Close call in High Point: Toddler survives window fall

With temperatures still peaking in the 80s, an incident last night is occasion for a reminder to be extra careful of windows when small children are around – Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore says a one-year-old boy was taken to Harborview Medical Center around 8:30 last night after falling about 14 feet at a residence in the 6500 block of 32nd SW in High Point. He says the boy was “conscious and crying and had no visible injuries” when SFD crews arrived, and was reported in stable condition when taken to the hospital. No other specifics. (P.S. Authorities say that nationwide, 5,000 children a year are hurt this way; here’s prevention advice from a national safety organization.)

Diane August 8, 2013 (2:09 pm)

Traumatic Brain Injury
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According to WebMD, falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries, resulting in 35.2% of the total.
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Rates are highest for children from birth up to age 4, and for adults 75 and older.
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TBI is caused by a bump or blow to the head that is severe enough to interrupt normal brain function.
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If a child falls through a window two stories above ground, chances are he or she will have a concussion, which is the mechanism of injury for the majority of traumatic brain injuries.
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Annually, among children from birth to age 14, TBI causes an average of 2,174 deaths.
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See more at: http://www.brain-injury-law-center.com/2010/09/26/kids-and-tbi-window-fall-prevention-for-parents-and-daycare-providers/

enough August 8, 2013 (2:35 pm)

I saw this on the news last night and thought the colorful buildings looked like Highpoint. Great idea to keep this sort of thing in the news/educate people about the potential danger. It’s sad that it keeps happening. A toddler died last month after falling a few stories elsewhere in Seattle. Eric Clapton’s son died this way in 1991.

Live Better, Work Union August 8, 2013 (4:18 pm)

2nd time in 2 years this has happened, same neighborhood……

NW mama August 8, 2013 (4:21 pm)

Terrifying. So glad he’s okay (hopefully!). Best wishes for HUD recovery.

Suzanne August 8, 2013 (6:15 pm)

I don’t know what type of window he fell out of, but when we remodeled our house, we were upset to find out we needed to use casement windows instead of double hung for proper egress. Our biggest concern was how much easier it is for kids to fall out of these types of windows. At least with a double hung, you can open the top part.

It makes me wonder if there are more falls now than in the past.

Hope this little guy is OK