Number of Children’s Injuries Caused by High Chairs Jumped 22% in Past Decade
A new study shows that the number of children injured in accidents involving high chairs has jumped 22% in the past decade.
Every year, about 9,400 children younger than 3 years old are injured when they fall out of a high chair. That rate has increased 22% since 2003, according to the study, and hospitalizations due to head injury are the most common injury sustained from falling out of a high chair. Bumps, bruises, and cuts were the other most common injuries associated with high chair falls.
“Maybe even more concerning, the rate of head injuries has increased by almost 90 percent between 2003 and 2010, and I think it begs the question, what’s going on?” said study researcher Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
According to the study, when children were injured from falling out of a high chair, the accidents happened primarily because they were climbing or standing on the high chair. While this indicates that the chairs might not be used properly, it also suggests that safety restraint systems could be faulty.
“We know that over the recent years, millions of chairs have been recalled in the U.S. because of not meeting safety standards. But usually, a very low percentage of recalled products are actually returned,” Smith said in an interview.
However, the increase in hospitalizations and ER visits could also indicate that parents are more aware of the latest research on head injuries, and understand how serious such an injury can be to a growing child.
“There has been an increased awareness about the importance of minor head injury and concussion in the news. It is primarily related to sports, but it has also become on the radar for clinicians and parents,” Smith said.
Smith and his team compared the rates of high chair-related injuries to other chairs, like kitchen chairs, couches, and booster seats. Reportedly, about 40,000 children are injured from falling off chairs annually, which equates to about 4 children an hour.
“I believe high chairs are safe, if they haven’t been recalled and if they are used properly,” Smith said. “Parents need to check the high chair they are using hasn’t been recalled. They also need be careful to use the restraining system, and use it every time.”
The Strom Law Firm Protects Citizens Harmed by Delayed Defective Product Recalls
Not all children’s products, including high chairs, are safe, even if the manufacturer claims the product is safe for use. Many dangerous consumer products are put on the market every year, and product recalls are not always issued in a timely fashion. For example, IKEA recently issued a product recall for two children’s beds that had been sold in their stores for years, after receiving complaints that children would hurt themselves on a metal rod after falling out of bed. Worse, a product recall for Angelcare Baby Monitors recently showed that two children died after accidentally strangling themselves on the device’s cord.
The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm keep a close watch on recalls of dangerous and defective product recalls in the US. We aim to protect our clients’ health and safety, and hold manufacturers to the highest possible standard of safety. If you or your child have experienced severe, life-limiting side effects from a defective product or drug, such as a high chair, and believe that your pain stems from a product recall that came too late, you may be entitled to compensation. The Strom Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today. 803.252.4800.
