Aim: To identify and characterise cases of infant deaths where the fatal episodes were considered to be because of positional asphyxia from wedging and/or suffocation associated with sleeping on or near a mattress that had been placed on a floor.
Methods: Retrospective review of autopsy cases from Forensic Science SA, Adelaide, Australia, was performed over a 10-year period from January 2001 to December 2009 to identify such cases.
Results: A total of five deaths were identified. In three cases, infants were wedged between the sides of mattresses and a wall or a sofa. In one case, the infant's head was wedged between a mattress side and a chest of drawers, and in the remaining case, the head was pressed into a plastic bag containing clothes. The age range was 2-10 months, with a male-to-female ratio of 3:2.
Conclusions: Although such deaths are not common, they may be more prevalent when there is overcrowding and reduced sleeping space. While the ideal situation is to provide an infant with his or her own sleeping space, infants sleeping on or near floor mattresses can have the risk of asphyxiation reduced if such mattresses are not located close to furniture or walls, and are not near items such as soft materials or plastic sheeting that could cause airway obstruction.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1754.2011.02020.x | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
[Associations between fall injury rates and instrumentation, equipment, and use among community-dwelling older adults: Computation using emergency medical service records].
Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi
December 2024
Department of Health Promotion, National Institute of Public Health.
Objective This study aimed to examine the instrumentation, equipment, and use associated with falls among community-dwelling older adults, assess the injury rates by instrumentation, equipment, and use according to the characteristics of individuals with injuries, and identify the instrumentation, equipment, and use that cause severe injury.Methods We analyzed individuals aged ≥ 65 years who experienced falls on their property and required emergency medical transport to a hospital in 2019. The fire departments in Saitama Prefecture provided relevant emergency records.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWho breaks their hip? A decade of traumatic hip fracture data.
J Orthop
April 2025
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 S 1st Ave, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA.
Aims & Objectives: Hip fractures lead to significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, particularly in elderly populations. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these fractures is crucial for developing targeted prevention strategies and counseling patients.
Methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was utilized to identify a cohort of 25,068 hip fractures from 2013 to 2022.
Background: Femoral shaft fractures tend to be rare among children; however, these injuries are the most common major paediatric injuries treated by orthopaedic surgeons. The purpose of this study is to characterise the demographics and mechanisms of femoral injury associated with consumer products in the age group treated with spica casting, children 6 months to 6 years, to identify areas for injury prevention.
Methods: Data from 2012 to 2021 were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System maintained by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, documenting emergency department visits for unintentional injuries associated with consumer products.
Distribution and Molecular Characterization of Antibiotic-Resistant in Hospital Settings of Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.
Pol J Microbiol
December 2024
Medical Laboratory Department, Technical College of Health and Medical Technology, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.
is a significant pathogen in hospital settings, notorious for its role in hospital-acquired infections and its ability to develop resistance to multiple antibiotics. This study investigates the prevalence, distribution, and antibiotic resistance gene profiles of in seven hospitals in Sulaymaniyah City. A total of 300 samples were collected from various hospital surfaces including mops, sinks, medical equipment, beds, desks, and floors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElevated hospital floor-based HDU (POPUP-HDU): a new safe alternative to PICU for high-risk neuromuscular and syndromic children undergoing scoliosis surgery.
Spine Deform
October 2024
Paediatric Spinal Deformity Unit, The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
Article Synopsis
- - The study examines the use of a temporary high-dependency unit (POPUP-HDU) versus the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for post-operative care of children undergoing spinal surgeries for scoliosis, aiming to assess the safety and effectiveness of POPUP-HDU in situations where PICU resources are limited.
- - Out of 111 children analyzed, 49 were treated in the PICU and 62 in the POPUP-HDU, with the two groups matched on various health-related metrics; results showed similar readmission rates to PICU and a shorter overall hospital stay for the POPUP-HDU group.
- - Complications were noted in both groups, with a slightly lower incidence in the PICU, indicating that while POP
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!