Study finds two injuries every hour from strollers and carriers

They're used to carry our most precious cargo.  However, a new study finds nearly two kids are being treated in emergency departments every hour for stroller or carrier-related injuries.

"Generally over time we see safety improvements as well as educational improvements.  So, the severity of injuries related to different apparatuses like strollers and infant carriers generally decrease, but what we saw was an increase in traumatic brain injuries and concussions related to these," said injury prevention specialist Stephanie Weigel with Akron Children's Hospital Mahoning Valley.

According to data that was collected over a 21 year period, the proportion of stroller-related traumatic brain injuries and concussions have more than doubled despite overall injuries being down. Back in 1990, 19% of traumatic brain injuries and concussions were caused by strollers.  In 2010, that number was 42%.
The proportion of those injuries nearly tripled in car carriers going from 18% of injuries in 1990 to 53% in 2010.

"We all know that traumatic brain injuries and concussions are devastating for anyone that is effected by them.  However, for our littlest ones these injuries have lifelong devastating consequences on their cognitive development," said Weigel.

Injury prevention specialist Stephanie Weigel says education may be key to reversing this trend.

He encourages parents to do the following:

•    Always buckle your child in a car seat and stroller
•    Make sure your child meets the height and weight restrictions for their stroller and car seat 
•    Engage the breaks on the stroller when it is not being used
•    Don't hang heavy items off the handles of the stroller
•    Never place an infant carrier on the top of shopping cart

"Children die every year from being infant carriers on the top of shopping carts.  There is no infant carrier designed or shopping cart designed in the United States that is safe to be placed on top of a shopping cart.  So, if you are at the store, the only safe place to put an infant carrier is in the large portion of the buggy where you would put the items that you are buying," said Weigel.

Weigel also recommends checking your strollers and car seats for recalls to ensure you child's safety.