Clinical Analysis of Pediatric Falls

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Clinical studies of falls as a major mechanism of pediatric injury are scarce in Korea. This study was conducted to help collect basic data for establishing strategies for preventing pediatric falls and for initial management in cases of pediatric falls. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 59 pediatric patients admitted to the emergency department of Kyungpook National University Hospital with a history of falls from January 2000 to December 2001. Data collected included the patient's age, gender, site and height of fall, the surface fallen upon, body region of injuries, method and outcome of management, and Injury Severity Score (ISS). RESULTS: The incidence of falls in children 4 years of age or younger and between 5 and 9 years of age was similar. Of all falls, 54.3% occurred at sites such as the home or a building in which it was presumed to be possible for a caretaker to attend to the children. The body region injured most commonly was the pelvis/extremity. The ISS was significantly higher when the patient fell from height of 2 meters or more or when the body region injured most severely was the head/neck. CONCLUSION: Strategies to prevent pediatric falls, which focus on careful supervision of children, reinforcement of safeguards at playgrounds, development of educational programs, and social provision of a means of child care during a caretaker's absence, are necessary to decrease the incidence of pediatric falls. In addition, the potential for severe injury is greater when the patient falls from a height of 2 meters or more, or when the body region injured most 555 severely is the head/neck.