@article{ref1,
title="Fatal Acute Intracranial Injury, Subdural Hematoma, and Retinal Hemorrhages Caused by Stairway Fall",
journal="Journal of forensic sciences",
year="2011",
author="Lantz, Patrick E. and Couture, Daniel E.",
volume="56",
number="6",
pages="1648-1653",
abstract="We describe an infant with an acute subdural hematoma, a fatal head injury, and severe hemorrhagic retinopathy caused by a stairway fall. His cerebral and ocular findings are considered diagnostic of abusive head trauma by many authors. Our literature search of serious injuries or fatalities from stairway or low-height falls involving young children yielded 19 articles of primary data. These articles are discrepant, making the classification of a young child's death following a reported short fall problematic. This case report contradicts the prevalent belief of many physicians dealing with suspected child abuse that low-height falls by young children are without exception benign occurrences and cannot cause fatal intracranial injuries and severe retinal hemorrhages. The irreparable harm to a caregiver facing an erroneous allegation of child abuse requires physicians to thoroughly investigate and correctly classify pediatric accidental head injuries.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-1198",
doi="10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01892.x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01892.x"
}