Injuries at school: a review

Abstract

Injuries are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children older than 1 year, with a significant proportion occurring in the school. This article reviews the past 10 years of literature on school-related injuries. The incidence, types, anatomic locations, sites, and activities related to injuries on school premises are presented. Comprehensive studies in a population where injuries occur in a supervised environment are needed. The role that cooperative programs involving schools, parents, and other agencies can play in developing school safety policies is discussed. Because injuries are common in the daily lives of thousands of school children, a proactive attitude coupled with intensive research on the causes, prevention, and better on-site management would impact immensely or the health status of school-going Texans.