As the father of a two-year-old, I can state with authority: when young children achieve mobility, the world around them becomes a lot more dangerous. Hazards are everywhere—cleaning chemicals, outlets, ovens, sharp corners, kerosene lamps and bodies of water, to name a few. Keeping toddlers safe is one of the most important and harrowing jobs for parents, no matter where in the world they live.
According to a new report released jointly by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 2,000 children die every day as a result of accidental injuries. And every year, millions more suffer injuries that leave them with lifelong disabilities.
This first-ever comprehensive assessment of unintentional injuries also found that if certain tried and true prevention measures were used worldwide, at least 1,000 children’s lives could be saved every day. These measures include child-appropriate seatbelts and helmets, child-resistant medicine packaging and household product containers, swimming pool fences, and separate traffic lanes for bicycles and motorcycles, among many others.
Children living in poverty face the greatest risk of life-threatening injuries because they are less likely to have access to protective measures than children from developed countries. More than 95 percent of worldwide child injury deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.
The report’s authors note that child injuries have not received enough attention over the years and that the issue is often absent from child survival initiatives. UNICEF and the WHO have set out to raise awareness of this serious problem and to make sure everyone understands that these injuries are preventable.
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| © UNICEF and WHO, 2008 |
| A child-friendly version of the report entitled, "Have Fun, Be Safe," aims to inform children between the ages of 7 and 11 about various types of injuries and how they can be prevented. |
The injury report, however, generated a higher level of media coverage than recent studies on other important issues, such as HIV/AIDS and maternal health. The New York Times and CNN.com ran stories, as did Voice of America, The Associated Press and many other news outlets.
BACKGROUND NOTE: The top five causes of injury deaths are road crashes, drowning, burns, falls and poisoning. Road crashes kill 260,000 children per year and injure 10 million. Drowning kills more than 175,000 children every year.
Were you aware of the toll of accidental injuries on children? Have you seen or read news coverage of this issue? What child safety measures do you think are most important?
I’d love to hear from you.
