A 10-Year Retrospective Review of Playground-Associated Craniofacial Injuries in the Pediatric Patient Population.

This article presents a 10-year retrospective study of pediatric playground-associated craniofacial injuries using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) between 2012 and 2021. It found that most injuries occurred in preschool and elementary school–age children, predominantly boys, with the head, face, and mouth being the most commonly affected areas. Swings, monkey bars/climbing apparatus, and slides were the playground equipment most frequently implicated, with injuries typically treated in emergency departments and resulting in same-day discharge; however, a small percentage required hospitalization and one fatality was reported. The study emphasizes the importance of proper supervision, education on safe play, and adherence to playground equipment and surfacing safety standards to prevent these injuries. Limitations include the NEISS database’s partial national representation and lack of long-term outcome data.