Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/childhood-injuries-an-ounce-of-prevention/5021625/
Active, curious, adventurous children are a joy! They run, jump, dance, skip, climb, crawl, pedal, and explore, usually without a care in the world. Through exploration and physical activity children learn, discover, and develop new skills; they build strong muscles, bones, and endurance; and they develop confidence as they take on new challenges. Keeping children active and curious while minimizing the risk of injury may be a challenge, but by understanding how injuries happen and taking simple precautions, most childhood injuries can be prevented.Childhood Injury Rates in the United States
Unintended injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States, account for billions of dollars in medical expenses each year, and are responsible for untold pain and suffering. On the bright side, the rate of death from childhood injuries is declining. Childhood motor vehicle traffic-related death rates (the leading cause of childhood death from injuries for children birth-19 years) declined more than 40% between 2000 and 2009. The incidence of drowning (the leading cause of accidental death for children 1-4 years) has also gone down, as have rates of death from burns and falls.
Sadly, the rate of infant suffocation has increased (Centers for Disease Control, CDC, 2012). ...