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Updated: Nov 2, 2025
Design and Analysis for Fall Detection System Simplification
Published on: April 6, 2020
Analysis of Unintentional Falls in Pediatric Population and Predictors of Morbidity
Cyrus Farzaneh1, John Schomberg2, Brittany Sullivan1
1Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, University of California Irvine, Orange, California.
Insights
Unintentional falls are a common cause of pediatric injury. Younger children are more likely to need extended care after a fall, with head and chest injuries increasing this risk.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Injury Prevention Research
- Public Health
Background:
- Unintentional falls represent a significant cause of traumatic injuries in children.
- Understanding the outcomes of these falls is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies and improving patient care.
- Previous research has highlighted the burden of pediatric fall injuries, necessitating further investigation into specific outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical outcomes of fall-related injuries in children under 10 years of age.
- To compare outcomes between different age strata (1-5 years vs. 6-10 years) following unintentional falls.
- To identify predictors associated with the need for extended medical care after discharge.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the National Trauma Database to identify pediatric patients (under 10 years) with unintentional falls.
- Stratified patients into two age groups: 1-5 years and 6-10 years.
- Employed descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to analyze outcomes, focusing on post-discharge extension of care.
Main Results:
- A total of 8,277 pediatric patients were included, with 93.6% discharged directly home.
- Younger children (1-5 years) exhibited a higher incidence of falls and greater odds of requiring extended care.
- Intracranial hemorrhage and thoracic injuries were significant predictors of increased need for extended medical care (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
- Most children experiencing unintentional falls are discharged home, and mortality is rare (0.7% in 1-5 years, 0.4% in 6-10 years).
- Younger children are susceptible to more severe injury patterns following falls.
- Intracranial hemorrhage and thoracic injuries are key indicators for extended medical care needs in pediatric fall victims.
Introduction:
Unintentional falls are a leading cause of pediatric traumatic injury. This study evaluates clinical outcomes of fall-related injuries in children under the age of 10.
Methods:
The National Trauma Database was queried for children who experienced an unintentional fall. Patients were stratified by age in two groups: 1-5 and 6-10 years old. The primary outcome was post discharge extension of care, defined as transfer to skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation center after discharge from the hospital. Descriptive statistics and a multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to compare the two groups.
Results:
From 2009 to 2016, a total of 8,277 pediatric patients experienced an unintentional fall, with 93.6% of patients being discharged home. Falls were more common in younger children, with greater odds of post discharge extension of care. Predictors of increased associated risk of extended medical care included intracranial hemorrhage (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.06) and thoracic injuries (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.1.05) (P< 0.05). Mortality in pediatric patients suffering unintentional falls was a rare event occurring in 0.7% of cases in children 1-5 years old and 0.4% of children 6-10 years old.
Conclusion:
The majority of children experiencing an unintentional fall are discharged home, with mortality being very rare. However, younger age is prone to more severe and serious injury patterns. Intracranial hemorrhage and thoracic injury were a predictor of need for extended medical care.
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