Unintentional trauma and injury is the leading cause of death in the United States for the age group 0 to 44 years. In the pediatric population, it is responsible for massive morbidity. Approximately 39 permanently disabling injuries occur for each fatality reported. In Illinois, 25,828 persons ages 1 to 4 years were significantly injured in automobile mishaps during the years 1975 to 1981. Automobile related injuries constituted approximately 50 percent of all unintentional trauma. Falls, fire, smoke, drowning, ingestion, aspiration, bicycle mishaps, and other less common (but as significant) incidents such as those related to firearms and consumer products comprised the remainder of etiologies.

It has been shown that pediatrician education results in increased patient contact time devoted to anticipatory guidance. A modest, but significant increase in utilization of safety practices by their patients occurs. In order to increase pediatric house officers' knowledge and awareness of matters related to unintentional trauma and injury control, a preventive pediatrics curriculum has been established in the Integrated Pediatric Residency Program of Rush Medical College. The curriculum introduces unintentional trauma and injury prevention in the ambulatory and in-patient pediatric medical education programs. House officers are required to solve 12 basic problems dealing with children who have suffered acute trauma and those who are at risk for injury from common etiologies. Normal human developmental stages which expose children to unintentional trauma, abnormal behavior patterns which increase risk, and hazard identification are considered in the basic curriculum.