Skip directly to search Skip directly to A to Z list Skip directly to navigation Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options
CDC Home

This page is a historical archive and is no longer maintained.

For current information, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/media/

Press Release

For Immediate Release: May 6, 2008
Contact: Gail Hayes, CDC, Injury Media Relations, (770) 488-4902

Falls a Leading Cause of Injury-Related Emergency Department Visits for Infants Each Year, CDC Study Shows

Half of the estimated 328,500 infants 12 months of age or younger who were treated for injuries in hospital emergency departments each year from 2001 to 2004 were injured as a result of a fall, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The first national estimate of infant injury by month of age was published in the May 2008 American Academy of Pediatrics journal, Pediatrics.

Falls were the leading cause of injury for every month during the first year of life. Because the first year of a baby's life is a time of rapid developmental change, every month brings different injury risks as mobility develops. CDC researchers indicate that each stage of infant development, such as whether a child is crawling or walking, plays a large role in types of injuries.

"Common sense tells us, and research confirms, that injuries among infants take a significant toll," said Ileana Arias, Ph.D., director of CDC's Injury Center. "As children develop -- in infancy and throughout childhood -- protective factors such as home safety measures and close parental supervision are critical in helping to prevent injuries."

A crucial factor is the child’s developing mobility. Stair-related injuries are an example, leading to treatment for an estimated 5,500 12-month-olds but only 800 1-month-olds.

"When parents are aware of first-year motor milestones and their associated injury risks, they can be better prepared to help predict and prevent their infants from being injured," said Julie Gilchrist, M.D., an author on the study and medical epidemiologist in CDC's Injury Center.

The findings came from an analysis of data collected from the Consumer Product Safety Commission's national database on injuries seen in hospital emergency departments

For more information about CDC's prevention efforts, please link to www.cdc.gov/injury. For a copy of this study, please link to http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/.

###
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 
CDC 24/7 – Saving Lives. Protecting People. Saving Money Through Prevention. Learn More About How CDC Works For You…
Contact Us:
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    1600 Clifton Rd
    Atlanta, GA 30333
  • 800-CDC-INFO
    (800-232-4636)
    TTY: (888) 232-6348
  • Contact CDC-INFO
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30329-4027, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC–INFO
A-Z Index
  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z
  27. #