Outcomes From Television Sets Toppling Onto Toddlers

Abstract

The injuries reported are not trivial. Not only did they require hospitalization, but they also resulted in an in-hospital death rate comparable to the 2.5% rate observed in children of the same age group injured by unintentional blunt trauma, inclusive of motor vehicle traffic-related injuries. Since virtually all American children are at risk for such injury, we suggest that television set designs be modified to reduce the incidence and severity of the problem.

Television tip overs and head traumas in childhood: results of 36 children from a reference center in central anatolia, turkey.

“…In various articles, head trauma after TV tip overs has been reported especially in boys (4,6,7). Although the number of boys and girls was equal in this study, the number of male patients in the cases aged between 0 and 3 is clearly higher (Table I).…”

Falling television related child injuries in Turkey: 10-year experience

“…[1,2] Television (TV) falls are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients, most frequently among those between 0 and 5 years of age, and tend to result in head, thoracic and extremity injuries. [3,4] There are few studies documenting this relatively unknown problem in the pediatric literature. [5] The rising number and nature of pediatric injuries secondary to falling TV sets correlate with the increasing number of home TVs sold per year.…”

“…This popular electronic item is a relatively unknown in-home hazard, and a small number of previous studies have documented TV falls as a significant cause of morbidity and death in younger pediatric patients. [3][4][5] Previous studies suggest that the incidence of these types of injuries may be on the rise. [4,6] DiScala et al [4] reported 183 injured children from the National Pediatric Trauma Registry over a 10-year period, and Scheidler et al [3] reported 43 cases over 10 years from the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study.…”

“…[3][4][5] Previous studies suggest that the incidence of these types of injuries may be on the rise. [4,6] DiScala et al [4] reported 183 injured children from the National Pediatric Trauma Registry over a 10-year period, and Scheidler et al [3] reported 43 cases over 10 years from the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study. The overall consensus is that, although most injuries are mild, the potential for serious harm exists, as reflected by the number of ICU admissions and deaths.…”

Comment on ocular manifestations of crush head injury in children

“…7 Similar systematic error is obvious in the selection of patients (Group 1) by Gnanaraj et al 1 when compared to previously published studies characterizing the morbidity and mortality of head injuries associated with falling televisions. [10][11][12] Remarkably, four of the nine children (44.4%) with accidental head injuries in Group 2 by Gnanaraj et al 1 had retinal haemorrhages.…”