Study: Serious Head Injuries From Ceiling Fans Among Children Uncommon Yet Preventable

Children in the U.S. may suffer severe head injuries from ceiling fans less often than children in some other countries, but such injuries are largely preventable, according to a new study in the September 2023 issue of Pediatrics (published online Aug. 17). The study, “Traumatic Head Injuries Caused by Ceiling Fans Among Children Treated in US Emergency Departments,” indicated a smaller proportion of skull fractures despite similarities in age to children in foreign countries. Researchers used a nationally representative sample of emergency department visits involving children under the age of 18 from 2013-2021. During that time, roughly 2,300 children per year were treated in U.S. emergency departments for head injuries from contact with ceiling fans. Lacerations were the most common injury, with rare skull or facial fractures reported. Children under 3 were most often injured by being lifted or tossed up into the overhead fan by a caregiver. Head injuries to older children often involved use of bunk beds and other furniture located close to a ceiling fan. Understanding how these injuries happen can help families prevent them. 

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.