Epidemiology of Pediatric Head and Neck Injuries in the United States, 2014 to 2023

Introduction: Head and neck trauma among children is much more common and severe than in adults. The present study sought to examine and describe the frequency and trends of pediatric head and neck injuries presenting to emergency departments (EDs) among United States (US) youth. Methods: All pediatric head and neck injuries presenting to US EDs from January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2023 were queried using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Patient demographics, disposition, injury site, diagnosis, location, and product codes were recorded for each injury. National estimates (NEs) were calculated using the NEISS statistical sample weighting. Injury trends were evaluated by linear regression modeling. Results: From 2014 to 2023, 17 585 246 pediatric head and neck injuries occurred with an average patient age of 6.0 ± 5.2 years. The most affected age group was 1-year-olds, accounting for 11.5% of all injuries. There was a significant decrease in the number of head and neck injuries ( P = .002) across the study period. Males were more commonly affected, comprising 60.7% (NE = 10 667 778) of all injuries. The most common diagnoses were lacerations (30.9%; NE = 5 428 106). Injuries primarily involved the head, accounting for 47.9%. The location of the injury was most commonly the home (45.3%, NE = 7 973 634). The most common cause of injury was from beds or bed frames (7.8%; NE = 1 365 748). Conclusion: Head and neck injuries represented a significant cause of injury in the pediatric population from 2014 to 2023 but did demonstrate a significant decrease over that span. The most common diagnosis was laceration, with males enduring a greater burden of injury. The home proved to be the most common location of injury, especially for younger children. Places of recreation were the most common location of injury for adolescents. The present study suggests that future education and interventions should be directed to the home and sports environments.