Accidents:  A Major Cause of Death in Children and Young Adults
By Lisa Glickstein, Ph.D, Triplet Mom
Originally printed in September 2004

Accidents are the number one cause of death from age one to thirty-four years 
(at which point cancer and heart disease gradually take over).  The following 
statistics are from 2000-2001, for all races and genders, in the Northeast.  
Specific causes of death are listed on the top line for each age group, and 
underneath the percent of death in the injury group are listed by cause.

Birth to age 1:  injuries (2%), SIDS (7%), preterm birth and birth defects (>90%)

* Suffocation, motor vehicle or traffic accident

Age 1 to 4:  injuries (28%)

* Drowning (25%)
* Motor vehicle or traffic accident (24%)
* Fire/burns (14%)

Age 5 to 9:  injuries (33%)

* Motor vehicle or traffic accident (42%)
* Fire/burns (19%)
* Drowning (10%)

Age 10 to 14:  injuries (31%), suicide (6%)

* Motor vehicle or traffic accident (44%)
* Drowning (14%)
* Fire/burns (7%)

Age 15 to 24:  injuries (41%), suicide (11%)

* Motor vehicle or traffic accident (66%)
* Poisoning (15%)
* Drowning (3%)

I was surprised that motor vehicle and traffic accidents top the list at nearly 
every age - this includes car accidents, but also pedestrian or bikers hit by cars.  
Practice good car safety, including buckling all passengers in appropriate 
restraints by age, and teach kids to be careful near roadways.  Parents should 
drive safely and observe the rules of the road, especially when transporting kids, 
both for their safety and the safety of others on the road, as well as to set a 
good role model for teenage drivers.

Supervision, using appropriate pool fencing, and alarms can prevent drowning 
deaths in young children, and older children should be taught water safety and 
swimming skills.  Children should not swim alone, and should not dive in posted 
areas that may be too shallow.

Fire alarms should be used and checked regularly, and children should be taught 
not to play in the kitchen or to touch the stove or outlets.

Finally, suicide is a major cause of death in children as young as 10 to 14-years 
of age.  Many cases of poisoning in this age group are due to substance abuse.  
All parents of pre-teens and teenagers should know the signs of depression, and 
kids exhibiting signs should be referred for evaluation to a psychologist or 
psychiatrist.  This is particularly true for parents who themselves have a history 
of anxiety, depression, or substance abuse issues, as these illnesses are often 
hereditary.  Substance abuse (alcohol, drugs, or food) can be signs of untreated 
depression or anxiety and attempts by children to self-medicate.  Early treatment 
can make the difference.