Femur Fractures in children under two related to consumer products and the home environment treated in United States emergency departments 2017-2021.

Background: Research is scarce on unintentional femur fractures in children under 2 years of age, with many studies focusing on intentional injuries in this age group. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to characterise unintentional femur fractures in very young children evaluated in emergency departments and reported to a nationally representative database involving consumer products.

Methods: Emergency department visits in children with a femur fracture, under 2 years of age, from 2017 to 2021 were queried from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Case narratives were reviewed to assess eligibility criteria and to create novel variables in addition to those included in the dataset.

Results: An estimated 8891 children under age 2 in the USA were treated for femur fractures related to a consumer product or part of the home environment from 2017 through 2021 (95% CI 6900 to 10 881). The highest incidence was during 2020 (2138; 95% CI 1392 to 2883). Femur fractures most often involved furniture (3155; 95% CI 2201 to 4108), while some involved items specifically designed for babies. Falls on stairs contributed to an estimated 1584 femur fractures (95% CI 1031 to 2137), most often when someone fell while carrying the child. More than half of these fractures resulted in hospitalisation.

Conclusion: Caution should be used when leaving babies around certain household items, even those that may seem safe or designed for babies. Stairs and furniture are significant household hazards even before children become mobile.