Introduction

Falls are the most common home accident in Malaysian children. Children between ages 1 to 4 are more prone to falls. They are at risk because of their development stages and their surrounding environment.

Falls can happen anywhere :

• Within the home, example from :
  • furniture
  • staircase
  • balcony
  • baby walker
• Outside the home, example :
  • at playground
  • from rides

Injuries from falls

Following a fall, children may sustain various types of injuries such as :

• Soft tissue injuries such as bruises, sprain, cuts and abrasion
• Fracture – swollen, pain and deformed limbs
• Head injury – swollen scalp, bleeding from the ear, nose and mouth, sleepy, vomiting, fits and loss of consciousness
• Internal organ injuries

Serious consequences from falls

• Permanent brain injury, stunted growth if fracture involved growth plate of the bone.
• Severe injuries may result in permanent organ damage and /or death.

Treatment

• The treatment depends on the types and severity of the injuries.
• If the child sustains minor injuries such as bruises and sprain, cold compress the area with ice. Give the child paracetamol syrup to relieve pain. Rest the affected area.
• If the child sustains cuts, clean the area with water, compress the wound with your thumb for few minutes to stop bleeding and elevate it. Cover it with clean dressing.
• If you suspect the child has a broken bone, splint the area with a blanket, thick cloth or pillow to avoid movement. Use a cloth sling for any broken bones of the upper limbs.
• Check the bandaged areas to ensure normal blood circulation. If the skin becomes cold and discoloured, loosen the applied bandage.
• If you suspect the child to have serious injuries, seek medical help.

Prevention

Majority of falls are preventable. These are some steps to prevent falls :

Stairs

• Block both the head and foot of the stairs or the house doors.
• Ensure that all stairs are well lit.
• Make sure children are not left unattended on an upper storey, balcony or any other high places.

Floors Store all folded carpets and make sure things are not scattered on the floor. Mop any spilled over liquid or food on the floor immediately to prevent slippery floors.

Furniture arrangement

• Avoid placing chairs and furniture near windows.
• Wash bathroom regularly to prevent moulding which causes slippery floor.