Fall Injury

Key Safety Messages:

Supervise kids at playgrounds.

Use stair and door gates/ guards.

Use safety latches on windows kids can reach.

Use helmets and other safety gear with wheeled toys like skateboards and skates.

Babies don't need baby walkers.

Bunk beds are for older kids.

Keep other furniture away from bunk beds.

Falls are the leading cause of unintentional child injury resulting in hospital admission for children aged 0–14 years across all age groups, ethnicities and in all regions of New Zealand.

An average of two children a year died from a fall-related injury in the five year period 1997 – 2001. Annually 4854 children were hospitalised with fall-related injuries in the three years 2000 – 2002. This equates to an average of 405 hospital admissions each month.

Click the links below to access injury resources, information, prevention and other information.

Factsheets

Childhood Fall Injury (Pdf, July 2006)

Resources

Babies Don't Need Baby Walkers A5 Flyer (Pdf, 2005)
Falls & Pedestrian Safety Checklist (Pdf, 2005)

Media Release

Trampoline Safety this summer (Pdf, January 2010)

Links

For links to New Zealand and international websites relating to this injury topic, go to our links page.

This page was last updated August 13, 2010.