Ask Your Child's Risk For Falls Essay

WHAT ARE SOME SAFETY TIPS FOR PREVENTING FALLS?

Ask your health care provider about your child’s risk of falling. Find out if any of your child’s medicines or treatments cause dizziness or affect balance. Make a plan with your health care provider to keep your child safe from falls. The plan may include:

• Having your child ask for help to move around at any time, especially after surgery or if he or she feels unwell.

• Having your child ask for help to get objects that are out of reach.

• Keeping the floor clean. Remove all clutter from the sides of beds and cribs.

• Keeping the bed locked in the low position.

• Keeping the side rails up at all times, unless someone is providing care.

• Making sure that the nurse call button is within reach.

• Using the provided safety straps with infant carriers, strollers, car seats, and wheelchairs.

• Keeping equipment and wires away from children as much as possible.

• Setting up a fall alert system.

WHY IS MY CHILD AT RISK FOR FALLS?

As a hospital patient, your child’s condition and treatments may increase your child’s risk for falls. Some additional risk factors for falls in a hospital include:

• Being in an unfamiliar environment.

• Being on bed rest.

• Surgery.

• Taking certain medicines.

• Tubing requirements, such as intravenous (IV) therapy or catheters.

WHAT DOES THE HOSPITAL STAFF DO TO HELP PREVENT MY CHILD FROM FALLING?

Hospital staff has a plan in place to help prevent falls and accidents. The hospital’s plan may include:

• Completing an individual risk assessment for your child.

• Communicating with your child and your family about fall risk and prevention.

• Adhering to safety guidelines when helping your child move around.

• Cleaning routinely.

• Removing unnecessary equipment or tubes.

• Using safety equipment. Equipment that can help prevent falls includes:

• Walkers, crutches, and other walking devices.

• Safety rails on beds and cribs.

• Hand rails in