Consumer products responsible for traumatic brain injury

Washington: Consumer products are associated with non-fatal traumatic brain injuries in youngsters under 19, a study has revealed.

The study, published in the journal of 'Brain Injury', showed that 72 per cent of cases across all age groups were attributable to consumer products.

"Structural designs such as uneven flooring, often contribute to falls, which is the leading cause of traumatic brain injury in children," said Dr Bina Ali, study's lead author.

"In most cases, infants and children are safe in bed and when playing sports outside, but our study highlights some of the risks and the priorities in different age groups for preventing serious head injuries," she added.

Authors reviewed injury surveillance data from over four years, from 2010 to 2013. They focused on children and adolescents in five age groups between zero to 19 years and identified the products associated with their injuries.

The investigation provides a comprehensive understanding of the contribution of consumer product-related traumatic brain injuries in children and adolescents.

Children and adolescents accounted for approximately one million non-fatal traumatic brain injury cases treated in emergency departments per year.

In infants under a year, a quarter was caused by falling from beds, while floors were the second leading cause at 14 per cent.

The authors highlighted bunk beds as especially risky. In children aged one to four years, 10 per cent were caused by beds, 10 per cent by stairs and 10 per cent by floors.

As children became more mobile, the leading causes of head injuries moved outside the home.

At aged five to nine years, floors were still the leading cause (6 per cent), but bicycle accidents came second at five per cent.

In the final two age groups, 10-14 years and 15-19 years, American football was the leading cause of traumatic brain injury - at 14 per cent in the younger age group and nine per cent in the oldest. Basketball came second at six per cent and five per cent respectively.

Other activities that contributed to traumatic brain injuries in the final two age groups included bicycles (5 per cent in 10 to 14-year-olds and 3 per cent in 15 to 19-year-olds) and soccer (5 per cent in 10 to 14-year-olds and 4 per cent in 15 to 19-year-olds).