Falls in urban children. A problem revisited
J. L. Meller and D. W. Shermeta
Department of Surgery, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, IL 60637.
Falls in urban setting are a common cause for emergency room visits in
children and adolescents. In a retrospective review, the charts of 48
patients admitted between 1980 and 1985 with a history of a vertical fall
from a height were examined. In comparison, a previous review from the same
institution disclosed that 66 patients were admitted because of a vertical
fall from a height between 1965 and 1974, suggesting an increase of 37.5%.
Most children fell from heights of 12 ft or less, although an increasing
proportion of children in our series (33%) fell from heights of 36 ft or
less. Sites included windows, walls, and roofs. The peak age of incidence
has increased from 2 to 6 years; however, the mean age of children in whom
significant injury occurred was 7.5 years, with only 27% of children under
3 years of age suffering a documented injury, as opposed to 67% of children
over 3 years of age. Children are more apt to suffer a fracture than any
other injury, most likely a fracture of the ulna and/or radius. Although
hospital costs are high, mortality rates (2%) and the incidence of
long-term sequelae (4%) are low. In conclusion, falls in the urban setting
continue to be a significant public health problem, particularly in the 6-
to 7-year age group.
