Stair Related Injuries Informational Video by CIRP

Описание: Stairs are a common source of injury among children. Every 6 minutes in the United States, a child younger than 5 years is treated in an emergency department for a stair-related injury. Taking a few simple steps can help prevent these injuries.


Keep stairs free of clutter and in good repair.

Install a handrail if one is not available.

Use stair gates both at the top and at the bottom of stairs to prevent young children from using the stairs by themselves. Built-in, wall-mounted gates are best, but are not always possible due to stair design. While important and effective, remember that stair gates are not a substitute for adult supervision.

Avoid carrying a child on the stairs when possible. Place him in a safe place, such as a crib, when you need to use the stairs.

If you do need to carry a child on the stairs, keep one hand on the handrail and make sure to have only the child in your other arm. If you have other things to carry, bring them on a second trip.

When a child begins to use stairs on his own, teach him to always have a free hand to hold onto the handrail. Teach him to ask an adult for help if he wants to take something up or down stairs. Make sure he knows to keep his toys off the stairs and to not play or jump on stairs.
For more information on stair-related injuries, visit the resource library on our website at injurycenter.org.