Childhood injury control

Control of the widespread, life-threatening 'disease', injury, requires prevention of (1) events which cause injury; (2) injury when such events occur, and (3) unnecessary severity when an injury occurs. Educating children and their parents about the danger has not been enough. Strategies developed in concordance with the epidemiological model successful in controlling many infectious diseases are available. Chosen strategies must work when used, and they must be used. Those which require frequent action on the part of individuals are not as desirable as more automatic or 'passive' protection. When automatic protection has not been achieved, incentives can be added to promote behavior change on the part of parents and children or on the part of decision makers who control the risk of injury for many. Childhood injury control requires the coordinated efforts of all interested in the welfare of children.