Injuries of the face and jaws in children

Abstract Exuberant activity and lack of fine physical control are the main factors predisposing to injuries in childhood, and the facial skeleton is a particularly susceptible part of the body in the early years of life as the young child explores his environment. The presence of developing bones and teeth in the facial skeleton of the child, together with the occurrence of etiologic factors, some of which differ from those found in adult injuries, may result in patterns of damage peculiar to children. This paper presents the results of a survey of 495 cases of facial and jaw fractures admitted to the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, during the ten-year period 1959–1969. Health education aimed at informing the public of the importance of using mouth guards in sport and of restraining child car passengers in the rear seat with seat belts or special car seats has already produced a noticeable reduction in the number of injuries from these causes.