Soft Furniture Is More Dangerous Than Stairs for Young Kids

Setting a baby down on a bed or sofa while you leave the room for a bit is safe, right? Wrong: According to a new American Academy of Pediatrics study, small children are 2.5 times more likely to be injured by falls from beds or other soft surfaces than by stair-related injuries. All told, UPI reports that more than 2.3 million American children under the age of 5 were treated in emergency rooms for “soft furniture-related injuries” between 2007 and 2016. “With falls from beds and sofas hurting such a large and growing number of infants, toddlers and young children, there’s a serious need to step up prevention efforts,” said the study’s author, Dr. Viachaslau Bradko. (via UPI)