Birmingham, Ala. (Nov.18, 2024) — Injuries and violence are the leading cause of death and disabilities for people aged 1 to 44. Statistics such as these have led injury and violence prevention organizations, such as Children’s of Alabama, to team up for the fifth annual National Injury Prevention Day on Monday, Nov. 18. Safety experts say they have extended their messaging for an entire week this year to mark the fifth anniversary.
“National Injury Prevention Day is a day hosted by the Injury Free Coalition for Kids each year as a way to get the injury prevention messaging spread nationally,” said Dr. Alicia Webb, a pediatric emergency physician at Children’s of Alabama. “It is also a day to give people the tools they need to keep their children safe. This year, our hospital will light a pathway to safety for a full week.”
Beginning at dusk on Monday, the hospital will be lit in green to help raise awareness about injury prevention. There will also be important information on injury prevention placed on the hospital website and social media channels.
According to the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, injuries are the leading cause of death and disability to U.S. children from 1 to 18 years old. Every day, 20 children die from preventable injuries. One of those preventable injuries is drowning.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more children ages 1-4 die from drowning than any other cause of death.
“Babies and toddlers are at high risk for drowning, even in one inch of water,” Webb said. “They should never be unattended in water, and parents need to make sure that water is emptied immediately after bathing.”
Webb added that children of any age should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket while swimming or boating. Also, parents should know CPR in the event it is required, to begin while waiting for paramedics to arrive.
Car safety is also important, according to Webb. Parents should refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations for guidelines on requirements for car seats and booster seats. “It is important for car seat straps to go across the chest and during the cold months, place the child in the car seat first, and then out their outerwear over them.”
The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens ages 16 to 19 than among any other age group. Webb suggests that parents talk to their teens about driver safety and the importance of wearing seatbelts. “Seatbelts need to be worn at all times, no matter how far someone is driving,” she explained. “They also need to emphasize the dangers in texting while driving and knowing who is in the car with them.”
For more information on National Injury Prevention Week, click here.
