Falling TVs Sending A Growing Rate of Kids To ER

CHICAGO (AP) — Doctors are calling out a warning over climbing injury rates to kids from falling TV sets.

A study finds falling televisions sent nearly 200,000 U.S. children to the emergency room over 20 years and such accidents are sometimes deadly.

Doctors and safety experts say better awareness is needed about the dangers — especially the risks of putting heavier, older model TV sets on top of dressers and other furniture young children may try to climb on.

Most injuries are in kids under 5; head and neck injuries including concussions are the most common.

Lead author Dr. Gary Smith, a pediatric emergency specialist, says it is unclear from the data what type of TV sets are involved in the accidents or whether older, heavier models are the most common culprit.

The study was published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics.