ABSTRACT
AIM: To describe patterns of injury from window and balcony falls in children presenting to a tertiary paediatric trauma centre in New South Wales. METHODS: A retrospective review of cases of children <15 years who had sustained injuries in a fall from a building, identified from the trauma database between 1998 and 2019. RESULTS: A total of 381 falls from windows and balconies were recorded over the 22-year study period. There were 218 falls from windows (57%) and 163 from balconies. The majority (64%) were children under 4 years of age. The male to female ratio was 2:1. While many children sustained simple abrasions, contusions and lacerations, 17% sustained injuries with an injury severity scores of ≥12. There were four deaths. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified that children falling from buildings remains a problem in Australia. Although many injuries were minor, severe injuries and fatalities continue to occur.
