Death among children and adolescents

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Overview

Death among children and adolescents

Alternative Names:

Childhood and adolescent causes of death
Information:

With the exception of children under one year of age, the number one killer of children, adolescents, and young adults is ACCIDENTS.

This sad statistic holds for all ages up to 44 years. This is a statistic that can be reduced only by continued attention to safety.

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A leading risk is the automobile. Most states allow adolescents to obtain a beginner's license at age 15 and a driver's license at 16. Adolescents have the ability to be among the best of drivers. They have quick reflexes, excellent vision and hearing (both peak during adolescence), and are capable of rapid information processing. What they do NOT have is learned automatic responses to common situations, experience, and judgment learned from years of driving.

In addition, adolescent boys often display aggressive driving, reckless driving, and a need to prove themselves. Because of these traits, boys are primarily responsible for the increased rate of deaths in their age group.

No other age group comes close to the high automobile accident mortality rate than that of young inexperienced drivers.

Insurance companies know the factors involved and have made recommendations to reduce the likelihood of teenage driving fatalities. See Automobile Safety and the Teenage Driver.

THE TOP 3 CAUSES OF DEATH BY AGE GROUP

0-1 years:

Developmental and genetic conditions that were present at birth
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
All conditions associated with prematurity and low birth weight

1-4 years:

Accidents
Developmental and genetic conditions that were present at birth
Cancer

5-14 years:

Accidents
Cancer
Homicide

15-24 years:

Accidents
Homicide
Suicide

There are almost twice as many deaths in the first year of life than there are in the next 13 years total. Then, the death rate rises rapidly following puberty because of the large number of fatal accidents, homicides, and suicides in the 15-24 year age group. These three causes of death in teens should all be preventable.

What is preventable?

CONDITIONS PRESENT AT BIRTH

Some congenital anomalies are not preventable. However, the number that have a recognized cause, or a genetic basis and can be diagnosed within the first two months of pregnancy, has grown enormously. These conditions, when recognized, may be preventable, or treatable while the baby is in the womb, or treated immediately upon birth.