The deaths of four kids in the Chicago area serve as a safety alert for parents.
The kids died after they were able to reach and knock over a television.
Nearly 22,000 injuries occur every year from accidents in the home. Many of those could have been avoided if parents thought twice about how their furniture is arranged.
"There's a tremendous amount of injuries from furniture being pulled over," says Penny Lentz, Safe Kids Winnebago County Coalition Coordinator. "Again the TVs, stereos, and other equipment like that is what's causing the major problem."
2,700 children ages 14 and under die due to accident injuries in the home every year in the U.S. After four furniture tip-over related deaths since October shocked the Chicago area the focus on televisions is turning from what children are watching to what parents should be watching for when they arrange their furniture.
"The TVs are getting nice and thin. They don't quite have the stability the older ones do because they are thinner and that. But they tip over a lot easier and they cover more of the child."
Lentz says securing your TV isn't the only precaution to take when childproofing your home. With most fatalities in the home caused by fire, suffocation, poisoning and numerous other accidents there's no such thing as being too safe.
The Safe Kids Coalition has numerous tools that can help.
With 80 percent of deaths occurring to children under the age of 4, Lentz says it is up to the parent's discretion as to when the proper time is to loosen supervision and childproofing.
"Kids mature in such different ranges in that they all take constant supervision when they're really small. As your child matures and you as a parent are the only one that can tell when your child can do without a little bit of supervision."
For more information go to www.safekids.org.
