Nursery furniture-related injuries in children aged 0-4 years

July 2008

There were 2,274 emergency department (ED) presentations for nursery furniture-related injuries among children aged 0-4 years, recorded in the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) over the 5 year period 2002/3-2006/7, an average of 455 cases per year. Frequency: As can be seen from Figure 1, injuries were most commonly related to prams/carriages (32%), followed by change tables (19%), cots/cribs (17%) and high chairs(17%).

Source: VEMD, Jul '02 – Jun ‘07
Figure 1: Nursery furniture-related injury ED presentations by product (n=2,274)

Age: The frequency of injury decreased as age increased with infants less than 12 months (51%) more likely to be injured than other ages (Figure 2). For almost all types of nursery furniture, injury was most common among infants less than 12 months, except for cot injuries which were most common among 1-year-olds.

Source: VEMD, Jul '02 – Jun ‘07
Figure 2: Nursery furniture-related injury ED presentations by age in years (n=2,274)

Gender: There was no gender difference in ED presentations.

Cause: Most nursery furniture injury was caused by falls (85%), primarily falls from pram or carriage (31%) of all nursery furniture injury and change table (21%).

Nature of injury : The most common injuries were superficial injury (29%), intracranial injury (14%), open wounds (12%), and fractures (9%).

Body region: Sixty percent of all nursery furniture injuries were to the head, face or neck (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Nursery furniture-related injury ED presentations by body site injured (n=2,274)

Location: Seventy-four percent of all nursery furniture injuries occurred in the home.

Discharge status: Of the 2,017 ED presentations, 92% were discharge home after treatment and 8% were severe enough to require an inpatient stay in hospital.

Prevention: Ensure that all nursery furniture complies with the appropriate Australian Standard. Parents should be aware of the correct use of the products and possible entrapment hazards associated with nursery furniture.

Further information: For further information regarding nursery furniture-related injury, see Hazard editions 14, 37 and 44
http://www.monash.edu.au/muarc/VISU/hazard/hazard.html
Department of Consumer Affairs:
http://www.consumer.gov.au/html/pdf/baby.pdf
Kidsafe Australia :
http://www.schoolsafe.org.au/Dcouments/factsheets/nursery.pdf