ABSTRACT

To present a detailed description and to assess outcomes of trauma caused by televisions (TVs) toppling onto children during the last 17 years.

The records of 34 patients aged 0-16 years with TV-related serious head injuries presenting to a tertiary hospital during the last 17 years were retrospectively reviewed. From the hospital’s file recordings, authors retrieved data about demographic information; Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale (PGCS) score; length of hospital stay; injuries supervened to the scalp, cranium, or brain; and Glasgow Outcome Scale score.

Thirty-four children were injured following TV falls between January 2000 and December 2017. Of these, 44.1% (n=15) were toddlers aged 2-3 years, and 73.5% (n=25) were girls. All of the injuries occurred at home, and all of them had skull fractures. Five children (14.3%) had a PGCS of <7, and seven patients (20.6%) died in the hospital. The median duration of hospitalization was 2 days (minimum 1 and maximum 27), and 23 patients (67.6%) were discharged home with a good outcome.

These data indicate that TV-related injuries are still an important source of hazard, especially for toddlers. TV-related home accident prevention programs should include awareness-raising campaigns for parents as well as setting production and construction standards for the industry.

Keywords: Home accidents, head trauma, television, children