Child injuries are preventable, yet more than 9,000 children (from 0-19 years) died from injuries in the US in 2009. Car crashes, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fires, and falls are some of the most common ways children are hurt or killed. The number of children dying from injury dropped nearly 30% over the last decade. However, injury is still the number 1 cause of death among children.33
Children during early childhood are more at risk for certain injuries. Using data from 2000-2006, the CDC determined that:
Drowning was the leading cause of injury death between 1 and 4 years of age.
Falls were the leading cause of nonfatal injury for all age groups less than 15.
For children ages 0 to 9, the next two leading causes were being struck by or against an object and animal bites or insect stings.
Rates for fires or burns, and drowning were highest for children 4 years and younger.34
Table 7.4 summarizes some tips from the CDC to protect children from these injuries:
Table \(\PageIndex{1}\): Preventing Injuries
Type of Injury
Prevention Tips
Burns
Have smoke alarms on every floor and in all rooms people sleep in
Involve children in creating and practicing an escape plan
Never leave food cooking on the stove unattended; supervise any use of microwave
Make sure the water heater is set to 120 degrees or lower35
Drowning
Make sure caregivers are trained in CPR
Fence off pools; gates should be self-closing and self-latching
Have children wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water
Supervise children in or near water (including the bathtub)36
Falls
Make sure playground surfaces are safe, soft, and made of impact absorbing material (such as wood chips or sand) at an appropriate depth and are well maintained
Use safety devices (such as window guards)
Make sure children are wearing protective gear during sports and recreation (such as bicycle helmets)
Supervise children around fall hazards at all times37
Poisoning
Lock up all medications and toxic products (such as cleaning solutions and detergents) in original packaging out of sight and reach of children
Know the number to poison control (1-800-222-1222)
Read and follow labels of all medications
Safely dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs and over the counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements 38
Motor-accident, in vehicle
Children should still be safely restrained in a five point harnessed car seat
Children should be in back seat
Children should not be seated in front of an airbag
Motor-accident, pedestrian
Teach children about safety including:
Walking on the sidewalk
Not assuming vehicles see you or will stop
Crossing only in crosswalks
Looking both ways before crossing
Never playing in the road
Not crossing a road without an adult
Supervise children near all roadways and model safe behavior 39
Figu \(\PageIndex{1}\): Children playing on tree stumps with wood planks. (Image by Miachelle Andrade is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
