Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 11, 2026
A Modified Sonographic Algorithm for Image Acquisition in Life-Threatening Emergencies in the Critically Ill Newborn
Published on: April 7, 2023
[Falls in less than one year-old infants: Management in the emergency department]
Elena Rubio García1, Ana Jiménez de Domingo1, Rafael Marañon Pardillo2
1Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España.
Insights
Infant falls often cause head injuries, necessitating diagnostic tests. Head trauma is common in children under one year following falls, with diagnostic imaging frequently required.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Injury Prevention
- Child Health
Background:
- Falls are a significant cause of injury in infants.
- Understanding fall-related injuries in infants is crucial for effective prevention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe injuries resulting from falls in children under one year old presenting to emergency departments.
- To examine diagnostic and therapeutic approaches used and identify associated factors.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter, descriptive, and analytical study involving 1022 infants (<1 year) who experienced falls.
- Data collected included visit details, circumstances, injuries, and diagnostic/therapeutic interventions.
Main Results:
- Head injuries were most common (58%), with minor head trauma in 85.6%.
- Cranial fractures occurred in 7.1%, associated with bruising, signs of fracture, and younger age (<3 months).
- Falls from heights >50cm and younger age (<3 months) were risk factors for hospital admission.
Conclusions:
- Head trauma is the most frequent injury in infants following falls.
- Diagnostic tests are often required for evaluating fall-related injuries in this age group.
Objectives:
A study was performed in order to describe injuries associated with falls in children aged <1 year who attended the emergency department. The approaches used were examined, as well as the factors associated with the greater use of these approaches, and the management of the patient.
Patients And Methods:
This was a multicentre, descriptive and analytical study that included all patients aged <1 year who had experienced a fall for which they attended the emergency departments of one of 8 Spanish Hospitals belonging to the "Unintentional Paediatric Injury Working Group" of the Spanish Paediatric Society. A record was made of the data regarding the visit, circumstances before arrival at the hospital, injuries observed, and the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches used.
Results:
A total of 1022 patients had experienced falls, that is, 0.35% of the emergencies attended in the study hospitals (95% CI, 0,348-0,352). The most commonly affected part was the head (58%). Cranial radiography was ordered in 31.8% of cases, and was associated with the presence of bruising or signs of fracture on examination (P<.001), falls from heights >100cm (P<.001), and age <3 months (P=.004). Minor head injury was the most common finding (85.6%), followed by fractures, especially cranial fractures (7.1%), which were associated with bruising or signs of fracture on examination (P<.001), and age <3 months (P<.001). Six percent of the patients required admission to hospital. The risk factors for hospital admission in this group were falls from heights >50cm and age <3 months.
Conclusions:
Injuries after falls in infants aged <1 year are commonly due to head trauma and frequently require additional diagnostic tests.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion
01:29Drug Dosing: Infants and Children
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
01:22Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation II: ACLS Airway Management
01:21Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview
01:29Acute Respiratory Failure-V
Ensure that patients are monitored continuously for their response to therapy, including changes in...