By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In what may be the first study to analyze data concerning nonfatal crib-related personal injuries in children younger than 2-years-old, the amount of child personal injuries was alarming to researchers. The study was published in the journal Pediatrics and analyzed data for 181,654 injuries related to cribs, playpen and bassinets from 1990 through 2008. The study revealed that dozens are children are personally injured daily as a result of falling from their cribs. In 9 of 10 cases the child was alone when the fall occurred and most injuries were sustained to the head and neck of the child. Of those children injured, 2,140 children (1.2%) died, usually as a result of becoming trapped or wedged in the crib. One method of prevention is to adjust the height of the crib’s mattress as babies start to grow and are able to pull themselves up and out of the crib. However, even the most alert caregivers can be caught off guard. According to Dr. Gary A. Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, children are not standing one day and the next they are taking off, thus catching parents by surprise. Crib safety awareness has increased due to the recent nationwide ban on drop-side cribs. Starting in June 2011, new mandatory safety standards go into effect for cribs. For more read Cribs prove to be dangerous and fatal for babies and children.