How to prevent the most common kids’ injuries
Burns, sprains, and other everyday wounds send millions of children to emergency departments each year.
Jan, 2026
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Slide 1
More than 40 percent of kids ages 1 to 17 years old visited an emergency department (ED) in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In many cases, they were seeking medical treatment for common or household injuries, including burns, sprains, and cuts.
You likely can’t supervise your child all day, every day. But there are other ways to keep them from being hurt. Here are smart prevention tips for everyday childhood injuries—and if they do get hurt, ways to tell whether they need first aid or the ED.
Written byOlivia DeLong.
Medically reviewed byAnn Wendling, MD, MPH.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NHCS: Emergency Department Visit Rates by Selected Characteristics: United States + 30
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NHCS: Emergency Department Visit Rates by Selected Characteristics: United States, 2022. August 2024.
- Nemours Kids Health. Preventing Burns and Fires. July 2022.
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- DeGeorge KC, Neltner CE, Neltner BT. Prevention of Unintentional Childhood Injury. Am Fam Physician. 2020 Oct 1;102(7):411-417.
- U.S. Fire Administration. Smoke Alarms. Accessed July 2, 2025.
- University of Rochester Medical Center. Sprains, Strains, Breaks: What’s the Difference? Accessed July 2, 2025.
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- Cleveland Clinic. RICE Method for Injury. January 24, 2025.
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- HealthyChildren.org (AAP). Concussions in Children & Teens: What Parents Need to Know. December 5, 2024.
- Nemours Kids Health. Concussions. July 2023.
- QuickStats: Percentage of Children and Adolescents Aged ≤17 Years Who Had Ever Received a Diagnosis of Concussion or Brain Injury, by Sex and Age Group — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:899.
- Health Resources & Service Administration. Poison Help: Prevention Tips. Accessed July 2, 2025.
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- Poison Control. Get help online or by phone. Accessed July 2, 2025.
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP). Poison Prevention & Treatment Tips for Parents. September 6, 2021.
- American Red Cross. Child & Baby CPR. Accessed July 2, 2025.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drowning Prevention: Preventing Drowning. October 16, 2024.
- MedlinePlus. Non-fatal drowning. November 2, 2023.
- MyHealth Alberta (Canada). Learn about non-fatal drowning. July 31, 2024.
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP). American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Recommendations to Prevent Drowning in Children. March 15, 2019.
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP). Swim Lessons: When to Start & What Parents Should Know. May 29, 2024.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Safety Barrier Guidelines for Residential Pools. 2016.
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