Infant falls are a common cause of injury among children under 12 months old. The sad part is that most parents don’t have sufficient information for fall prevention. The best tool they have is the internet which, at best, can offer generic advice that everyone knows about. Parents can also talk to other parents, but this is often a very limited pool of data to get any kind of meaningfully actionable intelligence.

To enhance their knowledge and exchange valuable insights, parents may consider attending networking events where they can connect with a wider community, share experiences, and access a diverse range of perspectives on effective fall prevention strategies. If you are curious to know more about parenting, check here.

However, there is one place where you can get prompt advice – and that’s an online parenting forum. But there’s a catch. Online parenting forums are many, and it’s not like you can find out all the stories of infant falls common reasons, and prevention tactics. It will take ages.

What if we told you that researchers who care about parenting a lot have done that work for you? In mid-2022, there was a study by six researchers published on JMIR. These researchers did a study by analyzing the treasure trove of data that discussions related to infant falls on online parenting forums. 

This study helped the researchers better understand the prevalence and (more importantly) the circumstances surrounding infant falls, including factors such as stress management. They delved deeper into these discussions and were able to shed some light on the factors that often contribute to infant falls. What’s more, they were also able to get some insights into working prevention strategies, including those related to stress management. If you’re up for it, read the study by all means. Below, we’re going to summarize the results for you.

Common Contributing Factors & Prevention Tips

There are no less than 10 major contributing factors. Be on the lookout for these and your infant will be safer.

• Building entrances of halls are dangerous and can lead to injuries.
• The primary residence’s bedroom and living room are the most frequent settings.
• Infants aged 6-9 are at a higher risk of falling from equipment such as strollers, beds, cribs, and high chairs.
• Infants who have not reached the standing with support milestone are at a higher risk of falling.
• Unwitnessed falls (no caregiver present) often lead to a higher risk of injury.
• Furniture like sofas, beds, and changing tables are common culprits.
• Babies should be transferred to and from equipment such as strollers and changing stations very carefully and with complete concentration.
• Infants less than 3 months old are more likely to fall from their parents’ arms.
• The majority of falls are under 50cm, but a little over 9% of them are more than 1m.
• Infants with a history of falls are at a higher risk of falling again. 

In Conclusion

Parenting is a challenging job. Ensuring your infant’s safety is even more so. Generally, good practices include installing window guards, keeping furniture away from other objects in the room, and, of course, paying attention to the details that might often be overlooked. For instance, be mindful of where you place your mom's baby bottle, ensuring it's secure and out of reach when not in use. All of that is pretty standard. Even the CDC has a bunch of tips on this. But now that you have information on exactly how falls and injuries happen and the circumstances surrounding them, you’re better equipped to ensure the safety of your infant.