Accidental injuries in the sixth and seventh years of life: a report from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Child Development Study

Abstract

Two hundred and thirty-two (22 percent) of a sample of 1072 children in their sixth and seventh years of life had 273 injuries. Thirty-seven of the children had two or more accidents and 20 children were admitted to hospital as a result of their injuries. Forty-four percent of all the injuries were described as open wounds and the most common site of injury was the head. Falls were the most common type of accident and accounted for 44 percent of all injuries. The most common fall was from playground equipment.