Thousands of children end up in hospital emergency rooms every year for injuries related to nursery products, including strollers, cribs and carriers.
More than 66,000 children 3 years old and younger are treated annually, mostly for head and neck injuries, mainly from falling out of nursery products, according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics. More than half the injuries occurred in babies between 6 and 11 months old.
A child is injured every eight minutes from a nursery-related product, researchers said.
Scientists studied data collected over a 21-year period and found that the annual injury rate significantly decreased between 1991 and 2003, followed by a sharp increase of almost 24 percent between 2003 and 2011.
Researchers said successful injury-prevention efforts by manufacturers contributed to the decline between 1991 and 2003.
“Greater efforts are warranted to prevent injuries associated with other nursery products, especially baby carriers, cribs and strollers,” the study concluded. “Prevention of falls and concussions/closed head injuries associated with nursery products also deserves special attention.”
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