Nonfatal injuries in children

Trauma is the leading cause of death and a major cause of morbidity among children. Recently, there have been significant efforts to study the causes of childhood injuries and to develop ways to prevent such trauma. Successful interventions in the past included child-proof medicine bottle caps, automobile infant-seat regulations, and educational programs. Several new studies have addressed the incidence and morbidity associated with more specific injuries. From these studies, new, confirmatory data have emerged concerning risk factors for particular injuries and new theories for prevention. Young children (infants and children less than 5 years old), school-age children (6 to 11 years), and adolescents (older than 11 years) meet different hazards and suffer different injuries partly because of their age and cognitive development. This article focuses on the epidemiology of injury by age group and on management and prevention strategies.