TV Lifts and Safety

Did you know that every day, approximately 40fall.
young children are taken to hospital emergencySkull fracture is a common type of injury from a
rooms with injuries suffered as a result of a heavyfalling TV, which can lead to a range of short-term,
piece of furniture falling on them? Furthermore, TVlong-term, or lifelong disabilities, many of which require
sets were the most common item associated withrehabilitation. They can include problems with bladder
tip-over injuries to children.or bowel control, lessened cognitive ability, and
Dr. Gary Smith, head of the Center for Injurylessened ability to bathe, dress, walk, eat
Research and Policy at the Children's Hospital inindependently, hear, see, speak, or feel (due to
Columbus, Ohio, used data from the Consumernerve damage).
Product Safety Commission to analyze injuries toIf this information is alarming to you, it should be. But
children in the U.S. between 1990 and 2007. Duringthere are things you can do to protect your children,
that time, an estimated 264,200 furniture tip-overas well as any beloved family member - including the
related-injuries occurred that required a trip to thefour-legged ones!
emergency room. According to the study, published inTV lift cabinets and consoles are a beautifully
Clinical Pediatrics, three-quarters of the injuries weredecorative and safe alternative to the dangerous TV
to children 6-years-old and younger with 1- tostand. With a remote control, the TV (and all of the
3-year-olds being the most vulnerable.equipment that accompanies it - cable box, DVD
A TV tip-over typically occurs when a child attemptsplayer, cords and wires, etc.) can be "lifted" from the
to climb onto furniture (or into a drawer of a dressercabinet/console when you are ready to use them.
on which a TV sits), causing the furniture and/or theMore importantly, however, is that they "disappear"
TV to fall onto the child. The child may also attemptback into the cabinet when TV time is over, keeping
to grab a toy from the top of a TV, or to change aboth your investment and your family safe and
DVD in a player on the TV, causing those items tosecure.