Quick! Somebody Ban Stairs!
Of course, we'll name the new law against stairs after one of the injured children. From a tweet by @NBCNews:
Research shows a child younger than 5 is treated for a stair-related injury every six minutes in U.S. http://on.msnbc.com/wuLzQB
I hate statistics like this. "Every six minutes" is a useless measure, telling you nothing at all of comparative risk. Where does this rank in the scale of risks?
I remember watching with helpless horror as my (then) 6-month-old son fell down an entire flight of stairs. Of course, it was my own stupid fault - I had opened the door to take something out, and didn't notice that he had crawled after me. Once he started tumbling down the stairs, there was no way to catch up with him before the bottom.
Was I supposed to sue the company that built the stairs? Get the government involved in "standards for stairway design"? God forbid!
For what it's worth, the article does not call for government involvement, though it does hint in that direction.
a_random_guy at March 12, 2012 12:45 AM
I guess they could call it "Stumbly's Law."
Douglas Fletcher at March 12, 2012 1:04 AM
I fell down a fairly long flight of stairs at my Dad's workplace when I was ten. Did I tell you my leg was in an immobilizer and I was on crutches at the time???
Sh*t happens.
mpetrie98 at March 12, 2012 3:16 AM
"A stair-related injury"? No.
"Research shows a child younger than 5 is treated for a parent-wasn't-paying attention-related injury every six minutes in U.S."
Kevin at March 12, 2012 7:26 AM
Just curious, anyone ever take the opposite approach to what the "experts" say and encourage kids to learn how to safely use stairs early (meaning yes, the parent is paying attention), instead of baby-proofing everything?
Jess at March 12, 2012 7:34 AM
I can't help but wonder how many of these "stair related" injuries are the result of (1) sliding down the bannister, or (2) sliding down the stairs on a piece of cardboard. I was a 5-year-old once.
Cousin Dave at March 12, 2012 7:40 AM
The sensible thing to do is to ban the number 6 and the concept of "minutes."
rick at March 12, 2012 8:06 AM
That kid needs to be found and stopped.
Conan the Grammarian at March 12, 2012 11:16 AM
I'm somewhat over the age limit, but failing to pay attention and missing the last step with an arm full of shop vac is not advisable.
When I was a kid, my only stair related injury came when my brother hit me in the back of the head with one of those small metal trucks. Head wounds sure do bleed, a lot. Stitches weren't fun, but my brother being punished - priceless. I don't even remember what i did to provoke him.
MarkD at March 12, 2012 11:30 AM
I fell off a barstool and broke my thumb a few years ago. I was moving out of the way for some guy to take his shot on a pool table. Nevermind the fact that tequila shots may have contributed to my fall. I demand justice! I demand that the bar move out all pool tables and barstools to protect the innocent. Dammit I should have sued.
Damn babies should just suck it up and get used to the idea of falling down things. I'm 40-something and still slipping on stairs and now I'm falling off barstools!
sara at March 12, 2012 2:40 PM
The article says, "Research shows a child younger than 5 is treated for a stair-related injury every six minutes in U.S."
Well, keep that child away from stairs until he gets older! My goodness, must I think of everything???
Patrick at March 12, 2012 5:01 PM
Awwww...Conan beat me to it!
Patrick at March 12, 2012 5:14 PM
It's like that statistic that goes, "Somewhere in America, a woman is raped every 2 minutes..."
Damn! She needs to be locked up for her own protection!
Patrick at March 12, 2012 5:16 PM
We moved into a 2 story right before #4 was born, and #3 was barely 2. We have never used a gate. We do have locks very high up on the outside doors so they can't go a-wanderin', and poisons locked up and sharp knives on top of the fridge, but I just had no interest in hauling 2 kids up and down the stairs every time they needed to go somewhere. No one's fallen yet and baby's nearly 3. Ours do have a 180 degree turn at a landing though, so they could only fall a carpeted half flight. I also would rather they come to me in the middle of the night, than me to them. Why should I be the one moving? Once they can walk, of course.
I didn't ahve to "teach" them stairs, either. They figured it our right quick on their own. Too quick. Like racehorses sprinting quick.
momof4 at March 12, 2012 6:13 PM
I'm going to have to move.
Jim P. at March 12, 2012 9:45 PM
"The sensible thing to do is to ban the number 6 and the concept of "minutes.""
America cannot be safe from this terror until everyone is scanned or groped by the TSA. You do not have a right to travel by stairs.
Radwaste at March 13, 2012 4:39 PM
"I fell off a barstool and broke my thumb a few years ago. "
Obviously the answer is to ban floors.
Cousin Dave at March 13, 2012 5:57 PM
Les's repeal gravity too.
Jim P. at March 13, 2012 11:52 PM
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