Unintentional Injuries Essay

Discuss the impact of unintentional injuries to children, the families and the wider community.

Worldwide, the main cause of death in children results from injuries sustained accidentally, and that correctly termed ‘unintentional injuries’ are preventable. Additionally, unintentional injuries that do not result in death can have a significant impact on a healthy developing child (Hoffnung et al., 2013). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Brussoni, Olsen, Pike, & Sleet, 2012), advocate play as crucial to the healthy development and wellbeing of a child. Research reveals children are naturally draw to exciting, exhilarating, challenging and stimulating play, this physically active type of play leads to a greater risk of unintentional injury. Children governed by overprotective and restrictive play, consequently have higher risk of unintentional injuries (Brussoni et al., 2012). It is fundamental that

Studies have indicated that the parent’s age, cultural and socioeconomic background, and developmental behaviours of children act as barriers to expectations of adequate child safety (Smithson, Garside, & Pearson, 2011). Adolescent or young parents often lack the experience and knowledge to understand a developing child’s abilities, therefore safety interventions are often underestimated. Cultural backgrounds have different standards and knowledge of acceptable child safety. Socio-economic hardship, can increase the potential to injury due to living environment, provisions for safety and access to resources (Smithson et al., 2011). Public health programs need to be put in place to allow every parent free access to information and resources needed for successful intervention in child injury prevention and child