Television tip-over related head injuries: a particular type of child neglect

Abstract

cases (8). The majority of the parents of children suffering a TV tip-over-related injury are unaware that this kind of event poses a significant risk for their children (19). The purpose of this study was to identify, report, and raise awareness of the risk factors for TV tip-over. █ MATERIAL and METHODS In total, 86 children who were brought to the emergency department and hospitalized in the neurosurgery clinic of our hospital because of TV tip-over-related head trauma between August 2011 and August 2016 were included in the study.

Toppling television injuries in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…In this study, most skull fractures were localised to the occipital bones 1. This injury pattern may relate to a combination of characteristics in young children including short stature with a large head to body ratio, a thin skull and inadequate reflexive ability to avoid falling objects and cognitive abilities to predict danger 2 5 11. In addition, 25% of young children with head injures from toppling TVs have significant neurological sequalae and functional limitations at discharge from hospital 11 18.…”

“…Given the elevation and weight of TVs in relation to young children, injuries from toppling TVs can be severe and potentially fatal, with head and neck injuries commonly being described 2 17. Death from head trauma associated with toppling TVs fluctuates between 2% and 12% 5. We found that children under 6 years are twice as likely to sustain head and neck injuries than older children.…”

“…Explanations for persistent high rates of injuries include the absence of mandatory safety standards for TVs, lack of parental awareness of the need to adequately secure TVs and deficient tenancy laws 5 26 27. Currently, there are no mandatory safety standards anywhere in the world, only voluntary best practice guides to mitigate the risk of toppling TVs 2.…”

“…Australian safety standards for toppling furniture recommend that furniture retailers provide products with anchoring devices but in a market survey 61% of respondents reported that the anchoring kit was not adequate for the job, 19% reported that the tools included were not appropriate and 13% found that the straps were not suitable for anchoring the device or the instructions to secure the product were not clear enough 7 28. In three studies with more than 140 children who sustained a toppling TV injury, the majority of parents were unaware of the potential for paediatric injuries from toppling TVs or their supporting structure 1 5 29. The most common mechanisms of injury include climbing or collision with the TV stand and pulling the TV, causing it to topple 18 20.…”

“…Death from toppling furniture injuries has also been reported to paediatric trauma databases in New Zealand, Turkey and Israel 4–6. In Australia, 22 children have died as a result of injuries from product instability from 2000 to the present 7.…”