An infant or small child who falls from a significant height would MOST likely experience:

An infant or small child who falls from a significant height would MOST likely experience:

• A. Traumatic brain injury
• B. Spinal column fracture
• C. Isolated limb injury
• D. Respiratory failure without head injury

Answer: (A)

In young children, the greatest risk from falling from a significant height is injury to the head and brain. The head is large in relation to the body in infants and toddlers, and the skull and brain are especially vulnerable to rapid deceleration and blunt impact. Even when there aren’t obvious external signs, intracranial injuries such as concussion, contusions, or bleeding within the skull are common results of high-energy falls in this age group. Spinal injuries do occur in children, but their flexible, developing spines make fractures less common than head injuries after a big fall. An isolated limb injury can happen, but the energy of such a fall tends to affect the head first. Respiratory problems without head injury are less likely because brain injury or airway compromise often accompanies significant trauma in these situations. Therefore, traumatic brain injury is the most plausible and likely consequence.

In young children, the greatest risk from falling from a significant height is injury to the head and brain. The head is large in relation to the body in infants and toddlers, and the skull and brain are especially vulnerable to rapid deceleration and blunt impact. Even when there aren’t obvious external signs, intracranial injuries such as concussion, contusions, or bleeding within the skull are common results of high-energy falls in this age group.

Spinal injuries do occur in children, but their flexible, developing spines make fractures less common than head injuries after a big fall. An isolated limb injury can happen, but the energy of such a fall tends to affect the head first. Respiratory problems without head injury are less likely because brain injury or airway compromise often accompanies significant trauma in these situations. Therefore, traumatic brain injury is the most plausible and likely consequence.