Pediatric farm-related injuries: a series of 96 hospitalized patients.
Ninety-six children were admitted during a 9-year period to a pediatric level 1 trauma center for treatment of farm-related injuries. The age range was from 6 weeks to 17 years (median, 7.5 years; mean, 7.6 years; standard deviation, 4.4). Thirty-nine patients (40.6%) had an animal-related injury, including 36 children (37.5%) who had an injury associated with a horse. Amish children had an increased risk of horse-related injury when compared with non-Amish children (p=0.04; RR=2.09, 95% CI: 1.18<RR<3.70). Thirty-seven patients (38.5%) had farm machinery-related injuries, including 14 children (14.6%) with an injury associated with a tractor. Falls from buildings or haylofts accounted for injuries to 12 patients (12.5%). Head trauma accounted for 35 cases (36.4%), with skull fractures in 23 cases (24.0%). Animal-related injuries were significantly associated with head/maxillofacial trauma (p = 0.001; RR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.35 <RR<3.41). Five children (5.2%) died, and one child with a severe brain injury was discharged to a long-term rehabilitation facility. Animals, especially horses, accounted for a large percentage of farm-related injuries in this population.
Smith
Gary A
GA
Center for Injury Research and Policy, Columbus Children's Research Institute, Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio 43205, USA.
Scherzer
Daniel J
DJ
Buckley
Jeremy W
JW
Haley
Kathryn J
KJ
Shields
Brenda J
BJ
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000383:Agriculture / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality