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Published on: August 25, 2014
Characteristics of injuries among infants who fall from bed
Kamil Kokulu1, Abdullah Algın1, Serdar Özdemir1
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, İstanbul, Turkey.
Insights
Infant falls from beds are common, causing injuries like skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries. Prevention campaigns and safety equipment are crucial for infant safety.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Traumatology
- Public Health
Background:
- Accidental falls are a leading cause of infant injury.
- Falls from furniture, particularly beds, are the most frequent cause of these injuries.
- Limited data exists on the specific injury patterns and frequency from infant falls from beds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and characteristics of injuries in infants presenting to emergency departments (ED) after falling from bed or similar furniture.
- To analyze injury patterns, outcomes, and resource utilization in these cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of infants under one year old presenting to the ED between 2016 and 2019.
- Evaluation of patient demographics, injury types, outcomes, and ED resource use.
Main Results:
- 1,439 infants were studied; 56.4% sustained minor injuries.
- Significant injuries occurred in 9.4% of infants, with skull fractures (4.1%) and traumatic brain injuries (2.1%) being most common.
- Hospitalization was required for 6% of infants, primarily due to head injuries, with 0.2% needing neurosurgery.
Conclusions:
- Falls from beds can lead to severe infant injuries, including fractures and traumatic brain injuries.
- Awareness campaigns for parents and caregivers are recommended to mitigate these risks.
- Implementing safety measures like bed rails can help prevent serious injuries.
Introduction:
Accidental falls are the most common causes of injury among infants. Due to their limited ability to move independently, falling from bed or other types of furniture (such as sofas or armchairs) is considered the most common reason for such injury. However, little is known about the frequency and types of injury associated with this type of fall among infants. This study aimed to determine the incidence and characteristics of injury among infants presented at emergency departments (ED) after falling from bed or similar furniture.
Methods:
The retrospective analysis of infants under one year old presenting at ED after falling from bed (or similar furniture) was performed over a four-year period (2016-2019). Patient demographics, incidence and patterns of injury, outcomes, and ED resources use were evaluated as part of the study.
Results:
In total, 1,439 infants were included in the study, of whom 782 (54.3%) were male and 657 (45.7%) female. The median age of the patients was 7 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 6-9 months). More than half the infants (n = 812, 56.4%) had minor injuries, such as abrasions, bruising, contusions, and lacerations. There were significant injuries for 135 (9.4%) infants. The most common fracture was skull fracture (n = 59, 4.1%), followed by proximal fracture of the upper extremities (n = 26, 1.8%). Six (0.4%) patients had radial head subluxation. Traumatic brain injury featured for 30 (2.1%) infants (intracranial hemorrhage/cerebral contusion). While the majority of patients (n = 1352, 94%) were discharged from ED, 86 (6%) infants were hospitalized, all due to head injuries. A neurosurgical intervention was performed with three (0.2% of all patients) of the hospitalized patients.
Conclusion:
Falling from bed causes skull fractures, traumatic brain injury, and long bone fractures among infants. Therefore, campaigns should be organized to raise awareness of these risks among parents and caregivers of infants. In addition, the use of safety equipment (such as bed rails) and creating a safe environment can help prevent significant injuries.
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