Injury Prevention Program

Lead: An injury prevention program tackles the number one killer of children.

Unintentional injury is the number one killer of children (SAFEKIDS Campaign), but the Injury Prevention Program at Boston's Children's Hospital is working to change this statistic. Part of the Hospital's Community Benefits Program, the Injury Prevention unit runs programs focusing on car seat safety, window guards, poison awareness, choke containers and bike helmet distribution. Working in conjunction with community centers and primary care pediatricians, the Injury Prevention Program provides the public with education and information about how to prevent childhood injury by using devices such as bike helmets. Making parents aware of the dangers of riding bikes without a helmet, improperly installing a car seat and many other often overlooked traps is the goal of the Program. By working with referrals from the emergency room at Children’s and other community organizations, the Program aims to prevent future injuries through education and community outreach.

Story Contact
Judy Shaw
Director, Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Program
The Children’s Hospital
300 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115-5737
(617) 355-8065
shaw@al.tch.harvard.edu

Expert Contacts
Jennifer Smith
Masters in Social Health
Coordinator, Pitt County Safe Communities Program
Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program
Pitt County Memorial Hospital
PO Box 6028
Greenville, NC 27835
(252) 816-8688

Dr. Herbert G. Garrison, MD, MPH
Professor of Emergency Medicine
Director, Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program
University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina
Eastern Carolina University School of Medicine
Greenville, NC 27858-4354

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death in children from 1-21 years of age. (Childhood Injury Fact Sheet. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Mailstop K65. 4770 Buford Highway NE. Atlanta, GA 30341-3724. (770)488-1506. Fax: (770)488-1667 Email: OHCINFO@cdc.gov. www.cdc.gov/ncipc.)

In 1996, unintentional injuries resulted in the death of more than 775 children under age 1, 2,100 children ages 1 to 4, 1,550 children ages 5 to 9, and 1,800 children ages 10 to 14. (SAFEKIDS Coalition and Campaign, Baystate Medical Center Children’s Hospital, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01199, (413) 794-5434, www.safekids.org)

Each year between 20 - 25% of all children sustain an injury sufficiently severe to require medical attention, missed school, and/or bed rest. (Childhood Injury Fact Sheet. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Mailstop K65. 4770 Buford Highway NE. Atlanta, GA 30341-3724. (770)488-1506. Fax: (770)488-1667 Email:OHCINFO@cdc.gov. www.cdc.gov/ncipc.)

It is estimated that 90 percent of unintentional injuries can be prevented. (SAFEKIDS Coalition and Campaign, Baystate Medical Center Children’s Hospital, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01199, (413) 794-5434, www.safekids.org)

The bicycle injury death rate among children ages 14 and under declined 51 percent from 1987 to 1996. (SAFEKIDS Coalition and Campaign, Baystate Medical Center Children’s Hospital, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01199, (413) 794-5434, www.safekids.org)

Bicycles remain associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except the automobile. More than 70 percent of children ages 5 to 14 (27.7 million) ride bicycles. This age group accounts for approximately 30 percent of all bicycle-related deaths and more than 60 percent of all bicycle-related injuries. (SAFEKIDS Coalition and Campaign, Baystate Medical Center Children’s Hospital, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01199, (413) 794-5434, www.safekids.org)

97 percent of bicyclists killed in 1997 reportedly were not wearing helmets. (U.S. Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, www.bshi.org/index.htm)

Riding without a bicycle helmet significantly increases the risk of sustaining a head injury in the event of a crash. Non-helmeted riders are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than bicyclists wearing a helmet. (SAFEKIDS Coalition and Campaign, Baystate Medical Center Children’s Hospital, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01199, (413) 794-5434, www.safekids.org)

Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent. (SAFEKIDS Coalition and Campaign, Baystate Medical Center Children’s Hospital, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01199, (413) 794-5434, www.safekids.org)

It is estimated that 75 percent of bicycle-related fatalities among children could be prevented with a bicycle helmet. (SAFEKIDS Coalition and Campaign, Baystate Medical Center Children’s Hospital, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01199, (413) 794-5434, www.safekids.org)

Bicyclists hospitalized with head injuries are 20 times more likely to die as those without helmets. (Injuries to Bicyclists, A Monograph by the Johns Hopkins Injury Prevention Center, Bike Helmet Safety Institute)

Helmets are particularly important for children since they suffer the majority of serious head injuries from bicycling accidents. (New England Journal of Medcine 1969; 320:1361-7, Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute)

Soft on helmets. (August 11, 1999) Floridian, Health Times: Focus on Children’s Health. Outlines research on why community prevention programs are not as effective as they should be.

Jefferson, Robin Seaton. (Oct. 13, 1999). Otter’s mascot preaches helmet safety: Oscar visits school to teach importance of protective gear. St. Charles City Post.

Hockey mascot part of preventative program that caters to elementary students.

Oldenburg, Don. (Feburary 24, 1999). Helping kids play it safe. Washington Post.

A toy fair geared towards kids provides information about preventing injuries.

Vergano, Don. (June 2, 1999). Surgeons campaign urges kids to play it safe. Chicago Sun-Times.

The campaign delineates common errors in preventative measures.

Compiled by Leigh Wald