TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Unintended consequences of COVID-19 on pediatric falls from windows: a multicenter study
JO  - Journal of surgical research
A1  - Theodorou, Christina M.
A1  - Brown, Erin G.
A1  - Jackson, Jordan E.
A1  - Castle, Shannon L.
A1  - Chao, Stephanie D.
A1  - Beres, Alana L.
SP  - 187
EP  - 192
VL  - 279
IS  - 
N2  - INTRODUCTION: In attempts to quell the spread of COVID-19, shelter-in-place orders were employed in most states. Increased time at home, in combination with parents potentially balancing childcare and work-from-home duties, may have had unintended consequences on pediatric falls from windows. We aimed to investigate rates of falls from windows among children during the first 6 mo of the COVID-19 pandemic. <br><br>METHODS: Patients <18 y old admitted to three pediatric trauma centers (two - level 1, one - level 2) between 3/19/20 and 9/19/20 (COVID-era) were compared to a pre-COVID cohort (3/19/19 to 9/19/19). The primary outcome was the rate of falls from windows. Secondary outcomes included injury severity score (ISS), injuries sustained, and mortality. <br><br>RESULTS: Of 1011 total COVID-era pediatric trauma patients, 36 (3.6%) sustained falls from windows compared to 23 of 1108 (2.1%) pre-COVID era patients (OR 1.7, P = 0.05). The median ISS was seven pre-COVID versus four COVID-era (P = 0.43). The most common injuries sustained were skull fractures (30.5%), extremity injuries (30.5%), and intracranial hemorrhage (23.7%). One-fifth of patients underwent surgery (21.7% pre-COVID versus 19.4% COVID-era, P = 1.0). There was one mortality in the COVID-era cohort and none in the pre-COVID cohort (P = 1.0). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Despite overall fewer trauma admissions during the first 6 mo of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of falls from windows nearly doubled compared to the prior year, with substantial associated morbidity. These findings suggest a potential unintended consequence of shelter-in-place orders and support increased education on home safety and increased support for parents potentially juggling multiple responsibilities in the home.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0022-4804
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2022.05.022
ID  - ref1
ER  -