There is no universe in which I envisioned becoming a car seat nerd, much less a national expert on the topic. Yet, a series of patient experiences in 1998 transformed me, creating opportunities to lead development of a community coalition dedicated to improving access to and use of car seats in a small New Mexico community.
Our work led to the rate of car seat use doubling in a single year and to enhancements in state child passenger statutes in 2001 and 2004.
Much of this success was due to direction and guidance from leaders of the AAP Council on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention. In addition, AAP policies provided the evidence base and framework that drove progress.
As I reflect on almost 30 years of work in child injury prevention, we have much to be proud of. The Academy has been the leader in this space. Our evidence-based policies remain the gold standard, and our voice is among the most authoritative and trusted in the world. However, we have much more work to do.
Over the last two decades, about one-third of deaths among children and youth have been due to injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sadly, we have made no progress in reducing those numbers.
Every day for the last 20 years, around 10 infants have died in their sleep. Many of these deaths are attributed to unsafe sleep practices, including bed-sharing and use of dangerous products.
Each week for the last 20 years, around 18 children and adolescents have died from drowning, the single leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 years.
That number jumps to about 60 children and adolescents killed in car crashes each week. Around 40% of victims used neither a car seat nor seatbelt, despite laws in every state mandating child passenger restraints.
In 2017, guns became the single leading cause of death for children and adolescents. Firearms remain a complex scourge that would have seemed incomprehensible 20 years ago.
The burden of injury is borne disproportionately by children and youth from minoritized and marginalized communities, leading to inequity based on ancestry, income and rurality.
While we have worked tirelessly to prevent injury deaths, the rates have remained static. Something needs to change.
For starters, we need better child injury data. The gaps in knowledge are significant, even in better-studied areas like child passenger safety. Furthermore, funding remains woefully inadequate.
We must step up and collectively face this epidemic head-on. The status quo simply is not OK. We can and we must do better.
So, how can you contribute to decreasing the leading cause of morbidity for kids? Here are some suggestions.
On an individual level, you can incorporate education on injury prevention and resource awareness into your clinical practice. For example, you can discuss with families the importance of swimming lessons and provide a list of public and private swim instructors in your community.
On a community level, you can support initiatives such as the local SafeKids Worldwide chapter or the injury prevention program at your children’s hospital. Building relationships with the injury prevention community can lead to opportunities to enact evidence-based policy solutions and change systems.
Finally, tap into AAP resources, including the Council on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention, Firearm Injury Prevention Special Interest Group, resources on drowning prevention and water safety and Trainees for Child Injury Prevention.
Draw on your passion, find mentors and build relationships in your community to elevate the voices of those who want to keep kids safe from injuries. I’m excited to see what you can accomplish.
