(Press-News.org) Contact information: Mary Ellen Peacock
MaryEllen.Peacock@nationwidechildrens.org
614-355-0495
Nationwide Children's Hospital
High chair-related injuries to children on the rise
Every hour, every day a child is taken to a hospital as injuries surge 22 percent
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – High chairs and booster seats are commonly used to help make feeding young children easier. Although most parents assume these products are safe, millions have been recalled in recent years, and injuries associated with their use continue to occur.
A new study by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital examined data relating to children age 3 years and younger who were treated in U.S. emergency departments from 2003 through 2010 for high chair-related injuries. On average, more than 9,400 children were treated each year for an injury associated with a high chair or booster seat, equaling one child every hour nationally. In addition, the annual number of injured children increased during the study period.
The study, available online on December 9, 2013 and in an upcoming print issue of Clinical Pediatrics, found that nearly all injuries associated with a high chair or booster seat involved a fall (93 percent). In the cases that reported what the child was doing just before the fall, two-thirds of the children injured were climbing or standing in the chair, suggesting that the chair's safety restraint system either was not being used or was ineffective in these cases.
"Families may not think about the dangers associated with the use of high chairs," said Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "High chairs are typically used in kitchens and dining areas, so when a child falls from the elevated height of the high chair, he is often falling head first onto a hard surface such as tile or wood flooring with considerable force. This can lead to serious injuries."
VIDEO:
Researchers have conducted the largest and longest study of high chair injuries among children in the US, and have found that these injuries are on the rise. "There are...
Click here for more information.
For High Chair-Related Injuries
Closed head injuries (CHI) – which include concussions and internal head injuries – were the most common diagnosis associated with high chairs (37 percent) followed by bumps/bruises (33 percent) and cuts (19 percent). The number of CHIs increased by almost 90 percent during the study period, going from 2,558 in 2003 to 4,789 in 2010. The body regions most commonly injured were the head/neck (59 percent) and the face (28 percent).
"The number one thing parents can do to prevent injuries related to high chairs is to use the safety restraint system in the chair," said Dr. Smith, also a professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "The vast majority of injuries from these products are from falls. Buckling your child in every time you use the high chair can help keep them safe."
Dr. Smith also noted that many parents assume the tray will keep a child from jumping or falling out but stressed that the tray was not designed as a restraint, so use of the safety straps is essential.
Other tips for keeping children safe in high chairs include:
Always use the safety straps. Buckling the child in the seat with the straps every time he/she is in the high chair will help set a routine and keep him/her safe by keeping him/her seated and securely in the chair. Make sure the straps are in good working order and firmly attached to the chair. Only use chairs with either a 3-point or 5-point harness that includes a crotch strap or post. Remember – the tray is not enough to keep children in the seat.
Use high chairs appropriately during meal time. Teach your child that his/her high chair is where he/she sits for eating. Allowing him/her to play, climb or stand in the chair can cause it to tip over. Also make sure that older siblings know not to climb on the chair.
VIDEO:
Embargoed until Monday December 9, 2013 at 12:01 a.m. eastern.
Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital have conducted the largest and longest study of high chair injuries among children in the U.S.,...
Click here for more information.
Keep the area around the high chair clear. Children are naturally curious and will grab things in their reach. Make sure tablecloths, placemats, sharp silverware, plates and hot food and liquids are out of reach. Also be aware of where you put the high chair. If it is too close to the table, a counter or the wall, the child may knock the chair over by kicking their feet into these objects.
Make sure the chair is stable. Before selecting a high chair for your child, test it out. Chairs with wide bases are often more stable. Using high chairs that meet current safety standards is important. If the chair has wheels, make sure that they are locked into place before use.
Stay with your child during meal time. An unsupervised child is more likely to try to escape from his/her high chair and can also be more likely to choke on his/her food.
Check for recalls. Millions of unsafe high chairs have been recalled during recent years. Make sure the one you are using does not have any known injury hazards. Check http://www.recalls.gov to see if your high chair has been recalled.
The study also compared injuries related to high chairs and booster seats with injuries associated with traditional chairs. More than 40,000 injuries associated with chairs were reported each year during the study period, which equals four children every hour nationally. Falling and jumping from the chair were the leading mechanisms of injury. Children with injuries associated with the use of traditional chairs were more likely to sustain broken bones, cuts and bruises.
INFORMATION:
This is the first study in more than a decade to describe national trends of high chair-related injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments. Data for this study were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which is operated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The NEISS database provides information on consumer product-related and sports- and recreation-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments across the country.
High chair-related injuries to children on the rise
Every hour, every day a child is taken to a hospital as injuries surge 22 percent
2013-12-09
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Innovative drug-dispensing contact lens delivers glaucoma medication continuously for a month
2013-12-09
Innovative drug-dispensing contact lens delivers glaucoma medication continuously for a month
Biomaterials features findings of Mass. Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School study
BOSTON (Dec. 9, 2013) – For nearly half a century, contact lenses have ...
No pictures, please: Taking photos may impede memory of museum tour
2013-12-09
No pictures, please: Taking photos may impede memory of museum tour
Visit a museum these days and you'll see people using their smartphones and cameras to take pictures of works of art, archeological finds, historical artifacts, and any ...
Deep Carbon Observatory scientists discover quick recipe for producing hydrogen
2013-12-08
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 8-Dec-2013
[
| E-mail
]
var addthis_pub="eurekalert"; var addthis_options = "favorites, delicious, digg, facebook, twitter, google, newsvine, reddit, slashdot, stumbleupon, buzz, more"
Share
Contact: Terry Collins
tc@tca.tc
416-538-8712
Katie Pratt
katie_pratt@mail.uri.edu
401-536-8813
Deep Carbon Observatory
Deep Carbon Observatory scientists discover quick recipe for producing hydrogen
New formula for fast, abundant H2 production may help power fuel cells, helps explain expansive chemical-eating microbial communities ...
Study: Majority of epilepsy surgery patients enjoy improvement in their physical and social well-being
2013-12-08
Study: Majority of epilepsy surgery patients enjoy improvement in their physical and social well-being
DETROIT – The majority of epilepsy patients who have brain surgery to treat their disorder are satisfied with the results in reducing epilepsy-related seizures ...
Bed bugs can survive freezing temperatures, but cold can still kill them
2013-12-08
Bed bugs can survive freezing temperatures, but cold can still kill them
Exposing bed bug-infested clothing or other small items to freezing temperatures may be a viable control option for people at risk of bed bug infestations. However, a new study ...
Targeted treatment can significantly reduce relapse in children with AML leukemia
2013-12-08
Targeted treatment can significantly reduce relapse in children with AML leukemia
Findings from nationwide study led by Children's Mercy researcher highlighted at American Society of Hematology Meeting
The addition of a monoclonal antibody called gemtuzumab combined ...
New insights into pathophysiology of sickle cell disease and thalassemia may help improve care
2013-12-08
New insights into pathophysiology of sickle cell disease and thalassemia may help improve care
(NEW ORLEANS, December 8, 2013) – New research presented today during the 55th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition ...
Novel drug regimen can improve stem cell transplantation outcomes
2013-12-08
Novel drug regimen can improve stem cell transplantation outcomes
Bortezomib (Velcade) reduces GVHD, boosts survival
NEW ORLEANS— Adding bortezomib (Velcade) to standard preventive therapy for graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) results in improved ...
Flipping a gene switch reactivates fetal hemoglobin, may reverse sickle cell disease
2013-12-08
Flipping a gene switch reactivates fetal hemoglobin, may reverse sickle cell disease
In lab studies, CHOP researchers reprogram gene expression, showing proof-of-concept for potential therapy
Hematology researchers at The Children's Hospital ...
Survey: Knowledge about HPV vaccine effectiveness lacking
2013-12-08
Survey: Knowledge about HPV vaccine effectiveness lacking
ATLANTA — Knowledge about the efficacy of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in preventing cervical cancer was lacking in the majority of survey respondents for whom the information ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
What are they vaping? Study reveals alarming surge in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD, and synthetic cannabinoids
ECMWF - delivering forecasts over 10 times faster and cutting energy usage by 1000
Brazilian neuroscientist reveals how viral infections transform the brain through microscopic detective work
Turning social fragmentation into action through discovering relatedness
Cheese may really be giving you nightmares, scientists find
Study reveals most common medical emergencies in schools
Breathable yet protective: Next-gen medical textiles with micro/nano networks
Frequency-engineered MXene supercapacitors enable efficient pulse charging in TENG–SC hybrid systems
Developed an AI-based classification system for facial pigmented lesions
Achieving 20% efficiency in halogen-free organic solar cells via isomeric additive-mediated sequential processing
New book Terraglossia reclaims language, Country and culture
The most effective diabetes drugs don't reach enough patients yet
Breast cancer risk in younger women may be influenced by hormone therapy
Strategies for staying smoke-free after rehab
Commentary questions the potential benefit of levothyroxine treatment of mild hypothyroidism during pregnancy
Study projects over 14 million preventable deaths by 2030 if USAID defunding continues
New study reveals 33% gap in transplant access for UK’s poorest children
Dysregulated epigenetic memory in early embryos offers new clues to the inheritance of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
IVF and IUI pregnancy rates remain stable across Europe, despite an increasing uptake of single embryo transfer
It takes a village: Chimpanzee babies do better when their moms have social connections
From lab to market: how renewable polymers could transform medicine
Striking increase in obesity observed among youth between 2011 and 2023
No evidence that medications trigger microscopic colitis in older adults
NYUAD researchers find link between brain growth and mental health disorders
Aging-related inflammation is not universal across human populations, new study finds
University of Oregon to create national children’s mental health center with $11 million federal grant
Rare achievement: UTA undergrad publishes research
Fact or fiction? The ADHD info dilemma
Genetic ancestry linked to risk of severe dengue
Genomes reveal the Norwegian lemming as one of the youngest mammal species
[Press-News.org] High chair-related injuries to children on the riseEvery hour, every day a child is taken to a hospital as injuries surge 22 percent