title: Farm accidents in children: eleven years of experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to review accidental injuries to children on farms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1988 and December 1999, childhood farm injuries referred to a trauma center were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-five children under 19 years of age were identified. Mean age was 7.3 years. Male to female ratio was 2:1. A total of 31 of 45 (69%) survived. A total of 14 of 45 (31%) died. The mechanism of injury was tractor in 15 (33%), animals in 13 (29%), other machinery in 9 (20%), falls in 4 (9%), burns in 2 (4%), equipment in 1 (2%), and mechanism not documented in 1 (2%). Twelve deaths involved tractors or machinery (86%), and 2 involved animals (14%). Thirty of forty-five (67%) accidents occurred between June and October. A total of 28 of 45 (62%) occurred between 1 PM and 6 PM. Nine fatalities (64%) were supervised. Predominant injuries were orthopedic in 25 of 45 (56%), neurologic in 19 of 45 (42%), and thoracoabdominal in 10 of 45 (22%). Eighteen (40%) underwent orthopedic surgery. Six patients (13%) had long-term disability. Seven survivors and 7 fatally injured patients (31%) had multiple injuries. Seven of 14 fatalities (50%) had solitary head injuries. The average transport time from scene to rural hospital was 1.5 hours, from rural hospital to trauma center, 2.3 hours. Twelve of fourteen fatalities (86%) were declared dead at the scene, and 2 died en route.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts must be focused to prevent tractor and animal injuries.
authors.affiliation: Departments of General Surgery and Paediatric General Surgery, University of Saskatchewan-Regina General Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meiers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baerg
mesh_terms: D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000383:Agriculture; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012525:Saskatchewan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014193:Trauma Centers; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*