Your Child’s Safety: Preventing Falls (Inpatient)
We want your child to be safe from falls in the hospital. Here is how we can partner with you to keep your child safe.
These things can cause your child to fall:
- An unfamiliar place.
- Weakness or feeling very tired (fatigue).
- Medical conditions that affect vision or balance.
- Medications that make your child dizzy or sleepy.
- The area around the bed or crib is cluttered.
- Walking in slippery socks or shoes.
- Rushing from one place to another.
To help keep your child safe, our staff will:
- Assess your child’s risk for falling.
- Keep your child’s room clutter-free.
- Check on your child every hour.
- Identify if your child has a falls risk with a yellow bracelet.
- Give your child non-skid hospital socks.
- Share helpful tips with you for keeping your child safe.
Here are some ways you can keep your child safe:
- Call a nurse if you need help moving your child out of bed.
- Go with your child to the bathroom and call if you need help.
- Keep the bed/crib rails raised when your child is in bed.
- Ask a nurse to help you with the medical equipment (IV lines, IV poles, cables).
- Ask your child’s nurse or therapist how you can assist your child in moving around the room or unit.
Thank you for partnering with us to prevent falls.
We welcome your questions and concerns.
Please let us know how we can best support your child and family.
© NYU Langone Health. All rights reserved. Reviewed for health literacy. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care provider's instructions.
Created in partnership with families and expertise from our Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care