Epidemiology and prevention of childhood injuries

Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death in children after infancy. The leading causes of childhood injury deaths are motor vehicle crashes, submersion injury, homicide, suicide, and fires. Injuries are not random events. Factors associated with injuries allow identification of high-risk populations and targeted interventions. Injury research includes development of conceptual models to include preinjury, event, and postevent features that can be modified to prevent or limit injuries. Successful prevention strategies often include multifaceted approaches such as education, incentives for safe human behavior, legislation/enforcement, and environmental changes. Preventive programs must weigh both societal and economic values and costs. Careful evaluation for effectiveness of injury prevention programs to decrease or limit injury continues to be a challenge. Generally, passive measure such as improved engineering are more effective than measures that require modification of human behaviors. Childhood injury prevention programs have reduced deaths from some causes such as motor vehicle crashes, but deaths from gun-related homicide and suicide remain high. Critical care providers can actively engage in both prevention efforts and improved acute care of the severely injured child.