Window Safety

Every year, unintentional window falls send thousands of children ages 5 and younger to emergency departments nationwide.

At CHOC, we are determined to partner with parents to prevent unintentional injury. Window falls can cause significant injury, so that’s why our experts have dedicated resources to help protect your kids and keep them safe while inside at home.

A young child can squeeze through an opening larger than 4 inches, and any window higher than 6 feet from the ground poses a risk for serious, possibly fatal injury.

Since opening in January 2015, the CHOC Children’s Trauma Center has also seen a significant percentage of fall-related injuries. About 1 in every 3 kids seen at our trauma center has been injured in a fall – many of them from a window.

Remember to supervise your child around windows at home, and whenever visiting family and friends. Extra precautions may buy you precious extra seconds.

Protect Your Child From Window Falls

• Lock it down. Install a removable window lock or window guard to limit the opening to no more than 4 inches. Be sure it is one that may be removed quickly in the event of an emergency, such as a fire.
• Window screens aren’t enough. Window screens may be effective for keeping bugs out of your home, but they’re not strong enough to keep children in.
• Outsmart your little “climber.” Keep beds, bookcases, play chests and other furniture away from windows.
• If you have windows that can open from both the top and the bottom, you still need a window guard or lock. Even if you only open the top half of the window, older children may be strong enough to open the bottom.
• Teach your kids about window falls. Make sure older children know the dangers of climbing out of or jumping from windows.

If your child falls out of the window, call 911 and avoid moving your child. A traumatic injury to the head, neck or spine may not be immediately obvious.

FREE Activity Book!

Take our brief survey and download Choco’s Window Safety Tips activity book to print out and share with your child. This book contains coloring sheets and puzzles that will make learning about window safety fun for you and your child.

Did you make a change in your home based on the information on this page?