Toward a Research Agenda on Pediatric Trauma and Critical Illness

Childhood injury is a serious public health problem in the United States and around the world. Unintentional injuries, while preventable, are a leading cause of death among children worldwide.¹ Many nonfatal unintentional injuries require hospitalization or result in disabling conditions that could have a significant impact on a child’s long-term health and well-being.^1,2 Inflicted or intentional injuries resulting from child maltreatment, self-harm, interpersonal violence, war, and conflict are also serious concerns in pediatric populations.³ Psychological trauma often co-occurs with these experiences and is a significant risk factor for poor developmental, behavioral, and health outcomes.⁴