If you have a 2 story foyer or a loft and small children,

[wdwmom0f3]

please be very careful. A friend of mine is at Childrens hospital right now for the third day with her 15 month old son who fell from the loft onto the hardwood floor. He is ok, by the grace of God, but he has a skull fracture and a small bleed on his brain that has seems to have stopped. He also can not move one of his arms. They are still waiting on the newest MRI results. Please pray for them as he recovers. He is the sweetest little thing in the world and the thought of what they have been through just breaks my heart.

 

[mom2val]

That's horrible. Prayers being said.

When dd was little we lived in a townhouse and I had dh install baby gates in the loft openings. We then hung curtains over them so it did not look like a jail from down below. I was terrified that dd would fall from the loft into the livingroom.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I am still not sure what happened but I think that he was on the sofa infront of the rail and flipped over landing on his face, on his right eye & side. He has a huge black eye, but he can still see out of it thank goodness.

 

[letthewookiewin]

I am so sorry your friend's family is going through that. I will add them to our prayers. Hopefully in no time he will be running around at home, and getting into normal little boy trouble again.

 

[bumbershoot]

OH gosh that's awfl.

...I think that he was on the sofa infront of the rail and flipped over landing on his face...

I just had the most visceral reaction to that....augh.... Couch in front of something to flip over... I think that would be the part to change the most. Seriously think I'm going to be sick (b/c I've spent a LOT of time looking at furniture placement and making sure there's nothing pushed against anything that would make a bigger fall. Actually did NOT put babygate at the top of our stairs, b/c I knew he'd climb up the gate, then fall, giving himself more momentum and force. etc etc. I have a very big imagination for *things that could destroy my little dude*, and couches etc have been a big part of my daynightmares.

Oh I feel so bad for them and him.

 

[lecach]

We have a two story foyer and have always been paranoid about putting furniture against the railing - DS loves to stand on our couch and we were afraid he'd do the same thing. I sure hope the little boy is okay.

 

[msmayor]

We had a loft area in our townhouse years ago when our kids were very small. Not only did we take the precaution of moving ALL furniture away from the railing, we installed a Rail Net to prevent our kids from putting anything between the rails: toys, blankets...or worse: arms, feet, or trying to squeeze their heads!

Was it attractive? No. But I never worried about anything coming over/through that rail.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

We have a 2 story foyer. Wow I feel so very bad for your friend and hope her little boy is OK.

We have no furniture in our loft space near our railing. With little kids you can never be too careful.

 

[Up_Is_Down]

Oh my goodness that is so scary!! My prayers go out to him and his family!

 

[wdwmom0f3]

We had a loft area in our townhouse years ago when our kids were very small. Not only did we take the precaution of moving ALL furniture away from the railing, we installed a Rail Net to prevent our kids from putting anything between the rails: toys, blankets...or worse: arms, feet, or trying to squeeze their heads!

Was it attractive? No. But I never worried about anything coming over/through that rail.

Well this is what they should have done because I talked to her babysitter today and she said that he did fall through the railing. My first thought was, was it up to code? I thought they had to be so many inches apart. She said that he landed on the bar in the kitchen before falling to the ground, so that may have helped a little. I am sure they will have someone come in to fix it so that it never happens again, but a net would have helped. I have never heard of them before.

He is home now and he seems to be doing well. Just keep him in your prayers as he continues to heal.

 

[princessmom29]

How awful!!! i hope the little guy is doing well. This is one of my worst ever fears. We lived in a rental when DD was born that was 2 story with the master suite and an office/landing open ot the living area. It am afraid of heights and the thought that the baby could fall terrified me. We moved when she was 6 months old and I was so happy!

 

[nilseks]

Oh my goodness I am so glad he is going to be okay. Definitely one of my biggest fears. We have a loft that is open on two sides. I only have furniture on the 2 walls that are 'full walls'. My kids are now old enough to know better, but I worry about it when other people come over. There was a time when I wouldn't even invite certain people over for playdates b/c I knew they were the type not to watch their children and I didn't want the liability of it.

 

[msmayor]

Well this is what they should have done because I talked to her babysitter today and she said that he did fall through the railing. My first thought was, was it up to code? I thought they had to be so many inches apart. She said that he landed on the bar in the kitchen before falling to the ground, so that may have helped a little. I am sure they will have someone come in to fix it so that it never happens again, but a net would have helped. I have never heard of them before.

He is home now and he seems to be doing well. Just keep him in your prayers as he continues to heal.

Ours came from Safety First...just like this one. $20 for 10 feet of netting:

Very small price for peace of mind.

 

[Ceila]

Ours came from Safety First...just like this one. $20 for 10 feet of netting:

Very small price for peace of mind.

That is the exact same thing we used when we had a house with a second-floor rail next to the stairwell (just like in the picture). I even anchored the bottom of the net to the floor between each rail (there was wood under the rails) with eyehooks to make sure the kids couldn't pull it up and go under.

Before that we were in a house where there were horizontal slats at the top of the stairs DH attached a large piece of plexiglass that covered the entire space on the outside (the second-floor side, not stiarwell side) so DS couldn't climb it.

I'll say prayers for the little guy.

 

[sweetpeakaris]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Praying for a speedy recovery! When we were house searching I was suprised to see that newer homes did not have high enough banisters off the loft areas for the little ones or the older children who could very much fall over too if goofing around.

 

[acomasdiaz]

We have actually been house hunting lately and I have been paranoid about something like this. I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers so he may have a speedy recovery.