Childhood Household Safety

Abstract

Accidents claim more lives of children between the ages of 1 and 14 years than the next six leading causes of death combined. Every 29,000 accidents result in approximately 2,800 minor injuries, 97 major injuries, and one death.¹Each year, approximately 3,000 children younger than 14 years of age die as a result of home accidents. Fires are the leading cause of death in children, followed by suffocation and drowning (Table 1).² Most accidental deaths of children younger than 5 years of age occur at home. After the age of 6 years, most accidents and accidental deaths occur outdoors.³The kitchen is the most dangerous room in the home, as approximately 18% of all home injuries occur there. In descending order of frequency, the areas where the most injuries occur are the living room, bedroom, yard, and bathroom. Together, they account for 67% of all home accidents.