Australian hospitals treated more than 25,000 children with
fall-related injuries during 1997-98-making falls the leading cause
of injury-related hospitalisation among children aged 14 years and
under, according to a report released today by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare.
Child Injuries Due to Falls shows while few children
die from fall-related injuries (about 11 children per year), falls
nevertheless accounted for 38% of child hospital admissions due to
injury and poisoning.
More than two-thirds of children hospitalised after falls were
boys.
Most children admitted to hospital after falls are discharged
either on the same day or after one day, but nearly 11% are
hospitalised for three days or more.
Report co-author Malinda Steenkamp, from the AIHW's National
Injury Surveillance Unit at Flinders University, said that a
notable number of children had serious outcomes as a result of
falls.
'Also, there are clusters of fall-related injury that may be
amenable to intervention-for example, a large proportion of
accidental falls in the 5-9 year age group is associated with
playground equipment,' Ms Steenkamp said.
Nearly two-thirds of fall-related injuries are to the arms and
shoulders and one quarter are head and face injuries.'
Other findings of the report include:
- 27% of fall-related injuries in children leading to
hospitalisation occur in the home.
- 15% of fall-related injuries in children leading to
hospitalisation occur in sport-related or recreational
environments.
- Children aged 5-9 years accounted for about 40% of child
hospitalisations due to accidental falls.
- Of all children aged 5-9 years hospitalised for fall injuries,
53% of girls and 46% of boys fell from play equipment.
- Falls from or out of buildings or other structures accounted
for 27% of all fall-related deaths in children.
20 November 2001
Further information: Malinda Steenkamp, AIHW
National Injury Surveillance Unit, tel. 08 8374 0970
Media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
AIHW, tel. 02 6244 1032
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability.