Firearm-related injuries now the leading cause of death for children and adolescents

In the past 25 years there have been significant reductions in motor vehicle crash fatalities in the U.S. Nonetheless, for children and adolescents this has remained the leading cause of death—until recently. Fatal firearm-related injuries—the second-leading cause of death—have been increasing for several years. A 33.4 % in firearm homicides between 2019-2020 propelled gun violence to become the leading cause of death for persons ages 1-19.

One other cause of death has seen a similar sharp increase in the same period — drug overdose and poisonings. For years this category climbed slowly, remaining in a broader group that included drowning, congenital anomalies and suffocation.

Then “drug overdose and poisoning increased by 83.6 % from 2019-2020 among children and adolescents, becoming the third leading cause of death in that age group.” (The rates for other causes of death have remained generally stable).

“(The) increasing firearm-related mortality reflects a longer-term trend and show that we continue to fail to protect our youth from a preventable cause of death.” (Correspondence, Goldstick, J., Cunningham, R., & Carter, M. The New England Journal of Medicine, April 20 2022).

The same can be said for failing to protect our youth from the preventable scourge of drug-related poisonings.

(Patrick Crouse)