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Infant walker-related injuries: a prospective study of severity and incidence
C T Chiaviello1, R A Christoph, G R Bond
1Dept of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville 22908.
Insights
Infant walker injuries are common and serious, with falls down stairs being the leading cause. The incidence of walker-related emergency department visits in infants under one year old is 8.9/1000, with significant injuries occurring at 1.7/1000.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Injury Prevention
- Consumer Product Safety
Background:
- Infant walkers are widely used but pose significant safety risks.
- Previous research has highlighted the potential for walker-related injuries, necessitating further investigation into their incidence and severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and significance of walker-related injuries in infants.
- To analyze the mechanisms and types of injuries associated with infant walker use.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study of infants presenting to a pediatric emergency department with walker-related injuries over an 8-month period.
- Data collection included demographic and epidemiologic information, with annual incidence calculated based on patient zip codes and local infant population.
Main Results:
- Sixty-five infants were studied, with 95% under one year old.
- Stairway falls accounted for 71% of injuries, predominantly affecting the head and neck.
- Significant injuries, including skull fractures and intracranial hemorrhage, occurred in 29% of cases, with an annual incidence of 1.7/1000 serious injuries.
Conclusions:
- The incidence and severity of infant walker-related injuries are unacceptably high.
- Falls down stairs represent the most dangerous mechanism for walker-related injuries in infants.
Objective:
To determine the incidence and significance of walker-related injuries in infants.
Methods:
During a 3-year, 8-month period, all infants who were brought to the University of Virginia Pediatric Emergency Department with a walker-related injury were prospectively studied. During the emergency department visit, demographic and epidemiologic information were recorded. The annual incidence of walker-related injuries occurring in infants < 1 year of age that resulted in a hospital emergency department visit was calculated from the home zip codes of the injured patients and from the population of infants < 1 year of age living in Charlottesville and in Albemarle County.
Results:
Sixty-five patients were enrolled in the study. The age distribution ranged from 3 months to 17 months, with 95% younger < 1 year old. Mechanisms associated with walker-related injuries included stairway falls in 46 infants (71%), tip-overs in 14 infants (21%), falls from a porch in 2 infants (3%), and burns in 3 infants (5%). These injuries predominantly involved the head and neck region (97%), with few injuries to the extremities (6%) and trunk (3%). Although the majority of injuries were minor, significant injuries occurred in 19 infants (29%). These injuries included skull fracture, concussion, intracranial hemorrhage, full-thickness burns, c-spine fracture, and death. After excluding the burned patients, all the serious injuries resulted from falls down stairs. The annual incidence of injuries occurring in infants < 1 year of age, related to the use of walkers, and resulting in an emergency department visit was 8.9/1000, and for serious injuries was 1.7/1000.
Conclusions:
The incidence and significance of infant walker-related injuries in infants are unacceptably high.