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Excluding the first week of life, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the greatest single cause of death during the first year of life and second only to accidents as the greatest killer of children under age 15. All cases of SIDS occurring in King County, Washington (170) during a 44-month period were studied. Birth certificate from all children born in the county during the same period were utilized for comparison. Findings include a characteristic age distribution at (peak at 2 to 3 months), preponderance in males, low birth weight babies, and in lower socioeconomic class families. "Seasonality" and apparent "time clustering" were present in the infants. All SIDS infants died during sleep in a silent fashion, Forty-four percent of the babies had an upper respiratory infection in the 2-week period prior to death. The epidemiologic findings point to viral infection as playing a major contributory role in SIDS. Pediatrics, 49:860, 1972 SUDDEN DEATH, INFANT DEATH, EPIDEMIOLOGY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falls from heights accounted for 20% of accidental deaths of children in New York City during 1966, and 67% of the children were under 5 years of age. A retrospective study of falls involving more than 10 feet during 1966 to 1968 at a single Bronx hospital affiliation disclosed that 55 children were hospitalized from this cause. Five of these hospitalized patients died, and two were found to have significant residua. This retrospective study of hospitalized patients indicates that falls from heights were a health hazard mainly for preschool males during the warmer summer months in the high rise slums of the south Bronx. Preschool children fell exclusively from windows and fire escapes, with little regard for height. Older children fell from dangerous play areas of lesser height. The need for routine installation of effective window guards is obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on the vital statistics in the U.S. for 1966. Number of births; Death statistics; Infant mortality.

Comments on a study which described the results of tests on child-resistant medicine containers. Application of coordinated maneuvers on medicine containers; Ability of children to open medicine containers; Discussion of accidental poisoning as a cause of morbidity and mortality in children.

Focuses on the mortality rate of children in London, England under 5 years of age in the 1790s. Average births annually; Statistics on the mortality of children during the period.