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High chairs and booster seats can be found in households with young children. These products were created so that small children can sit safely while eating. Despite the fact that these chairs are meant to protect toddlers who cannot sit safely on a regular chair during feeding time, a new report found that due to many factors, including high-chair recalls over the past few years, the number of injuries related to these products has increased.

This study was conducted by researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital. The team examined the data on children aged three or younger who were brought into emergency rooms to get treated for injuries related to high chairs between 2003 and 2010. The researchers found that the average number of injuries due to high chairs or booster seats was over 9,400 per year. This number is equivalent an injured child per hour within the United States.

The majority of the injuries, at 93 percent, were due to a fall. Roughly two-thirds of these fall-related injuries were caused by standing or climbing in the chair. The researchers stated that parents might be neglecting the safety restraint systems that come with these products or that these safety systems had failed.

The report found that the most common injury were closed head injuries with 37 percent. The researchers found that closed head injuries rose by roughly 90 percent from 2,558 in 2003 to 4,789 in 2010. 33 percent of the injuries resulted in bumps and bruises, and 19 percent of the injuries were cuts. The researchers also found that the most common body region that was injured was the head/neck region with 59 percent and then the face with 28 percent.

"Families may not think about the dangers associated with the use of high chairs," said Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital according to Medical Xpress. "High chairs are typically used in kitchens and dining areas, so when a child falls from the elevated height of the high chair, he is often falling head first onto a hard surface such as tile or wood flooring with considerable force. This can lead to serious injuries."

The researchers stressed the importance of using the safety restraint systems that come with these products. Furthermore, if these systems are faulty, parents should replace them. Parents should also always supervise their young children when using these chairs. The study was published in Clinical Pediatrics.