title: Young children's ability to climb fences.
abstract: Three studies were performed to evaluate the fence-climbing abilities of children who are in the high-risk age group for drowning in residential pools. Study 1 examined the ability of children in the age range of 24 to 54 months to climb commonly used fences (common chain link, small chain link, picket, iron, and stockade) at a 4-ft (1.22-m) height. Study 2 examined children's abilities to climb fences retrofitted with features that would potentially make them more difficult to climb. Study 3 examined children's abilities to climb 5-ft (1.52-m) fences. Results of the three studies show that the common chain-link fence is easy to climb even by two-year-old toddlers. Other fence types offered more effective barriers, especially for younger children.
authors.affiliation: COMSIS Corporation, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rabinovich
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Lerner
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Huey
mesh_terms: D001107:Architectural Accessibility; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004332:Drowning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D013551:Swimming Pools