Falls are common and, at some stages of childhood, almost everyday occurrences. However, falls are the leading cause of accidental injury for children, accounting for more than half of nonfatal injuries.
Children ages 4 and under are at the greatest risk for falls, accounting for 56 percent and more than 40 percent of childhood fall-related deaths and injuries respectively.
More than 80 percent of fall-related injuries among children ages 4 and under occur in the home.
Nine percent of fall-related injuries associated with products (e.g. baby walkers, windows, playground equipment) result in hospitalization, more than two times the hospitalization rate of all other product- related injuries.
Most children who die from or are severely injured by falls suffer from head injuries.
Each year, there are an estimated 2 million visits to hospital emergency departments by children 4 and under for injuries that occurred in the home.
In 2003, an estimated 60 children ages 14 and under died as the result of falls in the home. Of these children, nearly 70 percent were ages 4 and under.
