In 2023, more than 33 thousand children under 10 years of age were admitted to hospitals in the Unified Health System (SUS) due to falls. The data are from the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP), which also warns that, from 2014 to 2023, the number of hospitalizations in this same age group due to falls exceeded the mark of 335 thousand cases.
The numbers will be presented at the 4th Brazilian Congress of Pediatric Urgencies and Emergencies, scheduled for the period from April 25th to 27th in Brasília. The age group from 5 to 9 years old concentrates the largest number of records: 197,567 hospitalizations. Following are children aged 1 to 4 years, with 111,567 hospitalizations; and children under 1 year old, with 26,413 hospitalizations.
For SBP, statistics demonstrate the importance of maintaining preventive care to avoid accidents and protect the physical integrity of children. The entity evaluates the data as impactful and highlights that most of these events could have been avoided with simple prevention measures.
Also according to official records, which include the reasons for accidents, falls occur in different situations, the main ones being slips, trips or false steps; falls from stairs; falls from bed; and falls from trees or furniture, in addition to accidents in parks and playground.
As a way to avoid harm to children’s health, including permanent consequences or deaths, the SBP published a list of guidelines to be adopted by adults in order to prevent accidents involving falls. Check the recommendations according to age group:
Children under 1 year old
– Never leave the baby alone on the changing table or in higher places, such as the bed. This is usually the baby’s first fall and, as the head is quite large in relation to the rest of the body, it will reach the ground first, potentially causing serious head and brain injuries.
– When the baby begins to control the movements of his arms and legs and learns to sit, a posterior hyperextension reflex causes him, without wanting to do so, to throw himself back and hit his head on the floor. “Therefore, the use of pillows and the presence of an adult caregiver are essential”, assesses the SBP.
– If you are carrying the baby on your lap, on stairs and steps, always lean on the handrail. Avoid smooth, wet or slippery floors.
– Never leave the baby in the care of another child. If your sibling or another child wants to pick you up, guide, teach and protect them so that this only happens with an adult holding them too.
– The walker should not be used – never, at any age. It impairs the child’s development and walking and has been the cause of serious accidents, with significant head trauma.
– Do not leave the baby on sofas or chairs, as if it were a support for learning to sit. The baby will not stay still, and falls may happen. Playing on the floor, protected, will give him much more space to move and develop his motor skills.
Children aged 1 to 4
– Place screens on windows, balconies and unprotected openings, as well as the sides of stairs. Do not leave objects, chairs, sofas and other supports near these risky places.
– Be careful with wet and slippery surfaces that cause imbalance and falls. Bathrooms, floors in general and sidewalks around swimming pools that are wet must be prohibited from playing.
– Choose mobility toys carefully, such as tricycles, scooters and skateboards, which support the child’s weight and have a safe base, without tipping over easily. They must be used in appropriate locations, never on public roads and always with safety equipment, such as helmet, knee pads, ankle pads and elbow pads.
– Be careful with bunk beds, which do not offer safety at any age. Even with protection on the sides, they are not recommended in the first years of life and not even for older children. “In addition to the need for lateral protection, the top bed should not be higher than the child’s height.”
– Never leave your child alone without an adult caregiver watching over them.
Children aged 5 to 9
– Exploring places beyond the home can become intense, and falls from walls, slabs, trees and toys in parks are common. To avoid accidents, guidance and supervision from those responsible are essential.
– The locomotion toys are transformed. Whether on bicycles, scooters, skateboards and others, safety equipment such as helmet, elbow pads, knee pads and ankle braces must be a condition for using the toy, regardless of the location, stretch or time of use.
– The use of cell phones and other screens cannot be permitted when on public roads or when the child is moving, due to the diversion of attention it triggers. “We must remember that the use of screens at this age should not exceed one hour a day and cannot be used as companionship or outsourcing care.”
