SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (Good Things Utah) – Pediatric safety experts are offering child safety tips — free visual reminder for their windows  — to prevent accidental window falls and traumatic injuries this spring and summer.

Primary Children’s Hospital treats an average 28 children each year for injuries suffered from window falls. These children are most commonly between the ages of 3 and 5 years old, and their injuries are getting more serious.

Between 2021 and 2022, injury severity increased nearly 60 percent, including one fatality. During that same time, trauma experts at Intermountain Riverton Hospital treated three patients who had fallen from windows – triple the number of window falls injuries typically seen in a year.

“Open windows can be a hidden fall hazard for children, who often lean against screens that are designed to pop out easily,” said Michelle Cameron, child safety technician at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “Even tiny hands with minimal pressure can pop screens out of windows, and the results can be tragic. It’s important to remember that window screens keep bugs out, but they don’t keep kids in.”

One of the children injured in 2021 was Jazarah Staton, who fell from her second-story bedroom window when she was 3 years old.

Late one summer night, Jazarah’s dad Tariq Staton heard a thud on the garage door, just below Jazarah’s bedroom. He rushed to Jazarah’s room, and could hear her crying from far away. He noticed the window was open, and that the lower corner of the screen had popped out.

“He ran in our bedroom and said, Jazarah fell out the window,” Jazarah’s mom, Shayna, recalled. “I was fearing the worst of the worst.”

The parents raced outside. “It looked like she’d opened and fallen out of her window, that the car broke her fall, and then she slid down and hit the garage door,” Tariq said. “We found her on the ground, crying.”

A CT scan at Intermountain Riverton Hospital found Jazarah had a traumatic brain injury. She was diagnosed with a frontal skull fracture and a minor brain bleed, and transferred to Primary Children’s Hospital by ambulance for more trauma assessments to confirm she had no additional injuries.

Once released, Jazarah returned to Primary Children’s for follow-up tests and speech therapy to ensure the traumatic brain injury didn’t cause cognitive disabilities or memory loss.

As she healed, Jazarah had to sit out of the activities she loves, like swimming and riding her bike, due to concussion protocols that required she keep both feet on the ground for up to three months to prevent any additional brain injuries, which would be more severe. It was difficult for Jazarah, but worth it, her mom said.

Today, Jazarah remains an active 5-year-old who loves preschool, building things, superheroes, and science projects.

“We haven’t noticed any lingering effects,” Shayna said. “She still talks about it. She remembers pushing up against the screen and falling out, but not when she landed. We are so lucky she’s okay.”

The Statons purchased window locks for their home, ensuring they cannot open more than a few inches without a parent’s help. They also are urging people to remove furniture and other items kids can climb on from areas around windows to prevent accidental falls. 

Primary Children’s Hospital recommends homeowners remember the 4-Inch rule when opening windows to prevent accidental falls. The hospital is offering free window clings to remind people to open their windows no more than 4 inches.

The clings can be placed on any window as a reminder. They come in English and in Spanish, and are free to anyone who wants them. Fill out a request form at www.primarychildrens.org/safety.

Here are some additional tips for preventing window falls:

• Keep windows closed and locked.

• Before opening a window, make sure it is inaccessible to children.

• Open windows no more than 4 inches.

• Keep furniture or anything children can climb on away from windows.

• Teach children only to open windows with permission and help from adults.

• Consider installing window locks, guards, or other safety equipment to prevent children from opening windows too wide.

• Supervise children around open windows.

For more safety tips or to request free window clings, go to www.primarychildrens.org/safety.

Sponsored by Intermountain Health.