FALLS
In recent years, the death toll from accidental
injuries in the home has been running at an annual rate of 28,500, and falls in
and about the home take about 10,000 lives; they also injure nearly 7 million
each year. Currently, 3 million people in this country have an impairment of
back, limb, or other part of the body that resulted from an accidental fall.
One startling recent finding, not previously well-recognized, is the frequency
with which babies, before they walk, fall from high places. Studying 536
infants in two groups-urban clinic patients and suburban private practice
patients-a team of investigators at the Northwestern University School of
Medicine, Chicago, found a combined incidence of 47.5 percent first falls from
cribs, adult beds, and dressing tables.
Among the urban group, 77 percent of
the infants fell at least once during their first year, mostly from adult beds.
Among the suburban group, 30.per- cent fell during the first year, often from
dressing tables. Almost all falls resulted in head injuries. If this average
incidence of falls holds true nationally, then 1,750,000 infants annually
sustain at least one fall before they are a year old. The Northwestern
researchers urge a national campaign to alert mothers to the dangers of infant
falls, noting that most of the falls occur at about the average age of seven
and a half months when infants begin to roll from prone to supine position and
begin to sit up, pull themselves up to standing position, and climb.
Lights in hallways and over staircases should be large
enough to illuminate the entire area; economizing here is poor economy.
Railings should be in sufficiently good condition to keep children from falling
through and should provide adequate handholds for adults, especially the
elderly, for who fractured bones are serious matters. Loose steps or slippery
and worn steps should be repaired or replaced. In cold weather, icy or slippery
steps should be scraped and, if necessary, protected by sprinkling with ashes
or sand. Tripping hazards, such as unanchored small throwing, should be
eliminated. Highly polished floors can be a serious hazard. When floors are
waxed, the wax should be rubbed in thoroughly; this tends to harden wax
globules and convert them into tiny beadlike particles which provide better
traction.
Since repeated waxing can fill in spaces between the
particles, making the surface slippery, it's a good idea to remove all wax
after every fourth or fifth waxing and start with a fresh layer. Use a rubber
mat in the bathroom to prevent slips. When children are learning to walk, cover
or remove sharp-edged furniture. Keep low stools, and other objects that can
trip children or adults, away from passageways. It's a good idea to cover
stairs with carpeting or rubber safety treads, and by all means keeps them
clear of mops, baskets, toys, and other odd items. Make electric light switches
available for each room so that people walking from one room to another will be
able to light their way. It is often desirable, especially when there are
children or elderly people in the home, to keep a night light on, especially
near the bathroom.
Provide abrasive strips for the tub or shower to assure firm
footing. Use stair gates to block toddlers from access to stairs. And an un-tippable
stepping stool that will not move while you're using it can give you easy -and
safe-access to top-shelf items. FIRE Three of every four Americans who are
killed in fires lose their lives either in their own home or in that of a
friend. For everyone who dies, many are seriously injured. There is a
residential fire in the United States every 57 seconds. To protect your family
and property, fire prevention is essential. It requires good housekeeping and
constant attention in certain major areas:
