Injury Prevention In Children

Tonja R. Nansel & Nancy L. Weaver

The safety of children is one of the most pressing public health issues of our time. Injuries are responsible for more deaths in children over age 1 than any other health threat, and for every death from an injury, there are many more hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and outpatient treatment. Injuries occur when energy is transferred in ways, amounts, and rates that damage body structures and tissues. This can occur when a soccer player collides with a goal post, when an infant falls down the stairs, when a toddler swallows a household cleaner, or when two vehicles collide. While injuries are sometimes thought of as “accidents” or chance events of nature, it becomes clear that many injuries could have been prevented when the situations in which they happen are examined. For example, we know that teenage drivers demonstrate a higher rate of crashes and injuries than do adult drivers. However, ...

Users without subscription are not able to see the full content on this title. Please, subscribe or login to access all content on this website.