The toll of injuries is high – they are the leading cause of death and illness in children. But the good news is that they can be prevented.
Generally, parents can prevent injuries in young children by creating an environment that is safe and not risky. The most common injuries can be prevented by:
Locking windows and using barriers and stair gates
Using a car seat for infants and toddlers and booster seats for older children
Installing a fence around a swimming pool
Installing a smoke alarm
Lowering water heater temperatures to ~125 degrees F
Using child resistant packages for all medications and discarding unused medications
Perhaps the most important first step in injury prevention is making parents aware of common injuries and ways to prevent them.
Frederick Rivara, MD, University of Washington, USA
Last update: December 2019
