Falls biggest accident risk to children

Falls are the biggest single cause of emergency hospital
admissions among children in Scotland, new figures show. In Child
Safety Week, the report shows that 41 children died as a result of
unintentional injury in 2001, and death rates are almost three
times higher for the most deprived children than for the most
affluent.

In all age groups boys are much more likely than girls to be
admitted to hospital in Scotland for unintentional injury, and
nearly twice as likely to be admitted following a road accident.
Among under 5s poisoning is a common cause of hospital admission,
but overall falls cause the most admissions.

In a separate report the Child Accident Prevention Trust reports
that in the next 12 months almost 400 children and young people in
the UK are likely to be killed in accidents – five times as
many as those who die as a result of family abuse or neglect.
Nearly half of all accidental injuries in the home or garden result
from falls. 45,000  under fives visited accident and emergency
departments in 1999 after they fell downstairs.

Accidents can be traumatic and disruptive to children’s
lives, and they need time and support from people they trust in
order to recover, says CAPT. Even if no physical injury occurs,
they may still experience emotional distress including flashbacks
and feelings of guilt because they think the accident upset
others.
www.capt.org.uk