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What are the Top Causes of Injuries to Kids?

4 min read  |  November 14, 2024  | 
Cute kids swinging on swings at a playground.

Childhood should be a time of exploration, growth, and joy. Yet, every year, millions of children worldwide face preventable injuries that can sometimes have lifelong consequences or, in the worst cases, be fatal. Understanding the common causes of these injuries is the first step toward prevention.

How to prevent injuries to children:

  1. Firearms:
    • Prevention: Children are safest living and playing in homes without guns. If you choose to have a firearm in your home, always store firearms in a locked cabinet, gun vault, or secure storage case. Firearms should be stored unloaded, with the ammunition securely stored separately.
  2. Motor Vehicle Crashes:
    • Prevention: Make sure your child is always buckled in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt appropriate for their age and size. Ensure your teen gets as much driving practice with you in the car at different times of day, in various kinds of weather, and in heavy and light traffic before allowing them to drive alone.
  3. Falls:
    • Prevention: Install age-appropriate safety equipment in the home (e.g., gates for stairs and furniture safety straps). Make sure kids are wearing helmets and other necessary safety equipment when playing. Always supervise children during play.
  4. Burns and Scalds:
    • Prevention: Set your water heater to 120°F or lower. Keep hot foods, drinks, and appliances out of reach. Teach kids about the dangers of touching hot surfaces or playing with matches and lighters. Always supervise children while cooking.
  5. Choking and Suffocation:
    • Prevention: Keep small objects, including toys with detachable parts, out of reach of children under 3. Learn the Heimlich maneuver and CPR. Use appropriate crib bedding and avoid using blankets, soft toys, pillows, or bumpers in an infant’s crib.
  6. Drowning:
    • Prevention: Never leave children unsupervised near water. Install fences around pools with self-latching gates. Enroll kids in swimming lessons from an early age. Always have them wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water.
  7. Poisoning:
    • Prevention: Store all medications, cleaning products, and chemicals out of reach and in locked cabinets. Educate children about the dangers of ingesting unknown substances. Keep the number of the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) readily accessible.

The key to keeping our children safe is to use preventive measures and create environments that allow them to thrive without fear.

For more information about how to keep your child safe and programs on National Injury Prevention Day, call the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, a program of the Children’s Trust at 305-243-9080 or visit www.injuryfree.org.

Written by Adriana Baez, M.D./J.D. candidate with Julie Belkowitz, M.D., M.P.H., Lyse Deus, M.Ed., and Oneith Cadiz, M.D.

Did you know that injuries are the leading cause of death and disability for people from 1 to 44 years old.

There is good news.
Many of these injuries are preventable with the use of safety practices, products, and policies.

Each year, on November 18, we come together to observe National Injury Prevention Day.

The aim is simple yet powerful: raise awareness about the potential dangers that lurk in our everyday surroundings and to highlight measures that can be taken to ensure the safety of the children in our community.

Here in Miami:

Join Injury Free Miami for National Injury Prevention Day Activities on Monday, November 18, 2024, at Jackson Memorial Hospital, 1611 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33136, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. You can receive Free Home Safety Kits and tour our Mobile Unit for more information on preventing home injuries.

Nationally: 

Join the Injury Free Coalition for Kids during their one-hour X (formerly Twitter) chat on November 18 at 1 p.m. EST, to help increase awareness and education on how the roles we play in preventing injuries. To join the conversation, follow us @InjuryFreeKids and use the hashtag #BeInjuryFree. Topics to be discussed include firearm safety and storage, opioid and cannabis poisoning, and product recalls, among others.

Other ongoing programs in Miami to protect our children:

  • BikeSafe: BikeSafe is a program from the University of Miami KiDZ Neuroscience Center, part of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Dedicated to preventing brain and spinal cord injuries as a result of bicycle-related accidents, BikeSafe provides educational curriculums in schools and parks. Click here for more information. Programs are offered in English, Spanish, and Creole.
  • WalkSafe: WalkSafe is another program from the University of Miami KiDZ Neuroscience Center, part of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. They provide educational curriculums to schools and also promote safe physical activity for children in Miami. Find more information here. Programs are offered in English, Spanish, and Creole.

Remember, every injury prevented is a childhood preserved.

Tags: Dr. Julie Belkowitz, Dr. Oneith Cadiz, healthy children, injury prevention, raising kids

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