Each day, more than 2,000 children die from an injury that could have been prevented. In addition, child injuries are a major source of hospital and childhood emergency department admissions. There are a number of causes of childhood injuries, but accident statistics from quite a few sources, including the National Safety Council and National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, reveal some of the more common causes for injuries to children. The following are five noteworthy highlights:
- Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries for children. Kids ages 14 and under account for one-third of fall-related visits to emergency rooms.
- Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children 14 years or younger. The majority of drownings, or near-drownings, occur in either residential swimming pools or open water sites.
- For infants under the age of one, airway obstruction injury is the number one cause of unintentional injury-related death.
- An estimated 45 percent of unintentional injury deaths occurred in or around the home. The causes primarily include falls, choking and poisoning, fire and burns, firearms, suffocation, and drowning.
- Bicycle-related injuries can be very serious; 47 percent of kids 14 and under hospitalized for these types of injuries were diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. In 2003, almost 300,000 children in this age range were treated for bicycle-related injuries.
For parents and child caretakers, being aware of the more common causes of childhood injuries can aid in prevention, as extra safety precautions can be taken when your young one is participating in certain activities and families can be more cautious around the home as well. The statistics, however, show that childhood injuries unfortunately happen on an everyday basis, and when another party is responsible for your child’s injury, he or she can be held legally accountable.
The Chattanooga child injury attorneys with Massey & Associates, P.C. are dedicated to helping families recover from the devastating event of a child injury. For more information on how our experienced law team can help, please call (423) 697-4529.
