INJURY IS THE #1 KILLER OF CHILDREN AND TEENS IN THE UNITED STATES BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS CHILD INJURY IS PREDICTABLE AND PREVENTABLE.

Child safety is of upmost importance. So many childhood deaths, injuries, and accidents are preventable. Injury is the #1 killer of children and teens in the United States. In 2009, more than 9,000 youth age 0-19 died from unintentional injuries in the United States. Millions more children suffer injuries requiring treatment in the emergency department. Leading causes of child injury include motor vehicle crashes, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fires, and falls.

Child injury is predictable and preventable. It is also among the most under-recognized public health problems facing our country today. We urge all parents and child caregivers to get informed and be part of the national movement to reduce child deaths and injuries.

The most common place for children to get hurt is in the home. The impact of these injuries can have life-long effects on the child and their family. It’s important to child-proof your home, use appropriate safety equipment, and monitor children at play.

10 Easy Ways to Reduce Injury

10 Easy Ways to Reduce Injury

Cyber Safety

With kids growing up in a digital age, it can be a challenge for modern parents to monitor their activity on the Internet without feeling either overly protective or completely out of the loop. Keeping this in mind, parents are advised to find the middle ground and take reasonable measures to protect their kids. There are plenty of ways to allow your kids to be connected and socialize with their friends while keeping safety a number one priority.

Talk With Your Teen About Online Safety

• Talk with teens about their online activities
  What sites or blogs do they most enjoy? With whom do they interact?
• Learn more about what your teen is doing online.
  Ask specific, non-judgmental questions about what your teen is finding online and identify areas that may be of concern so that you can respond appropriately.
• Talk about what to post—and not post—online.
  Discuss the importance of not sharing private information (age, location, school, and phone number). Talk about the kind of information, language, and images that could be embarrassing or hurtful to themselves or others.
• Address ethical and legal issues.
  The Internet can sometimes make it easy to blur the lines of honesty and integrity as it relates to intellectual property. For example, copyright infringement has serious consequences.

The abuse may be brief, but the trauma lasts a lifetime.
Kids’ lives and futures are on the line!
Be the voice against neglect and contribute to end child maltreatment today.