Preventing unintentional injuries in children: successful approaches

Throughout the world unintentional injury in children is a very important public health issue. It is a major cause of death in children and is responsible for considerable morbidity. However, the burden of injury is not equally shared, with those children who live in more deprived social circumstances being at greater risk. A range of effective strategies for preventing many types of childhood injuries now exist based on the approaches of education, environmental modification and legislation. Paediatricians have important roles to play in data collection, in identifying children at risk of injuries, in supporting parents, and as advocates for injury prevention. This article examines the scale of the problem and the evidence base for prevention strategies that have been successfully implemented.