When it comes to keeping our kids safe, one key consideration for parents is to take the proper steps to prevent accidental falls. According to the Children's Safety Network, accidental falls cause more hospitalizations among children up to age 14 than any other cause. Stanford Medicine says that falls kill around 100 children age 14 and under every year, and more than 2.2 million children go to the hospital each year for fall-related injuries.

Preventing Falls Starts at Home

While kids are going to fall from time to time as part of growing up, you can do several things as parents to minimize their risks of accidental falls or severe falls. Here are a few of the tips that I recommend to my patients for keeping their kids safe around the house:

• Install window guards and stops. (Screens do not keep children from falling out of windows.)
• Open windows from the top and close them after use.
• Keep kids from climbing near windows by removing furniture and cribs from around windows.
• Prevent TV and furniture tip-overs by securing TVs and furniture to the wall using mounts, brackets, braces, anchors or wall straps.
• Secure kids properly in highchairs, infant carriers, swings, strollers and shopping carts.
• Help babies learn to stand and walk safely. Try using a stationary activity center instead of baby walkers, which can be dangerous.
• Use approved safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs. If possible, attach them to the wall.
• Consider anti-slip rugs for the floors in your home and mats or decals in the bathtub or shower to help prevent dangerous falls.
• Keep hallways and stairways well-lit and clear of clutter.

For outdoor activities, the following steps can further prevent kids from suffering injuries from accidental falls:

• Choose playgrounds that are appropriate for your child's age and have soft flooring material.
• Don't let kids play on high porches, decks, stairs or balconies. If it's unavoidable, make sure they are supervised by an adult.
• Protect your head by wearing a helmet for appropriate activities such as biking or skating to prevent a head injury.
• Talk to your kids about appropriate play behaviors.

Supporting Safety at Nicklaus Children's Hospital

To help ensure the safety of children and minimize the risk of accidental falls, Nicklaus Children's Hospital participates in the Humpty Dumpty Falls Prevention Program. This program has over 900 participating hospitals in the United States and more than 160 internationally. The goal of the program is to minimize the risk of severe injuries from accidental falls and improve the quality of care when falls do occur.

The program accomplishes this through education for parents and children about the best practices for preventing accidental falls. The Humpty Dumpty program also has a fall severity scale that helps health care providers determine how severe an accidental fall is and take appropriate action to treat the child effectively based on its severity. It's an effective tool that makes Nicklaus Children's Hospital a leader in treating children when a fall does occur.

The Bottom Line on Falls

Remember, kids are still learning how to use their bodies, as well as exploring and trying new things, so parents can play a pivotal role in letting them learn and explore in a safe, fall-free environment. If a fall does occur, seek emergency medical care right away from a trusted health care provider to ensure the best outcome for your child. By partnering with the Humpty Dumpty Program, Nicklaus Children's Hospital providers have the most up-to-date tools for assessing and treating accidental falls in children.