Introduction:
A new type of coronavirus called pneumonia-associated SARS-CoV-2 (Severe
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Coronavirus 2) was reported for the
first time in Wuhan in Hubei Province of China in late December 2019. In
the following weeks, the virus spread to all parts of China, and to the
whole world afterwards. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the
outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January
30, 2020, named the disease as coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on
February 12, 2020, and declared a pandemic on March 11,
2020.1
The first case in Turkey was reported on March 10, 2020, and since then,
measures were introduced to limit the spread of the disease in local
communities by preventing people from forming crowded groups. In this
context, the first measure was closing educational institutions starting
from March 16, 2020, until an unspecified date. Later, the restrictions
were further expanded with the ”stay at home” orders and by banning
children and adolescents under 20 from leaving home after April 4, 2020.
As a result of these restrictions, children whose living areas were
limited to homes started to come to the emergency departments due to
home accidents during their stay at home, mainly due to delayed
applications.
The home accidents are among the most common causes of mortality and
morbidity in children and constitute a substantial part of admissions to
emergency departments. Falls, burns, poisoning, and related
complications are common in accidents at or around home. Although the
home accidents are seen in all age groups, they are especially a
significant problem for children and the elderly, with increased
mortality and morbidity.2
This study aimed to determine whether there was an increase in the
number of the home accidents admitted to emergency departments because
children and adolescents under 18 were subject to stay at home orders
during the pandemic.