Fatal unintentional traumatic asphyxia in childhood

Abstract

Fatal traumatic asphyxia in childhood is a rare event, with younger children commonly being trapped by furniture or by industrial equipment while playing, and older children being trapped under motor vehicles in similar circumstances to adult traumatic asphyxial deaths. Unsupervised play of young children around heavy and potentially unstable pieces of furniture may be dangerous, particularly if more than one child is present. Unsupervised play of young children in industrial yards should be avoided.

Automobile door entrapment – A different form of vehicle-related crush asphyxia

“…Certain situations such as wedging between mattresses and walls, and crushing under furniture or soda pop vending machines are age-dependent. [7][8][9] The pathological features in crush asphyxia are usually quite characteristic, with intense engorgement of the face and neck and showers of petechial haemorrhages of the skin of the face and the conjunctivae. There may also be subconjunctival haemorrhages, oedema and epistaxis.…”

The pathological features and circumstances of death of lethal crush/traumatic asphyxia in adults—A 25-year study

“…The latter has included soda pop vending machines [5,6]. Young children may be in danger from heavy household items such as furniture [7]. Chest compression resulting in death from crush asphyxia is usually inadvertent, although both suicides and homicides have been reported.…”

The brassiere ‘sign’ – A distinctive marker in crush asphyxia

“…1 ) Children wedged in the space between a mattress and a wall or in gaps in faulty cots often die from a combination of crush asphyxia and smothering from upper airway occlusion. 5,6 Crush asphyxia is well recognised in violent altercations where an individual is being controlled by several others who are trying to limit the victimÕs movements by lying on top of him or her. This has occurred in police engagements and also with security guards trying to overpower an individual.…”