Analysis of 347 kindergarten-related injuries

Abstract

While it has been shown that non-parental child care is associated with a reduced risk for unintentional injuries, a considerable number of accidents in kindergartens do result in severe injuries. We have collected data on the behavioral and environmental aspects of accidents that occurred in kindergartens in Austria with the aim of determining possible prevention measures. Included in the study were all kindergarten-related injuries (347) from among 21,582 pediatric trauma cases treated in a 22-month period in Graz, Austria. Kindergarten-related injuries that were treated during the same period at six participating hospitals located throughout Austria were used for comparison. A questionnaire was completed at first attendance, and additional information was achieved by interviews with the parents and kindergarten teachers. Only the 347 kindergarten accidents that occurred in Graz were analyzed in detail. Half of the injuries occurred in an outdoor environment (outside), even though most of the time was spent indoors. Boys were more frequently involved in accidents than girls (male:female=3:2). We identified seasonal and circadian differences, with most children being injured during the first 2 months of attendance (September and October), during the first 3 days of the week (Monday to Wednesday) and in the hour before and after lunch, respectively. Of the 347 accidents analyzed, 24% resulted in serious injury, and injuries occurring outdoors were more severe than those occurring indoors. Most parents felt that the accidents were unpreventable (47%), while 18% stated that improved supervision may have prevented the accident. Kindergarten accidents in Austria still result in a significant number of severe injuries. Kindergarten injuries were related to gender, season, time of day and location. Our results indicate the necessity of a continuous child safety training program that involves the participation of all teachers in day-care functions.

Analysis of Injuries Among Children in Kindergartens During Physical Activities

“…Waltzmann, Shannon, Bowem in Bailey (26) navajajo podatek, da se dečki poškodujejo pogosteje kot deklice; najpogostejše poškodbe so od junija do avgusta, med lepim vremenom. Tudi Eberl in sodelavci (27) so ugotovili, da se v vrtcu dečki pogosteje poškodujejo kot deklice, vendar so bile v njihovi raziskavi poškodbe najpogostejše septembra in oktobra. Do podobnih zaključkov so prišli tudi Knight, Vernon, Fines in Dean (11); tudi v njihovi raziskavi so bile poškodbe, ki so se zgodile med urami šolske športne vzgoje, pogostejše na začetku šolskega leta.…”

“…Do podobnih zaključkov so prišli tudi Knight, Vernon, Fines in Dean (11); tudi v njihovi raziskavi so bile poškodbe, ki so se zgodile med urami šolske športne vzgoje, pogostejše na začetku šolskega leta. Eberl in sodelavci (27) so s svojo raziskavo prišli do ugotovitev, da so se otroci v vrtcu najpogosteje poškodovali od ponedeljka do srede.…”

“…Po podatkih več kot tri četrt vzgojiteljev, ki smo jih anketirali, se pogosteje poškodujejo dečki kot deklice. Tudi drugi avtorji (35,26,27,9) so ugotovili podobno; med vadbo se poškoduje bistveno več dečkov kot deklic. Podobno je ugotovila tudi Erčuljeva (34) na vzorcu srednješolcev; med športno vzgojo se fantje poškodujejo pogosteje kot dekleta, kar utemeljuje z dejstvom, da so fantje bolj nagnjeni k tveganjem, raje se igrajo igre z žogo in se raje spopadajo z novimi izzivi kot dekleta (21).…”

“…Tudi M. Videmšek, Štihec, Karpljuk in M. Meško (9) so prišli do podobnih ugotovitev na podlagi mnenja staršev; velika večina otrok se je poškodovala med malico in kosilom, kar tri četrtine med prosto igro oziroma med neorganiziranimi gibalnimi dejavnostmi, ki niso potekale pod strokovnim vodstvom vzgojiteljic. Knight, Vernon, Fines in Dean (11) so ugotovili, da se otroci najpogosteje v vrtcu poškodujejo v dopoldanskih urah, raziskava Eberla in sodelavcev (27) pa je pokazala, da je največ nezgod pri predšolskih otrocih v času pred kosilom in po kosilu. Tudi raziskavi Hergenroederja (10) ter M. Videmšek, Karpljuka, S. Mlinar, M. Meško in Štihca (36) sta pokazali podobne rezultate; na vzorcu učencev in dijakov osnovne in srednje šole so ugotovili, da se je poškodovalo več otrok in mladostnikov pri dejavnostih, ki niso potekale pod strokovnim vodstvom.…”

“…Da je glava tisti del telesa, ki je bila največkrat poškodovana, so navajali tudi starši v raziskavi M. Videmšek, Štihca, Karpljuka in M. Meško (9). Vzrok za pogosto poškodbo glave je najverjetneje ta, da je glava v primerjavi s preostalim telesom precej velika in je zato najbolj izpostavljena (13 (27) so ugotovili, da je resnih poškodb v vrtcu 24 %. Rezultati analiz poškodb otrok v vrtcu so zelo podobni tudi v poznejših starostnih obdobjih.…”