Statistics on home-based injuries cause for concern

According to statistics released by the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit (QISU), located at the Mater Hospital, approximately 3000 children under 12 months present to Queensland Emergency departments each year with injuries largely sustained in the home.

Statistics showed that 80% of injuries occurred at home and nearly three quarters of all injury presentations are for a head injury, most commonly resulting from a fall from furniture.

Injury-related deaths in this age group account for one percent of all deaths in children under 12 months in Queensland and are due to motor vehicle crashes, drowning in baths, asphyxiation and assault. These injuries are largely preventable.

Mater Paediatric Emergency Physician and QISU spokesperson, Dr Dirken Krahn said that although the majority of injuries in this group are minor and almost all occur in the home, the pattern of injury is often developmentally determined.

“A child’s developmental progress is rapid. To implement injury prevention strategies effectively, awareness of injury patterns relative to developmental progress and age is essential,” Dr Krahn said.

“One needs to be aware of injury patterns relevant to the child’s developmental progress.”

“Children less than three months are vulnerable because of their size and injuries sustained are mostly due to being carried about the house or being left in an unsafe position, while children between six and eight months are beginning to crawl and pull up on objects. This creates an environment in which injuries are sustained from falling off or out of furniture or nursery products,” she said.

As children under the age of 12 months spend the majority of time being cared for at home, many injuries are specific to certain rooms of the house and may be prevented by restricting access to those areas.

“The kitchen is a common site for injury such as burns, ingestions and fingers crushed in drawers. By restricting access to the kitchen alone, an estimated 1000 young children could have been protected from injury,” Dr Krahn added.

“Parents can also reduce the incidence of injury by securing infants in high chairs and not leaving them unattended.”

Please refer to the QISU website for further information www.qisu.org.au or log on to www.health.qld.gov.au/chipp/ documents/32461.pdf for information regarding home safety audits.