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More and more kids are landing in the emergency room for injuries from baby gates. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital find nearly 2,000 children are treated each year for injuries related to the gates .
While most injuries are not serious, more than 60 percent of the children injured are younger than 2, and they are often injured falling down the stairs after a gate collapses or when it’s left open. Children 2 to 6-years-old are most often injured trying to climb on gates.
“I’m really safety conscious,” said Kristen Allen, a mother of two-year-old twins who uses baby gates. “I’m sure every parent is. Nobody wants their kids to get hurt.”
The Mesa County Health Department’s spokesperson, Veronica Daehn-Harvey, said baby gates are important safety tools for parents, but they need to be installed correctly. User error is the most common reason for injuries.
“If you buy a baby gate and you install it correctly, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, most of the time it’s going to keep your kiddo safe,” she said.
Gates that are pressurized should be used at the bottom of the steps and the gates at the top of stairs should be able to be screwed into the wall.
“That’s really going to make sure that your gate is secure and isn’t going to be able to be pushed over by your infant or your toddler.” Daehn-Harvey said.
Also, parents should always still keep an eye on their young children.
“Baby gates are not an excuse for parents to not pay attention to their children or really make sure that they’re safe,” she said. “Ultimately, a child’s safety is up to the parents.”
Agencies/Canadajournal
