(HealthDayNews) -- If you've opened your windows to allow in the crisp autumn air, you've also unlocked a potential safety hazard for your young kids. Each year, about 15,000 children in the United States fall out of open windows, according to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Prevent window falls by following these steps:
- Don't leave young children unsupervised.
- Make sure no furniture that kids can climb on is placed near windows.
- Never rely on screens to keep children from falling out of windows.
- Whenever possible, open windows from the top, rather than the bottom.
- Safeguard windows with window guards, which prevent children from falling out of open windows. Or use window stops, which prevent windows from opening more than a few inches.
