As the good weather returns and the windows of our homes are opened again, the National Institute for Prevention and Education for Health (Inpes) wishes to alert parents of young children: “Locks, lockable handles , openings, door locks, and barriers that act as guardrails … are not enough and never replace the vigilance of an adult “.
76 falls between March 15 and October 15
If the Institute wishes to draw the attention of parents to the subject, it is because in 7 months, between March 15 and October 15, 2013, 76 children under the age of fifteen suffered an “accidental fall from height “in three regions of France which were under the surveillance of the National Institute for Public Health Surveillance (Invs). Nine of the children died while 8 presented sequelae one month after the accident (including three severe sequelae).
Once in two, the fall took place while the opening was equipped with a protection system. Four out of five times an adult was present but in another room.
Boys are the most daredevils
“You have to put yourself in a child’s head, he will hear noises outside and will try to see what is going on. If there is one piece of advice to remember, it is never to leave a child alone. when a window is open “underlines Thanh Le Luong, director general of Inpes.
According to the Inpes study, accidental defenestrations mainly concern children under 6 (62%) and mainly boys (70%).
