It’s not just watching TV that Aunties need to be savvy about...

When your young niece or nephew comes to stay, you not only need to worry about what’s on the TV but about the TV itself.
 
A new study in the journal Pediatrics found an alarming increase in injuries in the last two decades from falling TVs. Over 17,000 kids were treated every year in emergency rooms for injuries, ranging from cuts, bruises, broken bones and teeth to concussions and even death from being crushed. For kids 5 years old and younger, they saw a 125% increase in television-related injuries.
 
Part of the reason is almost every household in the US has at least one TV – with more than half having three or more. And while newer flat screen TVs are lighter, they are larger as well as more unsteady and likely to tip. In addition, often when families get the new flat screen TV, they relegate the old, bulky, heavier cathode ray tube model to a dresser somewhere that is not meant to hold a TV.
 
Now add your rambunctious young niece’s or nephew’s tendency to run and jump and climb on things even while watching TV. All this spells a recipe for disaster!
 
Some tips a Savvy Auntie can take to prevent these tragedies:

1. Never leave young children unsupervised in a room alone with a large TV.

2. Make sure your flat screen TV is secured into the wall with a good anchor into the wall stud – not just drywall.

3. Never place a bulky old cathode ray tube TV on a dresser not meant to hold it.

4. Consider wall brackets and straps for all tall, heavy, or unsteady furniture as a baby proofing method before your niece or nephew comes to stay.
 
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Photo: Ambro
Published: July 31, 2013