A new study published in the Journal of Trauma reports that finger and thumb amputations accounted for 64% of the more than 950 cases of traumatic amputations among pediatric patients in the United States in 2003.

The study was conducted by Nationwide Children’s Hospital and found that children aged 4 years or younger most commonly had amputations resulting from being caught in or between objects. More than 80% of these injuries involved a finger or thumb and resulted from a door accident.

“Doors are easily accessible to the exploring fingers of young children, who are unaware of the potential dangers,” says study co-author Gary Smith, MD, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s. “Prevention strategies, such as doorstops and other door design modifications, can help to reduce the number of door-related amputation injuries.”

As an emergency room pediatric doctors at CHKD, we see first-hand the damage closing doors can do to little fingers and thumbs. Many times, this is the result of inadequate childproofing in the home.

Following are several finger safety tips as well as links to door safety products we ’ve researched and currently use for my own young families.

•	Children love to slam doors. Be aware that many children lose their fingers while chasing an older sibling into a room.
•	Keep doors securely closed when possible with childproof locks and or door knob covers.
•	Doors can be made "slamproof" with a simple childproofing device - the door mouse. The best one can be found HERE. If none is available, a heavy towel or blanket thrown over a door near the hinges can help.
•	The DigitSaver won a Child Safety House Calls Award of Excellence in 2009 for its role in helping parents to prevent finger amputations.
•	Get rid of furniture with lids that can slam shut unless they have child-safe hinges. Often furniture can be retrofitted with safety hinges to prevent slamming.
•	If possible, bring severed digits to the hospital on ice. Be prepared that most fingers that are cut off at the tip beyond the last joint CANNOT be reattached.

If you like these tips, please pass them to your friends, clients and colleagues.

 

If you have questions about child proofing your Home or Business, or to schedule an appointment, please contact us at (757) 200-7233 or Info@ChildSafetyHouseCalls.com.

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About Child Safety House Calls
Child Safety House Calls is led by two emergency room pediatricians and specializes in evaluating and selling through their online child safety store childproofing and child safety products such as child safety gates, childproof locks, childproof door locks, childproof gates, child proof door knobs, childproof latches, childproof drawers, childproof cabinets, baby gates, baby safety items, bathroom safety items, tub safety items and more. They provide information to parents nationwide on childproofing your home, child safety in the home, and the best childproof products. In Hampton Roads, Virginia, their team conducts child safety house calls to parents in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, and Williamsburg.