Childhood and adolescent causes of death
Key points
- With the exception of children under one year of age, the number one killer of children, adolescents, and young adults is ACCIDENTS.
- There are almost twice as many deaths in the first year of life than there are in the next 13 years total.
- However, the number that have a recognized cause, or a genetic basis and can be diagnosed within the first two months of pregnancy, has grown enormously.
- SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is probably a group of different conditions whose end result appears similar.
Alternative names
Death among children and adolescents
Information
With the exception of children under one year of age, the number one killer of children, adolescents, and young adults is ACCIDENTS.
This sad statistic holds for all ages up to 44 years. This is a statistic that can be reduced only by continued attention to safety.
A leading risk is the automobile. Most states allow adolescents to obtain a beginner's license at age 15 and a driver's license at 16. Adolescents have the ability to be among the best of drivers. They have quick reflexes, excellent vision and hearing (both peak during adolescence), and are capable of rapid information processing. What they do NOT have is learned automatic responses to common situations, experience, and judgment learned from years of driving.
In addition, adolescent boys often display aggressive driving, reckless driving, and a need to prove themselves. Because of these traits, boys are primarily responsible for the increased rate of deaths in their age group.
No other age group comes close to the high automobile accident mortality rate than that of young inexperienced drivers.
Insurance companies know the factors involved and have made recommendations to reduce the likelihood of teenage driving fatalities. See Automobile Safety and the Teenage Driver.
THE TOP 3 CAUSES OF DEATH BY AGE GROUP
0-1 years:
- Developmental and genetic conditions that were present at birth
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- All conditions associated with prematurity and low birth weight
1-4 years:
- Accidents
- Developmental and genetic conditions that were present at birth
- Cancer
5-14 years:
- Accidents
- Cancer
- Homicide
15-24 years:
- Accidents
- Homicide
- Suicide
There are almost twice as many deaths in the first year of life than there are in the next 13 years total. Then, the death rate rises rapidly following puberty because of the large number of fatal accidents, homicides, and suicides in the 15-24 year age group. These three causes of death in teens should all be preventable.
Written and revised by
David Cohen, M.D.
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