Falls
Definition: A fall is an unplanned and sudden descent to the ground, the floor, or a lower level that may result in injury.
Magnitude of the Problem
Falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries among children ages 0-19, accounting for nearly 28,000 hospital admissions and 1.7 emergency department visits each year1. They are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among children and adolescents2. Falls among children and adolescents are often associated with consumer products, including home furnishings/fixtures (stairs, beds, floors, etc.) and sports/recreation (basketball, monkey bars, skateboards, etc.)3.
Prevention
Strategies to protect children from fall-related injuries include:
- Installing safety gates on stairs and guards on windows to prevent falls by young children;
- Providing a soft landing surface below playground equipment;
- Using the proper safety equipment, such as knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and helmets, while playing sports;
- Supervising children near fall hazards; and
- Removing fall hazards whenever possible.
Sources
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Healthcare Utilization Project datasets 2019-2021.
- Omaki, E., Shields, W., Rouhizadeh, M., Delgado-Barroso, P., Stefanos, R., & Gielen, A. (2023). Understanding the circumstances of paediatric fall injuries: a machine learning analysis of NEISS narratives. Injury prevention : journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention, 29(5), 384–388. https://doi.org/10.1136/ip-2023-044858
- Ali, B., Lawrence, B., Miller, T., Swedler, D., & Allison, J. (2019). Consumer Products Contributing to Fall Injuries in Children Aged <1 to 19 Years Treated in US Emergency Departments, 2010 to 2013: An Observational Study. Global pediatric health, 6, 2333794X18821941.
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