Epidemiology of pediatric holiday-related injuries presenting to US emergency departments.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to calculate injury rates and describe the epidemiology of holiday-related injuries among children who were aged < or =19 years and presented to US emergency departments (EDs) from 1997 through 2006.


METHODS
Data on holiday-related injuries obtained from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System were analyzed.


RESULTS
From 1997 through 2006, an estimated 5,710,999 holiday-related injuries sustained by children who were aged < or =19 years presented to US EDs. The greatest number of injuries occurred on Labor Day followed by Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Halloween. Children who were younger than 5 years sustained a greater proportion of injuries than other age groups. The face, finger/hand, and head were the most commonly injured body parts. Lacerations, contusion/abrasions, fractures, and sprain/strains were the most common diagnoses. Overall, the majority of injuries that occurred on holidays were classified as sports and recreation-related. In addition, home structure-related and home furnishing-related injuries were prevalent. Injuries that were associated with fireworks were more likely to occur on the Fourth of July than any other holiday, yet fireworks accounted for only a small proportion of Fourth of July injuries.


CONCLUSIONS
Most injuries that were sustained on holidays and required ED treatment were not holiday-specific but were associated with more general activities. Parents should be aware that holidays present a risk not only for holiday-specific injuries but also for more general, "everyday" injuries.
D'Ippolito
Anthony
A
Center for Injury Research and Policy, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.
Collins
Christy L
CL
Comstock
R Dawn
RD
D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006693:Holidays; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology