EPIDEMIOLOGIC AND CLlNICAL FEATURES OF CHILDHOOD FALLS

Background: Trauma is a leading cause ofmorbidity and mortality for childhood and young adults. Fa/ls are the most common mechanism. for injury children. Aim of this study is to determine the epidemiology and clinical features of falls among children.
Methods: We retrospectively analysed children under 14 years of age sustainedfromfa/ls admitted to the our emergency service between January 1997- June 2001.
Results: A total of 1039 children were admitted during the study period. Fa/ls comprised 38% these admissions, and 47% of falls were from balconies.252 patients were male and 141 patients were female. Mean age was 5.23. 62.3 % of children were under the 5 years old. Major injuries included head trauma (57%) extremity trauma ( 16%), and abdominal trauma (11%). Mean ISS score was 9.16 and 32% of children had an, 1SS score was 9,16. Overall mortality rate was 2.23 %.
Conclusion: Althoughfa/ls are the significant cause of childhood injury, these injuries are rarely fatal. Most, common type ofinjury is head trauma. ISS, age, and height are significantly associated with mortality.

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