Unintentional injuries in childhood: analysis and recommendations.

The twentieth century saw huge successes in health care in the United States. Immunizations, antibiotics, and public health initiatives have combined to lower the infant mortality rate and lengthen life span. Unlocking the secrets of the human genome promises more advances. Despite these advances, we remain stymied by the steady drumbeat of death and disfigurement attributable to childhood injuries. Injuries, both violent and unintentional, are one of the most significant public health issues facing children today, but public outrage is absent. As a result, proven solutions go unused, and thousands of children die each year.