Elevator Safety

Going Floor to Floor Safely with Small Children

By Teri Brown

According to a study done by the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, elevator injuries are quite common in small children, accounting for about 2,000 injuries a year.

Ann Friedrick, a mother of two from Scholls, Ore., is not surprised. "I see small children running in circles in elevators all the time," Friedrick says. "You have to think about what is at their eye level. There's buttons to push, doors opening and closing and umbrellas and purses for them to run into. I think the important thing is to keep them with you at all times."

Linda Sherwood, a mom from Merritt, Mich., agrees. "Living in a small town, my children rarely have an opportunity to ride in an elevator," Sherwood says. "When my kids are exposed to elevators while traveling, I have to be extra diligent because my kids think the elevator is a toy. They are so fascinated by who gets to push the button; they forget to pay attention to safety concerns."

Debra Holtzman, a safety and health expert and author of The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety (Sentient Publications, 2005), believes that elevators are inherently dangerous for several reasons. "Elevator doors can close on you," Holtzman says. "Fall injuries can occur from tripping when an elevator doesn't stop flush with the floor on which the door is opening. Common injuries can range from scrapes, sprains, bruises, broken bones to head injuries."

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