In infants, which is the leading cause of injuries?

• A. Suffocation and aspiration
• B. Falls
• C. Drowning
• D. Burns

Answer: (A)

Infants are especially vulnerable to suffocation from airway obstruction, so suffocation and aspiration is the most common injury risk in this age group. Their airways are small and reflexes to clear obstructions aren’t fully developed, making them susceptible to suffocation from soft bedding, pillows, or unattended sleep surfaces, as well as from choking on small objects or during feeding. This is why safe sleep practices—placing babies on their backs on a firm mattress, removing loose bedding and soft items from the sleep area, and supervising feeding to prevent choking—have a big impact on reducing injuries.

While drowning, burns, and falls are important concerns, they become more prominent as children grow older and become more mobile. In infancy, the combination of airway vulnerability and environmental factors in the sleep space makes suffocation the leading injury risk.