CALGARY – Many Albertans cool off their homes by opening windows. However, open windows and balconies can be a serious fall risk to children.

Children often learn to climb before they learn to walk. Toddlers and preschoolers are at the highest risk of falling from a window or balcony, but falls can happen at any age.

Every year, young children fall from windows and balconies, resulting in EMS response, emergency department visits and, in some cases, hospitalization and death. Of the children who visited the Stollery Children's Hospital and Alberta Children's Hospital emergency departments for window fall-related injuries in 2024, 85 per cent were under six years of age.

Supervising children is the best way to prevent falls and other childhood injuries. If there are young children in your home or under your supervision:

• Be aware of open windows, even with screens. Screens are not strong enough to keep children in.
• Move furniture such as cribs, beds, stools and change tables away from windows.
• Install window guards on all windows on the second floor and above. These act like gates in front of windows.
• Install safety devices that limit how wide a window can open to a maximum of 10 cm (four inches). Safety devices should be installed so they may be opened by an adult or older child without the use of any tools or special knowledge.
• Remove outdoor furniture and other items stored on balconies and decks that can be used to climb, resulting in a fall over a railing.
• When spending time outdoors on balconies, ensure your balcony's vertical railings are no more than 10 cm (four inches) apart.

For resources to prevent falls for infants and young children, visit Healthy Parents Healthy Children or MyHealth.Alberta.ca:

• Keep Your Baby Safe From Falls
• Keep Your Toddler & Preschooler Safe From Falls

Primary Care Alberta is a made-in-Alberta solution to improve access to the primary care services Albertans rely on. By delivering coordinated services, Primary Care Alberta allows for valued healthcare professionals to do what they do best — care for you. Together, we are creating a future where compassionate, timely and effective healthcare is available to every Albertan at every stage of life.