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.