Fall and suffocation injuries associated with in-home use of car seats and baby carriers

Pollack-Nelson, Carol

doi:10.1097/00006565-200004000-00002

Cited by 31 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…37 Carrier seats also pose an additional hazard of injuries due to unattended falls, which are associated with placement of seats on elevated surfaces. 34,38 Infants in carrier seats should always be secured using the safety harness straps provided, and carriers should be equipped with nonskid undersides. Caregivers should not place carrier seats on slippery surfaces, such as glass tables, or on soft surfaces, such as beds, where a tip over could lead to suffocation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nursery Product-Related Injuries Treated in United States Emergency Departments

2017

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OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine the epidemiology of injuries associated with nursery products among young children treated in US emergency departments. METHODS:Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System were retrospectively analyzed for patients aged <3 years who sustained an injury associated with a nursery product from 1991 through 2011. RESULTS:An estimated 1 391 844 (95% confidence interval, 1 169 489-1 614 199) nursery product-related injuries among children aged <3 years were treated in US emergency departments during the 21-year study period, averaging 56.29 injuries per 10 000 children. The annual injury rate decreased significantly by 33.9% from 1991 to 2003, followed by a significant increase of 23.7% from 2003 to 2011. The decrease was driven by a significant decline in baby walker/jumper/exerciser-related injuries; the increase was driven by a significant increase in concussions and closed head injuries. Nursery product-related injuries were most commonly associated with baby carriers (19.5%), cribs/mattresses (18.6%), strollers/carriages (16.5%), or baby walkers/jumpers/exercisers (16.2%). The most common mechanism of injury was a self-precipitated fall (80.0%), and the most frequently injured body region was the head or neck (47.1%). CONCLUSIONS:Although successful injury prevention efforts with baby walkers led to a decline in nursery product-related injuries from 1991 to 2003, the number and rate of these injuries have been increasing since 2003. Greater efforts are warranted to prevent injuries associated with other nursery products, especially baby carriers, cribs, and strollers. Prevention of falls and concussions/closed head injuries associated with nursery products also deserves special attention.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nursery Product-Related Injuries Treated in United States Emergency Departments

2017

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“…[128][129][130][131][132] In addition, there is increasing concern about injuries from falls resulting from car seats being placed on elevated surfaces. [133][134][135][136][137] An analysis of CPSC data revealed 15 suffocation deaths between 1990 and 1997 resulting from car seats overturning after being placed on a bed, mattress, or couch. 136 The CPSC also warns about the suffocation hazard to infants, particularly those who are younger than 4 months, who are carried in infant sling carriers.…”

Section: Car Seats and Other Sitting Devices Are Not Recommended For mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[133][134][135][136][137] An analysis of CPSC data revealed 15 suffocation deaths between 1990 and 1997 resulting from car seats overturning after being placed on a bed, mattress, or couch. 136 The CPSC also warns about the suffocation hazard to infants, particularly those who are younger than 4 months, who are carried in infant sling carriers. 138 When infant slings are used for carrying, it is important to ensure that the infant's head is up and above the fabric, the face is visible, and that the nose and mouth are clear of obstructions.…”

Section: Car Seats and Other Sitting Devices Are Not Recommended For mentioning

confidence: 99%

SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Expansion of Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment

Moon¹

2011

Pediatrics

217

115

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Despite a major decrease in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its recommendation in 1992 that infants be placed for sleep in a nonprone position, this decline has plateaued in recent years. Concurrently, other causes of sudden unexpected infant death occurring during sleep (sleep-related deaths), including suffocation, asphyxia, and entrapment, and ill-defined or unspecified causes of death have increased in incidence, particularly since the AAP published its last statement on SIDS in 2005. It has become increasingly important to address these other causes of sleep-related infant death. Many of the modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for SIDS and suffocation are strikingly similar. The AAP, therefore, is expanding its recommendations from being only SIDS-focused to focusing on a safe sleep environment that can reduce the risk of all sleep-related infant deaths including SIDS. The recommendations described in this report include supine positioning, use of a firm sleep surface, breastfeeding, room-sharing without bed-sharing, routine immunization, consideration of a pacifier, and avoidance of soft bedding, overheating, and exposure to tobacco smoke, alcohol, and illicit drugs. The rationale for these recommendations is discussed in detail in this technical report. The recommendations are published in the accompanying “Policy Statement—Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Expansion of Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment,” which is included in this issue (www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2011-2220).

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“…Both cases shared a common mechanism of injury: infant suffocation from sleeping in a CRS used improperly outside the vehicle. The risk of suffocation from a fallen or overturned CRS is a recognized hazard of car seat misuse (7,8). Pollack-Nelson (7) reported 15 suffocation deaths of infants, attributable to overturned baby carriers or car seats in the United States, over an eight-year period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This problem is especially pronounced due to a large number of potentially serious head injuries that the infant may incur as a result of CRS misuse (3)(4)(5)(6). Reported mechanisms of injury include falls while being carried in a CRS, falls from the CRS when placed on an elevated surface, suffocation resulting from an overturned CRS on soft surfaces and increased risk of airway obstruction from the restraint straps (3,4,7). The large number of injuries resulting from misuse of a CRS outside of the vehicle represents a growing public health concern (8).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%