Ten years of experience with falls from a height in children

Abstract

Falls from a height are a major cause of accidental death in urban children. The medical and social data on 61 children admitted over the last decade for falls of one or more stories were reviewed. Seventy-seven percent of the children survived. Of the children who fell three stories or less, all survived (100%). Fifty percent mortality occurred between the fifth and sixth floors. Seventy-seven percent of the falls were accidental and 23% of the children jumped or were pushed. The 96% decrease in accidental falls from windows since 1979 demonstrates that the "Children Can't Fly" program in New York City has almost eliminated accidental falls from windows in our hospital population.