By Tamika Stinson

Ahhh… Spring is here and we’ve all been suffering from a severe case of cabin fever. Let’s open the windows and take advantage of the fresh breeze! While this may seem enticing, opening windows for ventilation could also pose a risk for a fall if safety measures are not followed. In the video below, the report is describing a recent incident where a child was critically injured due to a fall from a window during a visit to a Cobb County home.  An older child opened a second story window and an 18 month old toddler fell out of the window onto a concrete driveway.  In addition, another child recently fell from an apartment window in DeKalb County.

According to the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital more than 5,000 American children are injured each year after falling out of windows, all of which can be prevented with the proper knowledge and installation of window guards. Aside from adult supervision, window guards approved by the Health Department are the only thing that can keep kids safely inside when playing near windows.

(Click image to view news video)

Follow these guidelines to prevent window-related injuries in the home:

• Keep windows closed and locked in area frequented by children
• When opening windows for ventilation, open windows that children cannot reach or easily climb out of
• Don’t rely on insect screens to prevent a fall, as they are designed to provide ventilation and not to prevent a child’s fall from a window
• Keep furniture, or anything children can climb, away from windows
• Make sure nothing is blocking or preventing a window from being opened in the case of an emergency
• You may also use the attached checklist as a guide for securing your windows.

The following products are available to help you discretely secure windows, allow ventilation and keep your children safe from window falls.

Window Guardian

• The Window Guardian Lock is an innovative new lock perfect for childproofing windows throughout the home. Protect children from unlocked windows with this safety lock.  The Window Guardian features a new, patented lock design with a removable push-button key. Easy to use, this lock provides peace of mind and installs easily in minutes. The Window Guardian has a tamper-resistant cover and fits most windows. It can also be used to childproof cupboards, doors, and even drawers!  Available in white.

Window Warden

• Leaving windows open and unlocked has not been an easy option until now! Window Warden™ allows windows to open up to a maximum of 4 inches but prevents them from opening further. Enjoy fresh air safely! Great for children and adults who require supervision.

For more information on the variety of window guards we have available visit the Window & Door Safety section of the Atlanta Babyproofer e-commerce store.  If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact The Atlanta Babyproofer at (404) 814-9938.

Tamika Stinson, “The Atlanta Babyproofer”, has built a career and a successful business by designing beautiful, functional and safe homes for families with children.  Since 2006, Tamika has gained a wealth of experience in residential interior design and child and family safety.  She is passionate about creating environments for children to safely live, play, and explore.  Much of her work includes educating parents, children, and caregivers about safety hazards that exist in their environment and assisting them with implementing strategies to prevent the number one killer of children under the age of 14, unintentional injury.  As the owner of J. Addison Fine Furnishings, L.L.C, Tamika has been afforded the opportunity interface with many families who have express the need for design-friendly, professional-grade childproofing strategies.  In response to her client’s demands, Tamika created Atlanta Babyproofer by J. Addison (a.k.a. Atlanta Babyproofer).  Atlanta Babyproofer offers a wide selection of professional- grade childproofing product, a safety library that contains many references for home and family safety and child passenger safety, as well as, professional babyproofing services.

Tamika was educated at Clark Atlanta University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and a Master of Business Administration in Finance.  In addition, Tamika studied interior design at the Art Institute of Atlanta.  She currently serves as the Board Chairperson for Safe Kids Fulton County and as a member of the International Association for Child Safety.

For more information, please visit www.Atlantababyproofer.com or call (404) 814-9938.