title: Age variability in pediatric injuries from falls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to examine the nature and circumstances surrounding pediatric fall-related injuries for specific age groups and their implications for age-appropriate injury prevention efforts.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective analysis of data (October 2006 to April 2009) from the trauma registry of a level 1 pediatric trauma center. Inclusion criteria are patients admitted because of fall-related injury younger than 15 years (n = 675). Injury mechanism specifics were obtained from medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Falls were the leading cause of admissions and accounted for 37% of all cases during this period. Most pediatric fall-related injuries (73%) occurred between 1 and 9 years of age. Although infants accounted for only 8% of fall injuries, a greater proportion of these children were more severely injured. The mean Injury Severity Score for infants was significantly greater than the overall average (P < .001). Causes of fall injuries vary by age and have been discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high incidence of pediatric fall injuries warrants dedicated injury prevention education. Injury prevention efforts need to be age appropriate in terms of focus, target audience, and setting. Recommendations for injury prevention are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Trauma Program, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. purnima.unni@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Purnima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Unni
authors.forename: Matthew Ryan
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Locklair
authors.forename: Stephen E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Estrada
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology