LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, falling furniture, tvs and appliances send more than 25,000 kids to the emergency room on average.

As parents know, kids love to climb on top of dressers or on top of bookshelves. According to pediatric neurosurgeon at Women’s and Children’s Hospital Dr Ann Marie Flannery, it’s all fun and games though, until someone gets hurt.

“It’s not secure and it falls over on top of them, often bringing the thing that’s on top of it like the TV on top of them as well,” Flannery said. 

Dr. Flannery said most injuries aren’t fatal but they are serious.
 
“This can result in a serious crush injuries to their head and other parts of their body, chest, bones and so forth,” Flannery said. 

Lafayette mom Anne Elise Doise recommends keeping attractive or shiny things out of sight or covered.  

“Those are very hazardous but very attractive to children. So certainly keep those out of reach and make sure they are adequately covered so children are not getting into anything they should not be,” Doise said.

“Most of those injuries do not require surgery, which is good, but they do require careful observation. Often the children have to go to our pediatric intensive care unit for appropriate monitoring,” Flannery said. 

Dr. Flannery also said these crush injuries often happen when families visit homes that are not child-proofed.

Doctors recommend securing TVs to the wall rather than putting them on top of furniture. But if parents have to put TVs on furniture, doctors recommend putting TVs on low wide tables and pushing them back as far as they go.

Experts also recommend fastening dressers, bookshelves and entertainment centers to the walls and storing heavy items on the bottom shelves.

Because they say it’s all about prevention and making sure parents are in the know about keeping their kids safe.