Mega Doctor News
It should come as little surprise, especially if you look back at your own childhood: Accidents happen involving children, no matter the number of precautions one takes as a parent or guardian.
In the United States, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents aged 1-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with approximately 12,000 deaths reported annually.
For non-fatal injuries requiring emergency department visits, falls are the most common cause, especially in young children. Other common unintentional injuries include suffocation, burns and poisoning.
Meanwhile, the leading causes of injury-related deaths in children are firearm-related injuries, motor vehicle accidents, drowning and poisoning.
“Each year, millions of children require emergency care for injuries, which can lead to long-term health consequences and lifelong disabilities,” says Santos Cantu, MD, an emergency medicine and pediatric critical care physician who serves as the medical director of the emergency department at South Texas Health System Children’s. “Many of these injuries are avoidable and preventing them allows kids to thrive in a safe environment and grow into healthy adults.”
Creating a safe environment through injury prevention strategies like childproofing your home, ensuring safe transportation and promoting sports and recreation safety allows children to continue to explore, learn and grow without the disruption and long-term effects of injuries.
“The best way to protect kids from injuries is through a combination of environmental barriers and close supervision,” says Dr. Cantu. “Safety proofing an environment drastically reduces the risk of injury for young children, while supervision is an important addition to safety proofing the environment.”
To help Rio Grande Valley parents and caregivers reduce the risk of injuries in their kids, South Texas Health System Children’s will dedicate its latest Let’s Talk Children’s Health webinar to injury prevention.
During the online seminar, Dr. Cantu will highlight the common causes of injuries in kids and their potential impact on their childhood and beyond.
Broadcast live via South Texas Health System Children’s Facebook page on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., the online seminar will provide parents and caregivers with strategies to protect their children from harm and help ensure they have a better chance at leading healthy, fulfilling lives.
For more information on the webinar, visit the STHS Children’s Facebook Events page. To watch previous Let’s Talk Children’s Health Seminars, visit STHSLetsTalk.com.
| Who: | South Texas Health System Children’s |
| What: | FREE virtual seminar entitled “Let’s Talk Children’s Health – Injury Prevention” |
| When: | Wednesday, September 17, 2025, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. |
| Where: | Online via STHS Children’s & STHS’ Facebook pages |
