Accidents in childhood. Review of cases in the emergency room and hospitalized cases.

Accident mortality in childhood is a big problem not only in Japan but also in many other countries. We have reviewed our experience of 4,502 patients below 18 years of age who visited our emergency room in the fiscal year 1990. The number of cases of accidents other than traffic accidents was 243 and was almost double the 131 children involved in traffic accidents. Children with ordinary injuries (trauma) were excluded from accident patients. The most common non-traffic accident in childhood was foreign body ingestion or inhalation. The gastrointestinal tract was the most common site of foreign body ingestion or inhalation. Forty-two children with bronchial foreign bodies and 38 cases of near-drowning who were admitted to our hospital from 1975 to 1991 were also studies. Among the bronchial foreign bodies, we had a high rate of peanut inhalation. Foodstuffs including peanut accounted for more than 80% of the bronchial foreign bodies. Among the 38 near-drowning cases, we had five fatal cases, three cases were severe neurological sequelae and 30 intact survivals. Bathtubs at home were the most common site of near-drowning, particularly for young children.