The number of accidents involving children has increased annually, particularly those involving head injuries

The number of accidents involving children has increased annually

The number of accidents involving children under the age of 14, which were reported to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS) of the KCA (Korea Consumer Agency) has continued to rise every year, as indicated by the following figures: 11,427 cases were reported in 2009, 15,006 cases (31.3%) in 2010, and 20,737 cases (38.2%) in 2011. Furthermore, as of March 2012, 12,703 cases were reported, showing an increase of 18.9% from the same time in the previous year (10,675 cases).

Warning about accidents involving furniture, such as tables, chairs, beds, etc.

A breakdown of the items that commonly cause accidents shows that most accidents were caused by items of furniture such as tables, chairs, and beds (5,873 cases, 28.4%). This is followed by 2,396 accidents (11.6%) involving interior materials such as vinyl and wooden flooring; 1,290 (6.2%) involving glass, doors, and windows; and 1,137 involving toys and game materials.

Accidents involving furniture, home interior materials, glass, doors, and windows mainly happened to children aged between 1 and 3, while cases involving permanent structures generally happened to children aged 7 to 14.

The majority of injuries are caused by a plunge or fall or by slipping

Children were most often (7,492 cases, 36.2%) injured by a plunge or fall, or by slipping. This was followed by cuts, scratches, and blunt force traumas caused by collisions with objects or animals and such like.

Such cases most often affect children aged 1 to 3. Accidents caused by plunges and falls or by slipping most often involved furniture and interior materials, while accidents caused by crashing into other objects or animals most often involved furniture, glass, doors, and windows.

Warning about facial and head injuries

Most children (34.1%) injured either a part or the entirety of their face including the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. The percentage of cases involving head injuries was 31.4%, followed by injuries to the hands, fingers, and wrists at 12.1%, and injuries to the legs, knees and feet at 6.4%.

In particular, people should be careful to avoid facial and head injuries since they may result in permanent scarring, and also because such injuries may have fatal secondary consequences such as cerebral concussion.

Cases of accidents involving children

【case 1】In January 2011, a boy (aged 8) tumbled from a ladder and sustained lacerations to the head.

【case 2】In December 2011, a boy (aged 4) fell on his head in the living room and sustained lacerations to the head.

【case 3】In November, a boy (aged 3) sustained lacerations to the finger after getting it jammed in the door.

【case 4】In January 2011, a girl (aged 2) sustained a bruised finger after getting it jammed in a toy car.

【case 5】In October 2011, a girl (aged 4) fell down in a playground and bumped into a fixed item of playground equipment, sustaining a lacerated eye.