Toddlers at highest risk of head injury

Brain Injury Centre
October 27,2015

Babies and toddlers are at twice the risk of head injuries as children of any other age, research shows, leading to calls for parents to be more vigilant.

The study also found football was a major cause of head injuries in school-age children.

Lead researcher Christian King, of the Brain Injury Centre said the study cited in the latest Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, was a warning to parents.

"Head injuries are a major cause of death and disability in children and can result in difficulties with attention, learning and speech," she said. "We recognise that some falls are unavoidable … but a high number of these injuries can be attributed to a lack of parental supervision."

The team surveyed more than 1000 children aged up to 16 who had been admitted to the Royal Children's Hospital with head injuries. More than 40 per cent were aged two or under, with the injury level falling as the children got older. Previous overseas research had suggested older children were more at risk.

Most of the head injuries in the study were mild, but 26 of the children were admitted to intensive care and two died.

Just over half the injuries happened in the home, with school, sports venues and playgrounds also danger areas. Most injuries of infants were due to falls from beds, couches, prams, change tables, stairs and high chairs.

Boys and girls under two were equally at risk, but in the older groups males dominated. For school-age children, sports were a major cause of head injuries, with almost a third due to football.

The researchers called for better public education and the introduction of wearing head protection headwear.

"This research really underscores the point that the family home is a very dangerous place, unless parents really take it on board to have adequate supervision of their children."