious injury after falling out of a second-storey window in Burnaby.
“It’s a high-stress call for us,” says Joanna Stefani, a B.C. Emergency Health Services paramedic. “Nobody wants to see a child injured.”
Ahead of the extremely high temperatures forecasted for the weekend, officials with B.C. Children’s Hospital and B.C. EHS are reminding parents and guardians of toddlers and young children that falls can be prevented with some simple tips. Furniture and anything that kids can climb should be kept away from windows and balcony railings.
Additionally, officials say bug screens should not be considered a safety measure because they’re often flimsy and easily dislodged.
Instead, for windows that swing outwards, safety latches should be installed to stop them from opening too wide.
“They’re available in virtually every hardware store in the province,” says Singhal. “It’s rare a latch would cost more than 10 to 20 dollars.”
Screw-on locks are a suitable option for sliding windows, safety experts say. They can be installed on most windows within seconds to allow for airflow while preventing a deadly fall.
“If a window can open more than 10 centimetres, a child’s head can get through it. If a child’s head can get through a window, so can their body,” says Singhal. He adds that because toddlers carry a larger proportion of weight in their heads, they often land head first, which can cause severe, long-lasting trauma.
If your child has fallen more than 1.5 metres and is unconscious or vomiting, it could be a sign of a head injury, according to the PHSA. Most head trauma requires immediate medical attention, says the health service provider, so it’s crucial 911 is called in a timely manner.
“Wait for EHS to arrive and we can assist with patient care and transfer,” says Stefani.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
What a U.S. farmworker’s case of bird flu tells us about tracking the infection
A U.S. farmworker who caught bird flu after working with dairy cattle in Texas appears to be the first known case of mammal-to-human transmission of the virus, a new study shows.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.